Photo Flash: Rattlestick Playwrights Theater Celebrates Opening Night of DRAW THE CIRCLE

Mashuq Mushtaq Deen (The Betterment Society, Resident Playwright at New Dramatists), is making his New York debut in the New York premiere of DRAW THE CIRCLE. The hilarious and moving story of his transition, DRAW THE CIRCLE is told entirely from the point of view of Deen's family and friends, as portrayed by Deen, bringing to life the often-ignored struggle that a family goes through when their child transitions from one gender to another.

DRAW THE CIRCLE will be directed by Chay Yew (Oedipus El Rey, Durango, AD of Victory Garden Theater in Chicago).

"DRAW THE CIRCLE is one of the most courageous testimonial theatre works I've collaborated on in my career. Written and performed by a trans playwright and actor, Deen brings to vivid life the intersectionality of being South Asian, Muslim and transgender, immigration, and the import of family, love and self-acceptance," said Yew. "This is the new American narrative."

DRAW THE CIRCLE will feature set design by Yew, lighting design by Mary Louise Geiger(Office Hour, The Constant Wife, The Liar), and sound design by Matthew M. Nielson (Shakespeare's Villians, Lakawanna Blues). DRAW THE CIRCLE premiered at PlayMakers Repertory Theatre in North Carolina and is currently playing at Mosaic Theatre in Washington DC.

The performance schedule for DRAW THE CIRCLE is as follows: Performances on January 24, 25, 26, 28, 31 and February 1, 2, 4, 7 9, 14, 16 will be at 7:30pm. Performances on February 3, 10, 11, 17, 18 will be at 2pm.

Tickets can be purchased at www.rattlestick.organd by phone at 212-627-2556. Standard ticketing fees apply to all orders. Pay-what-you-can performances will be held on January 7 and 19 for UNTIL THE FLOOD and January 25 and February 3 for DRAW THE CIRCLE.

Founded in 1994, RATTLESTICK PLAYWRIGHTS THEATER is an Obie-Award winning theater that has created, developed and produced over 100 World Premieres. Our mission is to present diverse, challenging and provocative plays that might not otherwise be produced and to foster the future voices of the American theater. When we take on a playwright, we guarantee him or her a second production, regardless of the reception of the first. We have produced the first plays and early works of some of today's leading voices, including Annie Baker (The Aliens), Sheila Callaghan (That Pretty, Pretty), Jesse Eisenberg (The Revisionist), Martyna Majok (Ironbound), Adam Rapp (The Hallway Trilogy), Lucy Thurber (The Hilltown Plays), Jonathan Tolins (Buyer and Cellar) and Craig Wright (The Pavilion). We have also produced works by some of our nation's most important playwrights, including Craig Lucas (Ode to Joy), Dael Orlandersmith(Horsedreams), and José Rivera (Massacre, Sing to Your Children). We produce theater to inspire empathy and provoke conversations in response to the complexities of our culture. For more info visit www.rattlestick.org.

Photo credit: Cole Saladino

David Cale and Dael Orlandersmith

James Scruggs and Daniella Topol

Kate McGarrigle and Miriam Fried

Zoe Rhulen, Victor Cervantes Jr., Annie Middleton, MashuqMushtaq Deen, and Kevin Hourigan

Mashuq Mushtaq Deen