Ayad Akhtar
Ayad Akhtar (born October 28, 1970) is an American playwright, novelist, and screenwriter of Pakistani heritage, awarded the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. His work has received two Tony Award nominations for Best Play, an Award in Literature from the American Academy of Arts and Letters[1] and the Edith Wharton Citation for Merit in Fiction.[2] Akhtar's writing covers various themes including the American-Muslim experience, religion and economics, immigration, and identity. In 2015, The Economist wrote that Akhtar's tales of assimilation "are as essential today as the work of Saul Bellow, James Farrell, and Vladimir Nabokov were in the 20th century in capturing the drama of the immigrant experience."[3]
Ayad Akhtar | |
|---|---|
Akhtar at the 2012 Texas Book Festival | |
| Born | October 28, 1970 Staten Island, New York, U.S. |
| Education | Brown University (BA) Columbia University (MFA) |
| Occupation(s) | Playwright, novelist, screenwriter |
| Years active | 2002–present |
| Notable work | American Dervish (2012) Disgraced (2012) Junk: The Golden Age of Debt (2016) Homeland Elegies (2020) |
| Awards | Pulitzer Prize for Drama Award in Literature, American Academy of Arts and Letters Steinberg Playwright Award |
| Website | ayadakhtar |
Background and career Edit
Akhtar was born in Staten Island, New York City, and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. His interest in literature was initially sparked in high school.[4] Akhtar attended Brown University, where he majored in theater and religion and began acting and directing student plays.[5]
After graduation he moved to Italy to work with Jerzy Grotowski, eventually becoming his assistant.[6] Upon returning to the United States, Akhtar taught acting alongside Andre Gregory and earned his Master of Fine Arts degree in film directing from Columbia University School of the Arts.[7]
In 2012, Akhtar published his first novel American Dervish, a coming-of-age story about a Pakistani-American boy growing up in Milwaukee. The book was met with critical acclaim, described by The New York Times as "self-assured and effortlessly told."[8][9] American Dervish has been published in over 20 languages and was a Kirkus Reviews best book of the year. Akhtar's narration of the audio book was nominated for an Audie Award in 2013.[10]
Akhtar's first produced play, Disgraced, premiered in 2012 at the American Theater Company in Chicago; it was next staged at Lincoln Center Theater in New York.[11][12] The play won the Obie Award and the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and premiered at the Bush Theatre in London that spring.[13][14] The play opened on Broadway at the Lyceum Theatre on October 23, 2014, and was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Play.[15][16]
Akhtar's second play, 'The Who & The What, premiered at La Jolla Playhouse in February 2014,[17] followed by a run at Lincoln Center Theater in June. The Who & The What has since been produced around the world with notable productions in Berlin, Hamburg, and the Burgtheater in Vienna, Austria.[18] The latter production has run for almost two years. Its lead, Austrian film star Peter Simonischek, won the Nestroy Award for Best Actor.[19]
Akhtar's third play The Invisible Hand premiered at the New York Theatre Workshop in December 2014,[20] a production which invited comparison to the work of Shaw, Brecht, and Arthur Miller.[21] It won the Obie Award, the John Gassner Award, and was nominated for multiple Lucille Lortel Awards and the New York Drama Critics Circle Award. In May 2016, the play premiered in London at The Tricycle Theatre and received nominations for the Evening Standard and Laurence Olivier awards.[22]
In 2016, American Theatre magazine declared Akhtar the most produced playwright in the country.[23][24]
Akhtar's latest play, Junk: The Golden Age of Debt, premiered on Broadway at the Vivian Beaumont Theater, produced by Lincoln Center Theater, on November 2, 2017.[25] It was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Play and was awarded the Edward M. Kennedy Prize for Drama.[26] In his final interview Bill Moyers referred to Junk as "not only history but prophecy. A Biblical-like account of who's running America, and how." Moyers added: "Our times at last have found their voice, and it belongs to a Pakistani American: Ayad Akhtar."[27]
In 2017, Akhtar won the Steinberg Playwright Award.[28] In his acceptance speech at Lincoln Center Theater, later published in The New York Times, he explained why he believes the theater is more important now than it ever has been:
The theater is an art form scaled to the human, and stubbornly so, relying on the absolute necessity of physical audience, a large part of why theater is so difficult to monetize. It only happens when and where it happens. Once it starts, you can't stop it. It doesn't exist to be paused or pulled out at the consumer's whim. It can't be copied and sold. In a world increasingly lost to virtuality and unreality — the theater points to an antidote. [...] The act of gathering to witness the myths of our alleged origins enacted — this is the root of the theater's timeless magic.[29]
