The Singapore Theatre Company is delighted to announce the restaging of Ayad Akhtar’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play Disgraced at the KC Arts Centre – Home of STC from 13 August 2024. Following a sold-out run in 2016, this gripping and provocative drama returns to challenge and captivate audiences once more.

Disgraced is set in an upscale New York City apartment where Amir, a successful lawyer with South Asian Muslim roots, appears to have it all: a beautiful American wife and a closet full of $600 custom-tailored shirts. However, a seemingly pleasant dinner party with his African American colleague and her Jewish husband spirals into a fierce debate over race, religion, and class, exposing deep-seated prejudices and igniting explosive revelations.

Leading the cast is Ghafir Akbar, fresh off his Straits Times Life Theatre Award for Best Actor in STC’s Shakespeare in the Park – A Midsummer Night’s Dream. In the 2016 production of Disgraced, Akbar played Amir’s nephew, Abe. Now, he returns to take on the challenging role of Amir himself.

“It’s a rare privilege for me to be able to do the same show twice. And even rarer to play a different part in the same play. I’m eager to dive in with Dan Jenkins on this new staging, with all the knowledge and experience of the first staging; and see what resonates with us (as well as our audience) in 2024.” Akbar shared.

Directing this intense drama is Daniel Jenkins, who originally portrayed Isaac in the 2016 production. Fresh from his directorial success with 2:22 – A Ghost Story, Jenkins returns to bring this powerful narrative to life.

“As a director I love exciting theatre. And I think one of the things that makes Disgraced such a stimulating play is the subject matter and the questions the play raises. Questions of race, politics, and religion. All things that we’re told to avoid in polite society. However, Disgraced brings them into the open with fireworks and shocking revelations. This forces us to confront our own opinions and beliefs, leading to not only an exciting and exhilarating piece of theatre, but conversations long after the play has finished.” said Jenkins.

Gaurav Kripalani, Artistic Director of Singapore Theatre Company, emphasised the importance of the play, “Restaging Disgraced in 2024 is about more than revisiting a past success. In 2016, the world was entering a more isolationist phase. In 2024, the geo-political landscape has become even more frightening and fraught. Disgraced is an important work that provokes discussion. With a post-show dialogue after every performance, audiences will get an opportunity to engage in a conversation about the sensitive topics raised in the play. Which is what great theatre is about!”

Disgraced plays from 13th August 2024 at the KC Arts Centre. Tickets available here