Jackalope Theatre Presents the World Premiere of the Romantic Comedy PRETTY SHAHID

Jackalope Theatre Company is proud to present the world premiere of Pretty Shahid, at Jackalope Theatre in the Broadway Armory, 5917 N. Broadway, June 16 - July 23, written by company member Omer Abbas Salem+, directed by Sophiyaa Nayar*, with associate direction by company member Nadya Naumann*^. Previews are Friday, June 16 and Saturday, June 17 at 7:30 p.m., Sunday, June 18 at 3 p.m. and Monday, June 19 at 7:30 p.m. with the press opening Tuesday, June 20 at 7:30 p.m. The regular performance schedule is Thursdays - Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m with an Industry Night, Monday, July 10 at 7:30 p.m. The running time, including the intermission, is currently 2 hours and 15 minutes. Tickets for Pretty Shahid are now on sale, $15 - $35, and may be purchased through the Box Office by calling 773.340.2543 or by visiting JackalopeTheatre.com. Cast and additional creative team members to be announced.

Pretty Shahid shares the story of the Kazem family who immigrated to Chicago from Iraq and are attempting to assimilate and live when 9/11 happens. This romantic comedy uses classic film tropes to examine identity and which knots one chooses to untie to become the ideal American. It is a play about self discovery that was born and developed at Jackalope and is the company's first production centered in the muslim, SWANASA (South West Asian, North African, and South Asian) diaspora.

"We're excited to continue our collaboration with company member, Omer Abbas Salem," says Jackalope's Artistic Director Kaiser Ahmed (he/him/his). "Pretty Shahid began its journey here as part of our commissioned New Frontier Series of play development in 2021. We are so proud to see it return home to close out our historic 15th season where we're using the lens of the present to investigate the past. Salem's story of a Muslim-American family explores the impact of post-9/11 hysteria on our concept of what it means to be American.. Pretty Shahid is at once daring, touching and fabulous. Directed by Sophiyaa Nayar, who has been developing the play with Salem since its inception, this world premiere production offers a fresh, incisive and comedic perspective to Jackalope's exploration of American identity."

To post a comment, you must register and login.