THE HUNTINGTON ANNOUNCES THE INTERNATIONAL SENSATION AND UNIQUE THEATRICAL EXPERIENCE NASSIM, FEATURING A DIFFERENT SPECIAL GUEST AT EVERY PERFORMANCE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Gabrielle Jaques, Publicist
617-273-1520
PHOTOS available for download here
Members of the press, RSVP here
THE HUNTINGTON ANNOUNCES THE INTERNATIONAL SENSATION AND UNIQUE THEATRICAL EXPERIENCE NASSIM, FEATURING A DIFFERENT SPECIAL GUEST AT EVERY PERFORMANCE
Playwright Nassim Soleimanpour’s dynamic new play about connection, friendship, language, and embracing the unknown comes to the Calderwood Pavilion October 4 – 27
A mysterious script in a box, and a new surprise performer every night – from local talent to big time celebrities!
(BOSTON) – The Huntington announces the cast and creative team of Nassim, a vibrant theatrical experience written by Nassim Soleimanpour, directed by Omar Elerian, and produced by Nassim Soleimanpour Productions and Bush Theatre. Nassim runs from Friday, October 4 – Sunday, October 27, 2024 at the Calderwood Pavilion (527 Tremont Street).
From Iranian playwright Nassim Soleimanpour comes an audacious, 75-minute, new theatrical experiment. Each performance a different special guest appears on stage, while the script waits unseen in a sealed box. Touchingly autobiographical yet powerfully universal, Nassim is a striking theatrical demonstration of how language can both divide and unite us.
Winner of the Fringe First Award at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Nassim has toured globally and is translated and performed in the native language of each country. Throughout the run of this production at The Huntington, both English and some Farsi will be spoken, and over 25 distinct special guests will be featured, with a different notable person taking the stage each night. The first time the guest performer sees the script is the moment they walk on stage and unbox it in front of the audience.
“I am beyond excited to bring Nassim to The Huntington and the great city of Boston as we approach show number 500,” says playwright Nassim Soleimanpour. “In a world full of bitter divisiveness, Nassim warmly invites us to unite and make new friends through the power of live entertainment. We look forward to doing so – with you! – in October.”
“I’m thrilled to introduce my friend, the brilliant writer Nassim Soleimanpour, and his gorgeous show simply entitled Nassim to each of you this fall,” says Huntington Artistic Director Loretta Greco. “Renowned internationally (his work has been translated to more than 30 languages), Nassim is equal parts inventive theater maker, cultural critic, and gentle community builder. His vulnerable exploration of connection through language transcends borders with grace and offers rare moment-to-moment surprises, large doses of laughter, and resonant understated impact.”
Called a “life-changing experience” by New York Theatre Guide and a “tantalizing theatrical provocation that breaks down all walls between stage and audience” by The Stage, Nassim was originally commissioned and produced by the Bush Theatre and opened at the Bush Theatre in 2017. After its opening in London, the production won the Fringe First Award at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival before beginning its life on tour. In 2018 alone, the play was performed in 20 countries within a 200 day span. A unique theatrical experience that the Sydney Morning Herald called “surprising, disarming, and ultimately moving,” Nassim has been performed over 370 times with over 370 performers from around the world.
Nassim will feature a different guest performer at every performance. Select guest performers will include: Former Voice of the Celtics Mike Gorman, esteemed playwright Mfoniso Udofia (author of the nine plays of the Ufot Family Cycle), Boston Pops Conductor Keith Lockhart, Emmy award-winning Executive Arts Editor and host of GBH’s “The Culture Show” Jared Bowen, former Huntington Managing Director Michael Maso, Teatro Chelsea Artistic Director Armando Rivera, beloved Boston playwright and actor Melinda Lopez, recent Elliot Norton Award-winner Jennifer Apple (from last season’s The Band’s Visit), nationally produced playwright John Kolvenbach (last season’s Stand Up If You’re Here Tonight), and several favorite local actors including Marianna Bassham, Ken Cheeseman, Will Lyman, Karen MacDonald, Nael Nacer, and Celeste Oliva, with more to be announced.
The creative team for Nassim includes scenic design by Rhys Jarman, lighting design by Rajiv Pattani, sound design by James Swadlo. The designer is Rhys Jarman, the production manager is Michael Ager, the script editors are Carolina Ortega and Stewart Pringle, and the general manager is Shirin Ghaffari.
