A new play byAyad Akhtar
Directed byKimberly Senior

Claire Tow Theater

"A fiery and probing new play, crackling with ideas."

The New York Times, June 16, 2014
From Ayad Akhtar, the Pulitzer Prize-winning writer of Disgraced, comes a thrillingly fierce and funny new play about identity, religion and the contradictions that make us who we are.

Brilliant Pakistani-American writer Zarina is focused on finishing her novel about women and Islam when she meets Eli, a young convert who bridges the gulf between her modern life and her traditional heritage. But when her conservative father and sister discover her controversial manuscript, they are all forced to confront the beliefs that define them. A passionate and searing look at a family divided by faith, bonded by love and searching for truth in contemporary America.

The Who & The What On the LCT Blog

  • "The who and the what" of Zarina

    "The who and the what" of Zarina

    THE WHO & THE WHAT author Ayad Akhtar and cast member Nadine Malouf talk about "the who and the what" of her character Zarina.

  • "The who and the what" of Eli

    "The who and the what" of Eli

    THE WHO & THE WHAT author Ayad Akhtar and cast member Greg Keller discuss "the who and the what" of his character Eli.