Displaying items by tag: AVAAZ
Avaaz: A Powerful and Personal Tribute to a Mother’s Journey
One of the things I have always enjoyed and admired most about Chicago Shakespeare Theatre is their willingness to bring fresh ways to experience Shakespeare’s classic works as well as bringing new works and voices to the stage. Avaaz, which opened on Jan. 24, is no exception. And we are the better for it.
It is the first time that Chicago Shakes has welcomed to its stage an Iranian-American playwright, Michael Shayan, as he shares the story of his mother, an Iranian-Jewish immigrant, and her deeply personal journey from Tehran to “Tehran-geles,” California.
Shayan, who is an Emmy-nominated and Harvard-trained writer and actor, not only wrote the play, but he also is the star of this one-person production with his energetic and engaging portrayal of his larger-than-life mother, Roya. It is funny, life-affirming, joyous, yet at times, tragic, as Shayan grapples with his mother’s experiences in forging a new life in America, while also exploring his complicated relationship with his mother.
We first meet Roya before the show even begins as she sashays through the audience in her glittering gold kaftan, welcoming playgoers and encouraging them to join her in shimmying their shoulders to the pulsing Iranian music. (In fact, before the performance on Jan. 28, there is a free workshop to learn Middle Eastern dancing.) We are there to party with Roya, as she prepares for the celebration of Nowruz, the Persian New Year, which is all about renewal and rebirth.
The centerpiece of Nowruz is the Haft Sin table, and indeed, that elaborate buffet is also the focal point of the set. Throughout the 90-minute production, Roya moves about the Haft Sin table, explaining the symbolism of seven food items on the table while interweaving her story.
Appropriately, Avaaz means “voice,” and we are hearing Roya’s voice as she shares about her life growing up in Teheran (the best city in Iran, she affirms), her beloved father’s imprisonment for his activism during the Iranian revolution, her loveless arranged and abusive marriage, and her underlying desire to make a better life for her son. As Roya, Shayan brings her story to life with equal doses of humor and compassion and the audience is immediately captivated.
For Shayan, the production is his heartfelt tribute to his mother. While growing up, Shayan said his mother never really talked to him about his past. At one point, he asked if he could interview her, and once the recorder was turned on, Roya opened up. The subsequent interview became the impetus for the piece. In fact, the play closes with snippets from that original recording and we hear Roya’s own voice as well.
While Shayan says the play is at its core about the mother-son relationship, is also touches on the ongoing women-led revolution happening in Iran right now. In many respects, Shayan says, what Roya experienced 40 years ago in Iran parallels what is going on now.
“One call coming out of Iran is to ‘be our voice,’ and I think that’s part of what we can contribute as artists – in some small way, I can help amplify the voices of those who are crying out for ‘Woman. Life. Freedom,’” he said.
Chicago Shakes is one of the many planned stops for the production on its inaugural national tour. Directed by Tony Award nominee, Moritz Von Stuelpnagel, Avaaz is one of those theatre experiences that lingers with you long after the performance is over. You leave the theatre grateful you were invited to be part of Roya’s world and culturally enriched because of it.
Avaaz is playing at Chicago Shakespeare through Feb. 9. Visit here for more information.
