Chicago Dramatists Open Season with World Premiere of THE MECCA TALES, Now thru 4/12

After taking a one-year hiatus from production, Chicago Dramatists is officially launching its new season with the highly-anticipated world premiere of The Mecca Tales written by Resident Playwright Rohina Malik and directed by Associate Artistic Director Rachel Edwards Harvith. The production, which was developed in conjunction with the Goodman Theatre, is running tonight, March 13 to April 12 at Chicago Dramatists (1105 W. Chicago Avenue). Press nights are March 13 and 14 at 8:00 p.m.

For tickets, visit http://chicagodramatists.org/production-the-mecca-tales or call 312-633-0630. Tickets run $18 to $40 and group discounts are available.

Supported by a skilled cast and live music, The Mecca Tales provides an important perspective on the Muslim religion and culture in a time of heightened socio-political tension and persecution. It tells the tale of five American Muslim women of diverse cultural backgrounds who meet for the first time in Mecca during the Islamic pilgrimage known as the Hajj. Each pilgrim is encouraged to reveal her unique and personal reason for making this journey. The women must choose whether to reveal themselves and go forward, or to guard their stories and stay behind. The Mecca Tales explores the power of ritual and redemption, and what it means to be an American Muslim woman.

"I have always found the idea of pilgrimage fascinating," said playwright Rohina Malik. "I wanted to explore the need humans have to take a spiritual journey. Working with Rachel and the cast has been exciting because the process has been a spiritual and artistic journey, with many discoveries made along the way."

"Rohina's play explores the power of ritual and the sharing of personal burdens as ways to recover from the past and move boldly into the future," said director Rachel Edwards Harvith. "As a director, I am always drawn to stories that dare me to ask, 'What does a memory look like, sound like, feel like?'"

"As one of a few organizations dedicated solely to developing and producing new work, Chicago Dramatists is excited to kick off our new season with an important story that can serve as a catalyst for empathy and change," said Meghan Beals, Interim Artistic Director at Chicago Dramatists. "Rohina and Rachel have created a theatrical experience that is unsettling, heartbreaking and inspiring all at once. We look forward to taking the audience on a journey that will continue well after the show."