Disgraced

A Play

By: Ayad Akhtar

Narrated by: January LaVoy, Kevin T. Collins, Aasif Mandvi

From the Pulitzer Prize winner for Drama and author of Homeland Elegies, a "sparkling and combustible" play about identity in America after September 11 (Bloomberg).

"In dialogue that bristles with wit and intelligence, Akhtar puts contemporary attitudes toward religion under a microscope, revealing how tenuous self-image can be for people born into one way of being who have embraced another.... Everyone has been told that politics and religion are two subjects that should be off-limits at social gatherings. But watching these characters rip into these forbidden topics, there's no arguing that they make for ear-tickling good theater" (New York Times).

"Add a liberal flow of alcohol and a couple of major secrets suddenly revealed, and you've got yourself one dangerous dinner party" (Associated Press).

Critic reviews

"The best play I saw last year.... [a] quick-witted and shattering drama.... DISGRACED rubs all kinds of unexpected raw spots with intelligence and humor." ---Linda Winer, Newsday

"A sparkling and combustible contemporary drama.... Ayad Akhtar's one-act play deftly mixes the political and personal, exploring race, freedom of speech, political correctness, even the essence of Islam and Judaism. The insidery references to the Hamptons and Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and art critic Jerry Saltz are just enough to make audience members feel smart.... Akhtar...has lots to say about America and the world today. He says it all compellingly, and none of it is comforting." ---Philip Boroff, Bloomberg Businessweek

"Compelling... DISGRACED raises and toys with provocative and nuanced ideas." ---Jesse Oxfeld, New York Observer

"A continuously engaging, vitally engaged play about thorny questions of identity and religion in the contemporary world.... In dialogue that bristles with wit and intelligence, Mr. Akhtar...puts contemporary attitudes toward religion under a microscope, revealing how tenuous self-image can be for people born into one way of being who have embraced another.... Everyone has been told that politics and religion are two subjects that should be off limits at social gatherings. But watching Mr. Akhtar's characters rip into these forbidden topics, there's no arguing that they make for ear-tickling good theater." ---Charles Isherwood, New York Times

"[A] blistering social drama about the racial prejudices that secretly persist in progressive cultural circles." ---Marilyn Stasio, Variety

Provocative play; disappointing performance

This is an excellent play that is provocative and asks interesting questions about religion and identity in America. But I much prefer the acting In LATW’s version of the play to the acting in this version! The pacing is slow and off and the performances of the actors--except for the lead-- seemed not just miscast, but their lines are said in a way that is more like reading with expression than actual performing. They even had the same actor reading the stage directions and the role of Isaac! Please do yourself a favor and buy the LATW version of Disgraced instead of this one. In the LATW version, the acting is brilliant, smartly-paced and the actors are not just reading with expression, but actually performing!

Embracing story

This play is phenomenal - probably why it won awards…Performances by the actors are solid and make the story come alive. There didn’t need to be so many stage directions for this production. Overall super engaging and surprising. I love the way the play builds and culminates.

So sorry it was finished.

Loved every moment of this. Actually saved the final chapter for a special moment.
Wonderful play, wonderful script. I almost felt I was in the theatre and could have clapped when it ended. More like this please.

I listened when I had a terrible headache

The story didn’t help my headache much haha, but the production and drama was so engaging I had to keep listening. I felt like I was at a play, it was fantastic…recommend!

Thought-provoking play, excellent performance

This is a very well-crafted fable performed by a top-notch cast.

Though the drama feels like it's leading you along towards a specific final argument, I still found myself surprised at the end.