DISGRACED is the story of a successful Muslim-American attorney who has renounced his religion and secured a coveted piece of the American Dream. Living high above Manhattan's Upper East Side, he and his artist wife host an intimate dinner party that is about to explode. Witty banter turns to vicious debate, and with each cocktail comes a startling new confession, painting an unforgettable portrait of our perception of race and religion.
Reviewing DISGRACED at LCT3 for The New York Times, Charles Isherwood wrote:
"This rollicking new play by Ayad Akhtar is a continuously engaging, vitally engaged play about thorny questions of identity and religion in the contemporary world. The dialogue bristles with wit and intelligence. Mr. Akhtar puts contemporary attitudes toward religion under a microscope, revealing how tenuous self-image can be for people born into one way of being who have embraced another."
The theater might not have entertained such a party gone bad since George and Martha invited Nick and Honey over for drinks in 'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?'...Akhtar comes at every question with guns firing from all four corners. Two minutes into the dinner party, his ethnic construct doesn't seem contrived. It recedes, the Indian -- and African American characters turn out to be the foursomes' bona fide conservatives, and soon there's much more violence on stage than ever entered the heads of George, Martha, and guests. But, and this is a significant 'but,' there's another 30 minutes to 'Disgraced.' Akhtar brackets his dinner party from the Ninth Circle with scenes between Amir and his nephew (Danny Ashok)...It's baffling and more than a little unsatisfying to have a minor character undergo the play's greatest metamorphosis and to do so offstage when the major characters are fighting it out onstage.
'Disgraced' debuts on Broadway aglow with a Pulitzer Prize and awash in the same pros and cons of its 2012 Off-Broadway run. On the plus side, the play is lean and timely...On the downside, conveniences stack up. And Akhtar relies on the hoariest devices around...Even with flaws, 'Disgraced' is observant and smart. Kimberly Senior, who directed the world premiere at Lincoln Center, guides a good-looking and handsomely acted production...Like sports cars, the actors hugs their characters' curves. Dhillon, who played his role in London, nails Amir's glossy arrogance and sense of loss. Emily is sympathetic, as played by a low-key and quiet Mol, while Radnor is convincing and natural. Pittman, an Off-Broadway holdover, again delivers a precise turn as pointed as Jory's sexy stilettos. Blunted by contrivances, the impact of 'Disgraced' isn't as sharp -- or as potentially dangerous -- as it could be.
| 2012 | Off-Broadway |
Lincoln Center Theater LCT3 Production Off-Broadway |
| 2014 | Broadway |
Broadway Premiere Production Broadway |
| Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Theatre World Awards | Theatre World Award | Karen Pittman |
| 2015 | Tony Awards | Best Play | Greenleaf Productions |
| 2015 | Tony Awards | Best Play | Ayad Akhtar |
| 2015 | Tony Awards | Best Play | Rachel Weinstein |
| 2015 | Tony Awards | Best Play | Alden Bergson |
| 2015 | Tony Awards | Best Play | The David Merrick Arts Foundation |
| 2015 | Tony Awards | Best Play | The Shubert Organization |
| 2015 | Tony Awards | Best Play | Jere Harris |
| 2015 | Tony Awards | Best Play | Darren DeVerna |
| 2015 | Tony Awards | Best Play | TNTDynaMite Productions |
| 2015 | Tony Awards | Best Play | Ashley DeSimone |
| 2015 | Tony Awards | Best Play | Carl Levin |
| 2015 | Tony Awards | Best Play | Jonathan Reinis |
| 2015 | Tony Awards | Best Play | Jessica Genick |
| 2015 | Tony Awards | Best Play | Tulchin/Bartner Productions |
| 2015 | Tony Awards | Best Play | Stephanie P. McClelland |
| 2015 | Tony Awards | Best Play | Rodger Hess |
| 2015 | Tony Awards | Best Play | Richard Winkler |
| 2015 | Tony Awards | Best Play | Amanda Watkins |
| 2015 | Tony Awards | Best Play | Jenifer Evans |
| 2015 | Tony Awards | Best Play | Lincoln Center Theater |
| 2015 | Tony Awards | Best Play | The Araca Group |
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