DISGRACED

By Ayad Akhtar  
Directed by Michelle Aguillon  
September 29–October 15, 2017  

DISGRACED is the story of Amir Kapoor, a successful Pakistani-American lawyer who is rapidly moving up the corporate ladder while distancing himself from his cultural roots. When Amir and his wife Emily, a white artist influenced by Islamic imagery, host a dinner party, what starts out as a friendly conversation escalates into something far more damaging.  

The Umbrella’s Take: To kick off our season we wanted to find a piece which approached race and class from multiple points of view and really jumpstart conversations. Ayad Akhtar’s Pulitzer Prize winner was a natural fit with a never-more-timely story at its core, putting contemporary misconceptions about identity and religion in the center of the table and asking all of us to dig in for seconds. What we like most about this play is that it offers up ideas for the audience to chew on without allowing us to align too closely with any one character, and encouraging us to really focus on the issues it wrestles with.