Nassim was originally commissioned and produced by the Bush Theatre and received its world premiere at the Bush Theatre, London, on 25 July 2017.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Nassim Soleimanpour (playwright) is an Iranian-German playwright and theatremaker. His plays have been translated into over 40 languages and have been performed thousands of times by some of the biggest names in the industry all around the globe. He is best known for his cold-read plays in which a new unrehearsed actor performs the plays sight-unseen in front of a live audience. Theatre includes: White Rabbit Red Rabbit (Westside Theatre New York City/International Tour), BLANK (Summerhall/International Tour), Nassim (& Bush/ Traverse/New York City Center/International Tour), Blind Hamlet (&Actors Touring Company/LIFT), COOK (Copenheagen Grob/ Bush/International Tour), Mr. K and The Flowers (Audible), ECHO (&The Royal Court/LIFT). Awards include: Dublin Fringe Festival Best New Performance (White Rabbit, Red Rabbit), Summerworks Outstanding New Performance Text Award (White Rabbit, Red Rabbit), The Arches Brick Award (White Rabbit, Red Rabbit), Fringe First Award (NASSIM), Off Broadway Alliance Awards (NASSIM).
Omar Elerian (director) is a freelance director, dramaturg and theatre-maker. Italian of Palestinian descent, Omar trained in Italy and then graduated from Lecoq International Theatre School in Paris in 2005. He was the resident associate director at the Bush Theatre from 2012 to 2019, where he commissioned and directed some of the theatre’s most successful shows. As sole director for the Bush, his credits include smash-hit Misty by Arinzé Kene (Bush, West End and Off Broadway), Nassim by Nassim Soleimanpour (Bush, Traverse Theatre and world tour), Going Through by Estelle Savasta and Islands by Caroline Horton Outside the Bush, he directed the Olivier nominated show You’re Not Like the Other Girls Chrissy by Caroline Horton and co-created acclaimed site-specific show The Mill: City of Dreams with Madani Younis for Freedom Studios. His most recent directing credits include The Return of Danton by Syrian playwright Mudar Alhaggi which premiered at the Münchner Kammerspiele, The Chairs by Eugene Ionesco at the Almeida Theatre, the Olivier nominated two Palestinians go dogging by Sami Ibrahim at the Royal Court, As You Like It for the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon and ECHO by Nassim Soleimanpour, which just had its world premiere at the Royal Court Theatre in London as part of LIFT.
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION FOR NASSIM
WHEN
Performances: October 4 – October 27, 2024
Evenings: Tues – Thurs at 7pm; Fri and Sat at 7:30pm
Matinees: Select Wed, Fri, Sat, and Sun at 2pm
Days and times vary; see complete schedule above.
Running time: 75 minutes, no intermission
Press Opening: Wednesday, October 9, 2024 at 7pm (RSVP here)
WHERE
Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA
527 Tremont St, Boston
TICKETS
Tickets start at $29. Season ticket packages and FlexPasses are also now on sale:
online at huntingtontheatre.org
by phone at 617-266-0800;
or in person at the Huntington Theatre (264 Huntington Ave) or Calderwood Pavilion (527 Tremont Street)
Select discounts apply:
$10 off: season ticket holders
$40 “HYPE” tickets (Huntington Young Patron Events) for patrons 40 years-old and younger (valid ID required)
$25 student and military tickets (valid ID required)
The Huntington asks that any patron experiencing illness stay home and contact ticketing services for more information about exchanges.
ACCESS PERFORMANCES FOR NASSIM
Tickets are $20 for each patron and their guests. To reserve tickets please email access@huntingtontheatre.org, call ticketing services at 617-266-0800, or visit in person at the Huntington Theatre, 264 Huntington Ave, Boston or the or Calderwood Pavilion, 527 Tremont Street, Boston.
Accessible performances are supported in part by the Liberty Mutual Foundation.
ASL-INTERPRETED PERFORMANCE: Friday, October 18 at 7:30pm. The Huntington offers American Sign Language interpretation at designated performances for patrons who are Deaf or hard of hearing.
