TheatreWorks Silicon Valley presents “Queen” at Lucie Stern Theatre

TheatreWorks Silicon Valley will present “Queen,” written by San Jose-born playwright and filmmaker Madhuri Shekar (“House of Joy,” Amazon/Blumhouse’s “Evil Eye,” HBO’s “The Nevers”). This topical and engaging work follows Sanam and Ariel, Ph. D. candidates from India and the U.S., as they research the collapse of bee colonies worldwide and dream they might collapse the glass ceiling of academia. When a flaw emerges in their research, their friendship, careers, and even an arranged marriage are at risk. With ecological disaster on the horizon, Sanam and Ariel debate whether they should withdraw their findings or compromise them to protect the planet. An Edgerton Foundation New Play Award winner, "Queen" received its World Premiere at Chicago’s Victory Gardens Theater, where it was nominated for a Joseph Jefferson Award for Best New Play. Chicago Sun-Times called it “a winning story about science, conscience, and the heart,” while Stage and Cinema Chicago lauded it as “taut and truthful. A credit to our hive.” "Queen" was presented Off-Broadway by National Asian American Theatre Company, where TheaterMania deemed it “a gripping human drama. It's a play that satisfies both the head and the heart.” Miriam A. Laube directs.