The Antiquities: A Thought-provoking Look at Today from the Future
13 May 2025 in Theatre in ReviewWith AI and other technological advancements continuing to change the landscape of how we work and interact with one another,…
![Riots of Laughter Greet World Premiere of 'R.U.R. [Rossum’s Universal Robots]'](/media/k2/items/cache/63d6788acfa364724d695afe54efe853_S.jpg)
Riots of Laughter Greet World Premiere of 'R.U.R. [Rossum’s Universal Robots]'
13 May 2025 in Theatre in ReviewRiots of laughter greeted the City Lit Theater world premiere of “R.U.R. [Rossum’s Universal Robots]” Wait. Could this be the…
Paramount Theatre extends Million Dollar Quartet until January 4, 2026
12 May 2025 in Upcoming TheatreParamount Theatre’s smash hit Million Dollar Quartet, a “roof-rattling…rapturous celebration of early rock ‘n’ roll” (Daily Herald), won’t stop rockin’ anytime…
See Chicago Dance Announces 2025 Chicago Dance Month Performers and FREE Events
12 May 2025 in Upcoming DanceSee Chicago Dance, the dance industry's nonprofit service organization celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2025, is proud to announce organizations…
Tickets for Disney's The Lion King On Sale Now
12 May 2025 in Upcoming TheatreBroadway In Chicago announced today that individual tickets for Disney’s The Lion King, are now on sale to the public. Tickets ranging…
Cats pounces onto the Paramount stage taking the legendary musical to soaring new heights
11 May 2025 in Theatre in ReviewI’ll just say it - Cats is going to blow your mind. Now running at the Paramount Theatre, this spectacular…
Trap Door's 'Galileo,' Beautifully Produced, Is a Knowing Parable for Our Times
11 May 2025 in Theatre in Review“Galileo” written in 1938 by German playwright Bertolt Brecht, tells the straightforward story of the 17th century physicist and astronomer’s…
Humble and Radiant: Charlotte's Web at Greenhouse Theatre
11 May 2025 in Theatre ReviewsThe adage goes that you can’t choose your family but you can choose your friends. Throughout our lives, we meet…
Hell in a Handbag Productions Presents World Premiere of QUEEN FOR A DAY
09 May 2025 in Upcoming TheatreHell in a Handbag Productions is pleased to conclude its 2024/25 Season with the world premiere of QUEEN FOR A DAY written by…
A Chicago May Must See: Time Is A Color And The Color Is Blue at Bramble Arts Loft
06 May 2025 in Theatre ReviewsIf our day-to-day lives were a collective color, it would probably be the color blue. Whether you are feeling blue,…
Steppenwolf Theatre Presents YOU WILL GET SICK - June 5 – July 13, 2025 - Chicago Premiere!
06 May 2025 in Upcoming TheatreSteppenwolf Theatre Company, the nation's premier ensemble theater company, is pleased to present Noah Diaz's whimsical, wild, unpredictable and deeply moving Chicago…
Review: Remy Bumppo's 'Art' at Theatre Wit
06 May 2025 in Theatre in ReviewA fool and their money are soon parted as the old expression goes, but what do you do when that…
BACK IN CHICAGO BY POPULAR DEMAND! TONY AND GRAMMY-WINNING BEST MUSICAL, HADESTOWN IS NOW PLAYING
06 May 2025 in Upcoming TheatreBroadway In Chicago is thrilled to announce that HADESTOWN, the winner of eight 2019 Tony Awards® including Best New Musical and the…
Definition Theatre Presents World Premiere of Black Bone by Tina Fakhrid-Deen
05 May 2025 in Upcoming TheatreDefinition Theatre is proud to present the world premiere of Black Bone, a bold new satire by Chicago playwright Tina Fakhrid-Deen…
Hymn at Chicago Shakespeare Theater – A Soulful Exploration of Brotherhood
04 May 2025 in Theatre in ReviewStories that explore the emotional lives of men—especially Black men—are still far too rare on the American stage. Outside the…
Chicago Opera Theater presents world premiere of She Who Dared by Jasmine Arielle Barnes & Deborah D.E.E.P. Mouton
02 May 2025 in Upcoming TheatreChicago Opera Theater (COT), Chicago’s foremost producer of new and rarely staged operas, proudly presents the world premiere of She Who Dared by…
Outrage Made Manifest in “Bust: An Afrocurrentist Play”
30 April 2025 in Theatre in ReviewSomething extraordinary happens on a street in Huntsville, Alabama. Mr. Woods (Keith Randolph Smith), a hard-working Black man in the…
THE DEN THEATRE ANNOUNCES JUNE COMEDY SHOWS
30 April 2025 in Upcoming TheatreThe Den Theatre today announced upcoming June 2025 shows at the theatre's Wicker Park stages at 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave., including "Anatomy…
Redtwist Theatre's GARY: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus: Who mops up after the royals' butchery?
