Director

**Avaaz at Chicago Shakespeare Theater**

**Dates:** January 21 - February 9, 2025  
**Location:** Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare, 800 East Grand Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611  
**Duration:** Approximately 90 minutes with no intermission  
**Tickets:** Available later this summer

**About the Event:**

Chicago Shakespeare Theater is proud to present the world premiere of "Avaaz," a captivating solo performance written and performed by Emmy Award nominee Michael Shayan and directed by Tony Award nominee Moritz von Stuelpnagel. This groundbreaking play celebrates the Iranian-Jewish immigrant experience, blending traditions with humor to create a deeply personal yet universally relatable narrative.

In "Avaaz," Michael Shayan takes on the role of his own larger-than-life mother, Roya, inviting audiences into her home to celebrate the Iranian New Year. Through her eyes, we journey from Tehran to "Tehrangeles," California, exploring her quintessential American journey with a mix of extravagant humor and heartfelt emotion. The play's East Coast debut was met with critical acclaim, described as "ingenious and masterful" by BroadwayWorld and DC Theater Arts.

"Avaaz" is more than just a play; it's a fabulous, decadent party on stage that grapples with complex truths and offers a different narrative at a time of overwhelming anti-immigrant sentiment. Michael Shayan and the team are excited to bring the magic of Tehrangeles to Chicago and beyond, promising an unforgettable experience that celebrates diversity and the power of storytelling.

**Additional Information:**

- **Parking and Directions:** Information available on the Chicago Shakespeare Theater website.
- **Dining Options:** A variety of dining options are available near the theater.
- **Production Sponsor:** The Davee Foundation's World Stage Fund.
- **Production Credits:** An Olney Theatre Center production, presented in association with Broadway & Beyond Theatricals.

For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit the Chicago Shakespeare Theater website or contact the Box Office at 312.595.5600. Join us for a night of laughter, reflection, and celebration with "Avaaz."

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Avaaz

Chicago Shakespeare Theater

When a “friends with benefits” relationship unexpectedly results in the early arrival of a baby girl, Daniel must choose between being a biological parent or becoming a father. With the help of a no-nonsense night nurse, the new dad learns to navigate the protocols and frustrations of NICU life on his uncertain path to parenthood in this funny and heartfelt new play where growth is measured in more than grams.

Tiny Father

Geffen Playhouse

Tony and Emmy Award winner Jason Alexander makes his Chicago stage debut in a hilariously irreverent world premiere comedy staged by Tony-⁠nominated Broadway director Moritz von Stuelpnagel (Present Laughter, Hand to God). Alexander plays Sammy Campo, a deeply corrupt, morally bankrupt lawyer who's threatened with eternal damnation by a terrifying angel after a near-death experience. In a desperate attempt to redeem himself, Sammy forms an unlikely bond with a Catholic priest who is having his own crisis of faith, and together they debate the timeless questions of Western philosophy—“morality,” “faith,” and “Are people any damn good?”

Director

Moritz von Stuelpnagel

Events

Past events

Jan 21 - Feb 9, 2025

Avaaz · Chicago Shakespeare Theater on Navy Pier

Jun 12 - Jul 14, 2024

Tiny Father · Geffen Playhouse

About

Moritz von Stuelpnagel hasn't added a bio