America
South Asian's play on scars of war to premiere in New York
By
By Arun KumarWashington, March 14
"Soldier X", a South
Asian dramatist's play on the emotional scars inflicted on young
American soldiers returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan will have its
world premiere in New York on March 31.
The play by Rehana Lew
Mirza, will also mark 2014-15 season's opening of the award-winning
Ma-Yi Theatre Company, one of America's leading producers of new works
for the stage by Asian-American writers.
Preview performances are
set to begin March 24 prior to an official opening night on March 31 at
HERE, a curated rental programme which provides artists with subsidised
space and equipment as well as technical support. "Soldier X" will run
through April 19.
Directed by Lucie Tiberghien, "Soldier X"
follows a young biracial social worker, Monica, who falls for a
returning veteran, Jay, and the subsequent love triangle that ensues
when he decides he is in love with his fallen buddy's Muslim sister.
Tallying
the emotional scars of American soldiers returning home from Iraq and
Afghanistan, the play explores how exactly one rejoins a society that
remains as conflicted about its wars as it is with issues of race and
gender.
Rehana Lew Mirza first made her mark as the artistic
director and co-founder of Desipina and Company, an award-winning South
Asian theatre company that produced seven consecutive seasons of the hit
production, "Seven.11 Convenience Theatre."
Also through
Desipina, they produced Mirza's play "Barriers", which took a look at
the backlash towards South Asians and Muslims following 9/11.
"Barriers" went on to be presented by the Asian American Theatre Company in San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Her
other plays include "Lonely Leela" at LaGuardia Performing Arts Center;
"A Distant Relation"; "Particles Of Pakistan" for Ensemble Studio
Theatre's Sloan Commission; and "If It's Sad I Don't Want To See It at
Queens Theatre" in the Park.
She is also the writer/director of
"Hiding Divya," a feature film starring Madhur Jaffrey and Pooja Kumar.
She is a member of the Ma-Yi Writers Lab, having served as its
co-director for two years.
Featured in the cast of "Soldier X" are Kaliswa Brewster, Cleo Gray, Jared McNeil, Turna Mete and Carolyn Michelle Smith.
Set
design is by Daniel Conway; costume design is by Beth Goldenberg;
lighting design is by Peter West; and sound design is by Broken Chord.
(Arun Kumar can be contacted at [email protected])