29 April 2025 in Theatre in ReviewI reviewed TITUS ANDRONICUS in mid-February, so I was eager to see the sequel! In TITUS, Shakespeare tells the story…
BrightSide Theatre announces cast and production team for season finale PIPPIN, June 13-29
29 April 2025 in Upcoming TheatreBrightSide Theatre, Naperville’s professional theatre company, has announced the cast for the final show of its 13th season – the…
Chicago Puppet Lab Showcase culminates eight-month residency with experimental live shows by emerging puppet artists, May 31-June 1 at Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center
29 April 2025 in Upcoming TheatreEight Chicago artists from diverse backgrounds and disciplines have spent the last eight months in residence at the Chicago Puppet…
Gusto Performances in ‘Spring Awakening,’ Vibrant Staging of 1906 Basis of Broadway Musical
28 April 2025 in Theatre in Review“Spring Awakenings,” now playing at Chicago’s Greenhouse Theater Center, is not the Tony-winning 2006 Broadway musical “Spring Awakening,” but an…
Rosemont's Parkway Bank Park Announces 2025 Lineup for Rockin in the Park Free Summer Concert Series
28 April 2025 in Upcoming TheatreRosemont's Parkway Bank Park entertainment district (5501 Park Place, Rosemont) will turn up the volume this summer with the return of its…
‘Kairos’ Is One of the Most Enjoyable and Provocative Shows in Chicago
27 April 2025 in Theatre in ReviewLisa Sanaye Dring’s play “Kairos,” which just opened at The Edge Off Broadway theater, is one of the most thought-provoking…
A Half-Century in Harmony: Ryan Opera Center Shines in ‘Rising Stars in Concert’
27 April 2025 in Theatre in ReviewIt was a night of celebration, reflection, and breathtaking talent at the Civic Opera House. Fifty years of song echoed…
From Graphic Epic to Stage Triumph: Berlin at Court Theatre
27 April 2025 in Theatre in ReviewCourt Theatre’s world premiere of Berlin, adapted by Mickle Maher from Jason Lutes’ monumental graphic novel, is a breathtaking achievement.…
Rivendell Theatre continues 30th Anniversary Season with GORGEOUS in a co-production with Raven Theatre May 1 - June 7, 2025
25 April 2025 in Upcoming TheatreChicago's Rivendell Theatre Ensemble continues to celebrate its 30th Anniversary season with the World Premiere co-production of Keiko Green's GORGEOUS, directed by Kirsten Fitzgerald. The co-production…
Announcing the 2025 Broadway In Chicago Summer Concert
24 April 2025 in Upcoming TheatreBroadway In Chicago is thrilled to announce that its free SUMMER CONCERT will return to Millennium Park on August 11,…
THE JOFFREY BALLET CLOSES 69TH SEASON WITH EXTENDED RUN OF CHRISTOPHER WHEELDON'S ALICE'S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND
24 April 2025 in Upcoming DanceThe Joffrey Ballet concludes its 69th season with two-time Tony Award®-winning choreographer Christopher Wheeldon's enchanting and family-friendly Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Set to…
David Mamet's 'Henry Johnson' in High Powered Premiere at Victory Gardens Biograph
24 April 2025 in Theatre in Review“Henry Johnson,” David Mamet’s new play running at the vintage Biograph Theatre, is like many of his works, enigmatic and…
Latest Articles
-
The Antiquities: A Thought-provoking Look at Today from the Future
Written by Betsy SchmittWith AI and other technological advancements continuing to change the landscape of how we work and interact with one another, what does the future hold for humanity? What does it mean to be human in a world where robots and… -
Riots of Laughter Greet World Premiere of 'R.U.R. [Rossum’s Universal Robots]'
Written by Bill EslerRiots of laughter greeted the City Lit Theater world premiere of “R.U.R. [Rossum’s Universal Robots]” Wait. Could this be the same 1920 science fiction play by Czech Karel Čapek? His 1937 science fiction piece at Trap Door Theater “The White… -
Hell in a Handbag Productions Presents World Premiere of QUEEN FOR A DAY
Written by Buzz Center StageHell in a Handbag Productions is pleased to conclude its 2024/25 Season with the world premiere of QUEEN FOR A DAY written by ensemble member Tyler Anthony Smith* and directed by Stephanie Shaw. This gay fantasia on national themes... wait, wrong play. This one-act comedy/drama/cry for help… -
Tickets for Disney's The Lion King On Sale Now
Written by Buzz Center StageBroadway In Chicago announced today that individual tickets for Disney’s The Lion King, are now on sale to the public. Tickets ranging from $40 - $140 and a limited number of Extra Magic Package seats, which include an excellent seat in the theater and…
Does your theatre company want to connect with Buzz Center Stage or would you like to reach out and say "hello"? Message us through facebook or shoot us an email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
*This disclaimer informs readers that the views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author, and not necessarily to Buzz Center Stage. Buzz Center Stage is a non-profit, volunteer-based platform that enables, and encourages, staff members to post their own honest thoughts on a particular production.