AUDIO-DESCRIBED PERFORMANCE: Saturday, October 19 at 2pm. The Huntington offers audio description for patrons who are blind or low-vision at designated performances. Please visit huntingtontheatre.org/visit/accessibility for information.
OPEN CAPTIONED PERFORMANCE: Monday, October 21 at 7pm. The Huntington offers open captioning at designated performances for any patron who benefits from having the text of spoken dialogue visible in time with the play.
Large Print and Braille Programs will also be available for patrons at performances.
MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA
Any members of the media who are interested in speaking with the artists of Nassim, please contact Publicist Gabrielle Jaques at gjaques@huntingtontheatre.org or 617-273-1520.
Press night for critics is Wednesday, October 9, 2024 at 7pm. Please RSVP here for press night or other available performances.
Production photos will be available for download online, and b-roll footage can be requested.
PHOTOS available for download here
NASSIM SPECIAL EVENTS
HYPE (Huntington Young Patron Event) – Game Night: Friday, October 11
The Huntington’s “Huntington Young Patron Events” program (HYPE) hosts a post-show social event and game night featuring Board and Tabletop Games with Jackbox Games, hosted by One Up Games after the 7:30pm performance on Friday, October 11 in Deane Hall at the Calderwood Pavilion (527 Tremont St). RSVP for the event here.
Admission is included with proof of purchase of a HYPE ticket to Nassim. Tickets to performances of Nassim are available for those 40 and under at $40 each with promo code DISCOUNT online at huntingtontheatre.org, by walk-up at the Box Office at the Huntington Theatre or Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA, or by calling ticketing services at 617-266-0800.
Student Matinee performance: Friday, October 25 at 10am
The Huntington Education Department hosts a student matinee of Nassim on Friday, October 25 at 10am at the Calderwood Pavilion (527 Tremont St). Student tickets are $20 each, chaperones attend at no cost, and one chaperone is required for every 15 students.
To reserve your school group and learn more information, please email Manager of Education Operations Bec Lowe at education@huntingtontheatre.org.
ABOUT THE HUNTINGTON
Celebrating over 40 years of outstanding theatre, The Huntington is Boston’s theatrical commons and leading professional theatre company. On our stages and throughout our city, we share enduring and untold stories that spark the imagination of audiences and artists and amplify the wide range of voices in our community.
Under the leadership of Norma Jean Calderwood Artistic Director Loretta Greco and Executive Director Christopher Mannelli, The Huntington is committed to welcoming broad and diverse audiences, provides life- changing opportunities for students through its robust education and community programs, is a national leader in the development of playwrights and new plays, has acted as the host organization for a multi-year residency of The Front Porch Arts Collective, a Black theatre company based in Boston, and serves the local arts community through our operation of The Huntington Calderwood/BCA.
The Huntington reopened the historic Huntington Theatre in fall of 2022 after its transformational renovation, and is currently in phase two of the project; the renovation and building project of this storied venue with a bold vision for the future will allow us to innovatively expand our services to audiences, artists, and the community for generations to come. For more information, visit huntingtontheatre.org.
ABOUT BUSH THEATRE
Operating in one of the most culturally diverse areas of London, the Bush Theatre is committed to its local community and the wider artistic community. Braiding these two strands together, the Bush produces an engaging and challenging program that reflects our world. Recent successes include Red Pitch by Tyrell Williams and Shifters by Benedict Lombe which transferred to the West End, and Invisible by Nikhil Parmar which transferred to Off-Broadway. Richard Gadd’s Baby Reindeer, Igor Memic’s Old Bridge, Waleed Akhtar’s The P Word, and Matilda Feyiṣayọ Ibini’s Sleepova won the Olivier Award for ‘Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre’ in 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024 respectively. The Bush’s talent development programs generate opportunities for new and established makers, adding to the sustainability of their careers.
ABOUT NASSIM SOLEIMANPOUR PRODUCTIONS
Following a decade of international success, Nassim Soleimanpour Productions was founded in 2018 to support Nassim Soleimanpour’s artistic creations and collaborations by managing, producing, and touring his works. Additionally, the company is determined to educate artistic talents through creative platforms and support experimental approaches towards artistic forms and new writing. Soleimanpour’s innovation of a “theatre machine” has become fundamental in his educational style. Soleimanpour’s plays have been translated into more than 30 languages and continue to be performed globally in over 50 countries and counting.
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