Victory Garden Theatre Presents the Midwest Premiere of THE WHO AND THE WHAT

Victory Gardens Theater announces the final show of its 40th anniversary season, the Midwest Premiere of The Who and the What by Ayad Akhtar, directed by Ron OJ Parson. The Who and the What runs June 12 - July 12, 2015 with the press performance on Friday, June 19, 2015, at Victory Gardens Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue. Tickets for previews are $15 - $40 and for regular run are $15 - $60. The Box Office is located at 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue, Chicago or by calling 773.871.3000 or visiting www.victorygardens.org.

Raised in a conservative Muslim family in Atlanta, the outspoken and brilliant Zarina recently completed a book about women and Islam. When her traditional father and sister discover the manuscript, it threatens to tear her family apart. With humor and ferocity, 2013 Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Ayad Akhtar and director Ron OJ Parson examine the giant chasm between our traditions and our contemporary lives.

Artistic Director Chay Yew comments, "I'm thrilled to welcome Ayad to Victory Gardens. His continual investigation and representation of Muslim Americans continue to fuel meaningful national dialogue in the American theatre. In this gorgeous gem of a play, he writes astutely on family dynamics bitterly torn apart by generational, gender, traditional and religious conflicts. Ron is one of our most talented directors in Chicago and I'm excited to have him helm his first production at Victory Gardens in more than a decade. He will be an invaluable collaborator for Ayad's powerful and comic play. It's an artistic dream team."

The Who and the What features Rom Barkhourdar (Afzal), Minita Gandhi (Mahwish), Susaan Jamshidi (Zarina), and Shane Kenyon(Eli).

The creative team for The Who and the What is Scott Davis (set design), Kristy Hall (costume design), Sarah Hughey (light design),Andre Pluess (sound design), Jesse Gaffney (props master), and Ronnie Malley (assistant sound design).

The Who and the What is sponsored Frederick Bates and Ellen Benjamin, the Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation, the Conant Family Foundation, and Deborah and Cody Engle. The travel sponsor is Southwest Airlines. The 40th Anniversary Season is sponsored by Diane and Steve Miller.

About Victory Gardens Theater

Under the leadership of Artistic Director Chay Yew and Managing Director Christopher Mannelli, Victory Gardens is dedicated to artistic excellence while creating a vital, contemporary American Theater that is accessible and relevant to all people through productions of challenging new plays and musicals. With Victory Gardens' first new Artistic Director in 34 years, the company remains committed to the development, production and support of new plays that has been the mission of the theater since its founding, continuing the vision set forth by Dennis Zacek, Marcelle McVay, and the original founders of Victory Gardens Theater.

Victory Gardens Theater is a leader in developing and producing new theatre work and cultivating an inclusive Chicago theater community. Victory Gardens' core strengths are nurturing and producing dynamic and inspiring new plays, reflecting the diversity of our city's and nation's culture through engaging diverse communities, and in partnership with Chicago Public Schools, bringing art and culture to our city's active student population.

Since its founding in 1974, the company has produced more world premieres than any other Chicago theater, a commitment recognized nationally when Victory Gardens received the 2001 Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre. Located in the Lincoln Park neighborhood, Victory Gardens Biograph Theater includes the Zacek-McVay Theater, a state-of-the-art 259-seat mainstage and the 109-seat studio theater on the second floor, named the Richard Christiansen Theater.

In 2012, Victory Gardens Victory Gardens appointed new Ensemble Playwrights Philip Dawkins, Marcus Gardley, Samuel D. Hunter and Tanya Saracho, for seven-year residencies. The Playwrights Ensemble Alumni includes Claudia Allen, Lonnie Carter, Steve Carter, Gloria Bond Clunie, Dean Corrin, Nilo Cruz, Joel Drake Johnson, John Logan, Nicholas Patricca, Douglas Post, James Sherman, Charles Smith, Jeffrey Sweet and Kristine Thatcher.

For more information about Victory Gardens, www.victorygardens.org. Follow up on Facebook at Facebook.com/victorygardens and Twitter @VictoryGardens.

Victory Gardens Theater receives major funding from Alphawood Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, The Joyce Foundation, The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Allstate Insurance, Polk Bros. Foundation, Crown Family Philanthropies, The Leo S. Guthman Fund, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, The William and Orli Staley Foundation, The National Endowment for the Arts, The REAM Foundation, and the Leo S. Guthman Fund. Additional funding is provided by: Abbot Downing & Wells Fargo, Alliance Bernstein, Berghoff Catering, The Charles H. and Bertha L. Boothroyd Foundation, a City Arts Grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation, The Conant Family Foundation, The Edgerton Foundation, Exelon, John R. Halligan Charitable Fund, Illinois Arts Council (a state agency), Illinois Tool Works, Italian Village Restaurants, James S. Kemper Foundation, Mayer Brown LLP, The McVay Foundation, Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg, LLP, The Prince Charitable Trusts, The Seabury Foundation, Charles & M.R. Shapiro Foundation, Southwest Airlines, The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust, Venturous Theater Fund of the Tides Foundation and Wrightwood Neighbors Conservation Association.

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