Language and Identity: Pulitzer Prize–winning English comes to the IRT

The Indiana Repertory Theatre (IRT) is bringing the Pulitzer Prize–winning play English, by Sanaz Toossi, to its Janet Allen Stage. The production is directed by Azar Kazemi, a director and educator based in Chicago, who is making her IRT debut. 

“The play is as funny as it is poignant, as playful as it is profound,” says Kazemi. “Its vehicle is learning a new language and the challenges faced when trying to be understood. Its heartbeat is an exploration of identity and belonging: to learn to belong, to long to belong, to lose oneself, and perhaps to find oneself again.” 

“English only” is the mantra that rules a classroom in Iran where four adults prepare for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). But while a new language may represent a new life, how will it alter their identities? This inspirational play shows that there is more to life than can be spoken in mere words and provides a thoughtful and heartfelt exploration of the human desire to belong. 

“English is a tough language to grasp, even for native speakers,” says Devon Ginn, IRT’s Director of Inclusion and Community Partnerships. “Through Sanaz Toossi’s play, we get to witness the beauty and frustration of learning it firsthand. English is a love letter to our Iranian siblings and reminds us of the deeply human desire to belong while still holding on to our identity and culture.” 

In addition to winning the Pulitzer Prize in Drama, English’s Broadway run received four Tony nominations, three Drama League nominations, and won one Theatre World award. 

The cast of IRT’s production of English includes established and up-and-coming actors of Iranian and Chaldean descent. Natasha Behnam, who has recently starred in the final season of Netflix’s hit show You and has a role in Apple TV’s upcoming Imperfect Women alongside Kerry Washington, plays the strong-willed Elham. Playing the TOEFL class teacher is Neagheen Homaifar, whose credits include Me (AppleTV+), Killing It (Peacock), The Resident (Fox), and Before Dawn, Kabul Time (Hulu). Leyla Modirzadeh—who has acted and directed at the Kennedy Center, the Lincoln Center, and recently in a production of English at the Cincinnati Playhouse—plays reserved mother Roya. Revon Yousif plays the charming Omid and can be seen in The Better Sister (Amazon) alongside Elizabeth Banks and Jessica Biel. Emelia Maryam Mosay, a student at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, is making her regional-theatre debut as the earnest Goli. 

The Theatre will host supplemental programming during the run of the show, including a Community Conversation, featuring members of local organizations who facilitate English Language Learning and language-justice advocates; Artist Conversations that provide a behind-the-scenes perspective on the production with the actors, directors, and designers who bring the show to life; and an American Sign Language / Audio Described performance. 

Tickets are available now for English by Sanaz Toossi.