At its core this is a play about a mother-son relationship, and the character grapples with questions that have always felt urgent to me,” Emmy-nominee Michael Shayan shares about creating and performing Avaaz.
Written and performed by Michael Shayan
Directed by Moritz von Stuelpnagel
Upstairs Studio
Avaaz
Written and performed by Michael Shayan
Directed by Moritz von Stuelpnagel
Upstairs Studio
“Laugh-out-loud funny”
“Dazzling, ingenious”
“An absolute delight”
Emmy-nominated writer and actor Michael Shayan (Discovery’s The Book of Queer, HBO’s We’re Here) portrays his larger-than-life mother in a radiant celebration of joy and resilience. Meet Roya, our fabulous hostess, as she welcomes you into her home to celebrate Nowruz, the Iranian New Year. She’s preparing a feast, but the main attraction is the tale of her great American journey as an Iranian-Jewish immigrant from Tehran to “Tehran-geles,” California. Get ready for the time of your life with this hilarious and heartfelt tribute to the playwright’s mother, exuberantly portrayed by the person who knows her best—her son. Directed by Tony Award nominee Moritz von Stuelpnagel, Avaaz is at once deeply personal and universal.
“One of the best one-person performances you will ever see”
“Filled with humor, deeply expressive”
“Quick-witted Shayan lovingly portrays his mom as a larger-than-life personality”