Brava Opens It's Season With UNVEILED

Brava Theater is proud to open its 2011-2012 Season with the Regional Premiere of Unveiled written by Rohina Malik. For the past three seasons, Brava has cultivated the work of emerging artists of all disciplines and has developed the cross-pollination of marginalized artists by encouraging them to share their stories, aesthetics and music with eager to-be enlightened audiences. With this new play, Brava unveils the tales of 5 women who practIce Traditional Muslim custom and wear the hijab within a culture with different traditions, languages and sense of humor. Intimate, funny and honest, Unveiled answers the forbidden questions: How to wear the hijab and why?

"As Americans, we tend to compartmentalize, marginalize and demonize what we may not understand. Our intention with Rohina's play is to clarify Muslim ideals that many speculate about inadvertently. Most of us only know what we 'hear' as it feels so mysterious - unless you are Muslim," Raelle Myrick-Hodges director of the work says laughing. Ms. Myrick-Hodges continues, " As the director I am merely a conduit for the audience and my duty is to allow the writer/performer to create the best work possible work to express these ideas".

Meet Maryam, Noor, Inez, Shabana, and Layla - five women who wear the hijab proudly and take part in western society for better (its beauty) or for worse (its judgment). Come drink chocolate chai, Morroccan mint tea (Shay bil Nainai), and Middle Eastern coffee (Kahwa Saide) while witnessing stories that will introduce audiences to this "remarkable voice, new theatrical voice...: (Chicago Tribune).

"I was interested in two things when bringing this work to Brava: to commemorate September 11, 2001, a day deeply embedded in my mind with displaced anger and the change in that anger, alsoto share a theatrically female writer/performer having the contemporary discussion of culture, violence and forgiveness with understanding debate. How do you tell a story of violence that is so forgiving of its assailants while simultaneously commenting on the western world's

hypocrisy AND not judge?" she continues jokingly, "I'm from DC. I judge people immediately, so to present a work of how to not judge with humor, grace and substance is a tale we need to hear during these volatile economic and emotional times. How to make a simple story elevate beyond our American guilt, and/or hostility towards Muslim culture truly interested me. I find disconcerting that we don't discuss these curiosities openly. I wanted to do this play mostly so I could find out how you wear a hijab in 100 degree weather and why. I'm not being flippant. It's the embarrassing, the inappropriate, and the unpopular questions that will make us all understand each other better. "

Through this first play, Ms. Malik brings us five strong, diverse and powerful cultural tales and explores the relationship between Muslim religion and Muslim culture, not voicing complaint but instigating debate. Echoing the 10 year anniversary of 9/11, Unveiled deepens our understanding of the struggles and joys of these women, reaching a magical point of communication, mutual respect and understanding. Brava Theater therefore invites you to challenge your representations of the hijab and question the image of Muslim women in western society through this most stimulating play, Unveiled!

WHAT: Brava Theater presents
Unveiled
Regional Premiere
Written and Performed by Rohina Malik
Directed by Raelle Myrick-Hodges
Don't Avert Your Eyes... Five Muslim women in a post-9/11 world living in western cultures serve tea and uncover what lies beneath the veil in this compelling one-woman show. In commemoration of the 10-year anniversary of the catastrophic 9/11 attacks, Brava is proud to invite critically acclaimed Rohina Malik's to the Brava stage as she tells stories about Love, Islam, Culture, Language, Racism and Life. Tickets $25
DATES: September 8-17, 2011

SHOWS: Wednesday, Sept 7, 2011 7pm: $10 (Preview - Pay What You Can Night)
Thursday, Sept 8, 2011 7pm: $15 (Preview)
Friday, Sept 9, 2011 7pm: $25 (Opening/Press Night)
Saturday, Sept 10, 2011 3pm: $25 (Matinee)
Sunday, Sept 11, 3pm: $25 (Matinee)
Sunday, Sept 11, 7pm: $25
Monday, Sept 12, 7pm: $10 (Industry Night)
Thursday, Sept 15, 7pm: $25
Friday, Sept 16, 7pm $25
Saturday, Sept 17, 7pm $25

WHERE: Brava Theater, 2781 24th St (at York), San Francisco, CA

TICKETS: $10-$25
Brava Box Office: 415-647-2822 / www.brava.org

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