Rolling Into Philadelphia On Its Rolling World Premiere Is AMERICAN FAST, June 2-25

The InterAct Theatre Company, now celebrating its 35th season, is proud to announce the National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere of AMERICAN FAST, by Kareem Fahmy. The drama will be directed by InterAct's producing artistic director, Seth Rozin and Zaina Yasmin Dana.

AMERICAN FAST by Kareem Fahmy, NNPN Rolling World Premiere, playing June 2-25.

A Muslim American college basketball sensation is set to compete on the biggest stage, the women's college basketball tournament. But this year's competition coincides directly with Ramadan. What does it mean to be Muslim in an increasingly secular America?

AMERICAN FAST will be directed by both Seth Rozin, InterAct's producing artistic director along with Zania Dana and stars Amel Khalil as Khady, Hend Ayoub as Suzan, Abdul Sesay as Gabe, Ontaria Kim Wilson as Coach. Melpomene Katakalos will design the set, along with lighting designer Shannon Zura, sound & projection designer Jorge Cousineau, props by Eileen Deisesmann, and costume designed by Tiffany Bacon.

Kareem Fahmy (Playwright) is a Canadian-born playwright and director of Egyptian descent. He received the 2022 Woodward/Newman Playwriting Award (for American Fast), a NYSCA/NYFA Playwriting Fellowship, a MacDowell Fellowship, the Janet Sloane Literature Residency at Yaddo, is a two-time finalist for the National Showcase of New Plays, and was named a Rising Leader of Color by TCG. American Fast is receiving a National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere at Artists Repertory Theatre, City Theatre, and InterAct Theatre. A Distinct Society received a co-world premiere at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley and Pioneer Theatre and will soon be seen at Writers Theatre. Dodi & Diana (O'Neill NPC Finalist) received a world premiere at Colt Coeur. Other plays include Pareidolia, The In-Between, and an adaptation of the acclaimed novel The Yacoubian Building. Kareem's work has been seen at Atlantic Theatre Company, Denver Center, Northlight Theatre, Capital Repertory Theatre, New York Stage & Film, and more. Commissions: Artists Repertory Theatre, Ensemble Studio Theatre/Sloan, Colt Coeur. Fellowships: The Old Globe, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Sundance Theatre Lab. Co-founder/Chair of the Middle Eastern American Writers Lab. MFA (Theatre Directing), Columbia. www.kareemfahmy.com

Seth Rozin (Director) co-founded InterAct in Philadelphia in 1988 and has since served as Producing Artistic Director. He is the author of more than a dozen plays, including MEN OF STONE, MISSING LINK, BLACK GOLD, TWO JEWS WALK INTO A WAR..., THE THREE CHRISTS OF MANHATTAN, HUMAN RITES and SETTLEMENTS, which have been produced at 28 theatres across the country and in Australia. He also wrote the book, music and lyrics for A PASSING WIND, which was featured in the inaugural Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts at the Kimmel Center in 2011. Seth is the recipient of two fellowships from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, the National New Play Network's 2007 Smith Prize, a commission from the National Foundation for Jewish Culture, and two Barrymore Award nominations. Seth has directed over 50 productions for InterAct, most recently including EUREKA DAY (2019), THE

GREAT LEAP (2019), and HOW TO USE A KNIFE (nominated for seven 2017 Barrymore Awards, including Outstanding Overall Production). Seth is returning to co-directing this season after the success of this seasons critically acclaimed, THE LAST PARADE. He co-founded Philadelphia Scenic Works -- a nonprofit, communitybased scenic fabrication shop -- in 2016 and MusiCoLab -- dedicated to the development of new musical theatre works in Philadelphia - in 2018. Seth has twice served as President of the Board of National New Play Network, as well as Philadelphia Artists Collective, Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia, and New Paradise Laboratories. Seth received his BA from the University of Pennsylvania.

Zania Yasmin Dana (Director) is an emerging Palestinian director and producer in the Philadelphia area. By forging a place in American theater, she strives to create restorative and justice-seeking art (classical, devised, and contemporary!) to promote radical love and acceptance at the individual and community level. She believes in finding mind-body-spirit parallels between the actor, the text, the design, and the audience as well as honoring the histories of our place and bodies. She believes in a joyous theater, a rigorous theater, and a compassionate theater. In the past, she has worked with theaters such as the Wilma, Theatre Horizon, Pig Iron Theater Company, Beacon Theater Productions, and InterAct. She is also the Resident Director of the theater collective, Eat Purple Theatre Co. When she is not directing, she works as the Development Associate at UNRWA USA, raising money for Palestinian refugees, and, most recently, as the Associate Producer for the incubator/company Suli Holum / The Work!

https://www.zainayasmindana.com/about

PLEASE NOTE: Kareem, Seth, Zania and other participating artists are available for interviews in the lead up to and during AMERICAN FAST NNPN Rolling World premiere.

InterAct produces plays that provoke conversation, so the company will once again offer audiences the opportunity to go deeper with post-show discussions through our Speaker Sundays following the Sunday matinee performances on June 11, 18, 25. In celebration of our 35th Anniversary, we are adding Speaker Saturdays (following the Saturday matinee performance on June 10, 17, 24 and Company Conversations will continue following Wednesday and Thursday nights on June 14, 15, 21, 22.

Concessions are back, this time with ice cream from Scoop Deville available for purchase! We are also giving away FREE ice cream to anyone who comes to our shows during all PREVIEWS for SEASON 2022-23. Additionally, we now have BUDDY PASSES for subscribers to bring a friend for free & our DINING PARTNERS are Midnight Iris ~ 1708 Lombard St, Philadelphia, PA 19146 ~ & Vintage ~ 129 S 13th St, Philadelphia, PA 19107 ~. Re-introducing Young Friends of InterAct Night! Email the boxoffice@interacttheatre.org to be included in the Young Friends E-Blast.

Masking will be optional beginning with AMERICAN FAST. We will be monitoring the Philadelphia Department of Health for recommended protocols. Please check our website and social pages closer to the show for updates. InterAct staff will also be mask optional.

This season we're also introducing Social Distance Days. For the following dates we will operate at 60% capacity, and keep spaces empty between individuals or parties.

Saturday, Jun 3 at 8pm | Friday, Jun 9 at 8pm | Thursday, Jun 15 at 7pm

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE & INFORMATION

AMERICAN FAST runs for 22 performances, from June 2-25, 2023 as follows:

Wednesday - Thursday @ 7pm

Friday - Saturday @ 8pm Saturday - Sunday @ 2pm

Performances take place at the Proscenium Theatre at the Drake, located at 302 S. Hicks St. (between 15th & 16th and Spruce & Pine). More information about the show and tickets can be found at https://www.interacttheatre.org/american-fast.

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