language rooms

(Midwest Premiere)
Written by Yussef El Guindi. Directed by Kaiser Zaki Ahmed.
April 19 - May 18, 2019.

Language Rooms Poster Image4g.jpg

Ahmed loves America, and he’s proud to prove his patriotism whenever possible. He pays his taxes, he dresses for success at the office, and he’s made a point to be the best interrogator at this particular government detainment facility. So when a rumor swirls around the water cooler calling his loyalty into question, he works to do whatever’s necessary to maintain his reputation as one of “the good ones.”

But when you’re an immigrant, can you ever truly be at home in a country always ready to view you as an enemy? Part The Office, part 1984, LANGUAGE ROOMS examines the paranoia polluting our political climate.

The production played at The Den Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee.

Nominated for the Joseph Jefferson Award for
Best Leading Actor in a Play (Bilal Dardai)

Reviews for LANGUAGE ROOMS…

“Recommended! Leaves your breathless...”
— Jay Van Ort, Newcity Stage
“Fanciful and frightening; a delightfully dark comedy, as disturbing as it is absurd.”
— Bonnie Kenaz-Mara, ChiIL Live Shows
“As current as the country itself... the four actors (who have all impressed me before) are quite fearless and convincing.”
— Jonathan Abarbanel, Windy City Times
“Highly Recommended!”
— Susan Lieberman, Picture This Post
“Recommended! Broken Nose’s chilling production [is] riveting...”
— Kerry Reid, Chicago Reader
“A tense two hours that culminate in a difficult interrogation scene... smoothly directed by Kaiser Zaki Ahmed...”
— Nancy Bishop, Third Coast Review
“Astonishing... no one will leave the theater unmoved...”
— Colin Douglas, Chicago Theatre Review
“Boasts extremely strong performances...”
— Bill Esler, BuzzNews

PRODUCTION TEAM

  • YUSSEF EL GUINDI | Playwright

  • KAISER ZAKI AHMED | Director

  • NATALIE WAGNER | Stage Manager

  • ROSE HAMILL* | Production Manager

  • NADYA NAUMAAN | Assistant Director

  • VAHISHTA VAFADARI | Dialect Coach

  • SASHA SMITH | Fight Director/Intimacy Coordinator

  • DAVID WEISS* | Dramaturg/Graphic Designer

  • SOTIRIOS LIVADITIS | Scenic Designer

  • CONCHITA AVITIA | Lighting Designer

  • ANNALIESE VOCI | Costume Designer

  • WILL QUAM | Sound Designer

  • CHARLOTTE LASTRA | Props Designer

  • SPENSER DAVIS* | Poster Photographer

  • AUSTIN D. OIE | Production Photos Photographer

  • ELISE MARIE DAVIS* | Artistic Director

* company members  ^ artistic associates

CAST

  • SALAR ARDEBILI | Ahmed

  • BASSAM ABDELFATTAH | Nasser

  • BRADFORD STEVENS | Kevin

  • BILAL DARDAI | Samir

  • REVON YOUSIF | Ahmed U/S

  • CHRIS KHOSHABA | Nasser U/S, Samir U/S

  • ARCH HARMON | Kevin U/S