Playwrights Horizons' world premiere production of Sanaz Toossi's Wish You Were Here completes its run June 5. Directed by Gaye Taylor Upchurch, the extended run began previews April 13, and opened May 2.
Starring in the new play are Nikki Massoud (Othello) as Zari, Marjan Neshat (Selling Kabul) as Nazanin, Nazanin Nour (Madam Secretary) as Rana, Artemis Pebdani (Scandal) as Shideh/New Friend, and Roxanna Hope Radja (Torch Song) as Salme, comprising an all-Iranian and Iranian-American women cast.
The play takes place across 13 years beginning in 1978, following a group of best friends as they live through the Iranian Revolution and Iran-Iraq War. They each try to find a sense of normalcy until they can no longer avoid making decisions as they consider what it means to stay in Iran—or to leave it. Wish You Were Here has previously been presented as an audio play.
The world premiere features scenic design by 2022 Tony nominee Arnulfo Maldonado, costume design by Sarah Laux, lighting design by Reza Behjat, sound design by Sinan Refik Zafar and Brian Hickey, production stage management by Vanessa Coakley, and assistant stage management by Jenn Jacobs.
“‘Mundane’ has become a special word for me when discussing Wish You Were Here," said Toossi in a statement. "In Middle Eastern plays, there’s an expectation you’re going to walk into the theatre and all the characters are going to be in a crisis. I love those plays too, but for me I’ve always wanted to write, simply, life."
Toossi made her Off-Broadway debut with English, a play which follows four adult students sitting for the TOEFL exam in an Iranian classroom, co-produced by Atlantic and Roundabout theatre companies.
For tickets and more information, visit PlaywrightsHorizons.org.