Akhtar's second novel, Homeland Elegies, was published in September 2020 by Little, Brown and Company. According to the publisher's press release, the book is drawn from Akhtar's life as the son of Muslim immigrants; he blends fact and fiction to tell a story of belonging and dispossession about the world that 9/11 made.[30] The New York Times named Homeland Elegies one of the 10 Best Books of 2020, calling the book "pitch perfect... virtuosic."[31] The Washington Post, Time, Entertainment Weekly, and Publishers Weekly also named it one of the 10 best books of 2020, with the Post reviewer stating that he would not be "surprised if it wins [Akhtar] a second Pulitzer Prize."[32][33][34][35] Slate, O, NPR, The Economist, and Kirkus Reviews named Homeland Elegies one of the best books of 2020.[36][37][38][39][40] Barack Obama named it one of his favorite books of 2020.[41] Homeland Elegies was shortlisted for the Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction,[42] and won the 2021 American Book Award.[43] An eight-episode limited series of Homeland Elegies is in development at FX, starring Kumail Nanjiani and adapted by Akhtar and Oren Moverman, who will direct all the episodes.[44]
On December 2, 2020, Akhtar was elected as president of PEN America.[45] In 2021, Akhtar was named New York State Author by the New York State Writers Institute.[46]
In 2023, it was announced that he would co-pen with Matthew Decker the libretto for the stage musical adaptation of Damien Chazelle's 2016 film La La Land, which will be directed by Bartlett Sher, with Justin Hurwitz and Pasek & Paul returning as songwriters.[47]
List of works Edit
Theater Edit
- TBA La La Land
- 2016 Junk: The Golden Age of Debt. Little, Brown and Company[48]
- 2015 The Invisible Hand. Little, Brown and Company[49]
- 2014 The Who & The What. Little, Brown and Company[50]
- 2013 Disgraced. Little, Brown and Company[51]
Books Edit
- 2020 Homeland Elegies. Little, Brown and Company ISBN 978-0316496421
- 2012 American Dervish. Little, Brown and Company[52]
Film and television Edit
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | "Life Document 2: Identity" | Ahmad | Directed, wrote script and served as editor |
| 2005 | The War Within | Hassan | Co-wrote script |
| 2006 | 2006 Independent Spirit Awards | Himself | Documentary |
| "Long After" | Naseer | Short | |
| 2008 | "FCU: Fact Checkers Unit" | Short | |
| 2011 | Too Big to Fail | Neel Kashkari | TV film |
| 2022 | Would I Lie to You? (US) | Himself | Episode: "Babysitting Lemurs" |
Awards Edit
- 2021 Edith Wharton Citation of Merit for Fiction[53]
- 2019 Erwin Piscator Award[54]
- 2017 Steinberg Playwright Award[55]
- 2017 Award in Literature from the American Academy of Arts and Letters
Homeland Elegies Edit
- The New York Times 10 Best Books of 2020[31]
- The Washington Post 10 Best Books of 2020[56]
- Time 10 Best Books - Fiction[33]
- Publishers Weekly 10 Best Books of 2020[35]
- An O Book of the Year[37]
- A Kirkus Reviews Book of the Year[40]
- A Slate Best Book of 2020[36]
- A New York Public Library Best Book of the Year[57]
- NPR: A Best Book of 2020[58]
- Barack Obama: A Favorite Book of 2020[41]
- 2021 Shortlisted for Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction[42]
- 2021 Wisconsin Library Association Literary Award[59]
- 2021 American Book Award[60]
Junk Edit
- 2018 Nominated for Tony Award for Best Play[61]
- 2018 Nominated for Outer Critics Circle Award[62]
- 2017 Edward M. Kennedy Prize for Drama[63]
The Invisible Hand Edit
- 2022 Nominated for Olivier Award[64]
- 2017 Nominated for Olivier Award
- 2016 Nominated for Evening Standard Award
- 2015 Nominated for New York Drama Critics Circle Award
- 2015 Obie Award for Playwriting[65]
- 2015 Outer Critics Circle John Gassner Award[66]
- 2015 Nominated for Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Play[67]
Disgraced Edit
- 2017 Nestroy Award for Best Play – Authors Prize
- 2015 Nominated for Tony Award for Best Play[16]
- 2013 Pulitzer Prize for Drama[13]
- 2013 OBIE Award[68]
- 2013 Nominated for Outer Critics Circle John Gassner Award[69]
- 2013 Nominated for Off Broadway Alliance Awards Best New Play[70]
American Dervish Edit
- Named a Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year[71]
- Named a Globe and Mail Best Book of the Year in Toronto[72]
- Named a Shelf Awareness Best Book of the Year[73]
- Named an O, The Oprah Magazine Book of the Year[74]
The War Within Edit
- 2006 Nominated for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Screenplay[75]
Translations Edit
Ashraf Ibrahim Zidan translated Akhtar's Disgraced into Arabic under the title Al-Makhzi.[76]
References Edit
- ^ "2017 Literature Award Winners – American Academy of Arts and Letters". Retrieved October 7, 2019.
- ^ "NYS Author and NYS Poet announced today". September 15, 2021. from the original on September 16, 2021.
- ^ "Q&A: Ayad Akhtar". The Economist. September 3, 2015. ISSN 0013-0613. Retrieved October 7, 2019.
- ^ Haun, Harry (July 17, 2014). "Ayad Akhtar Taps Into an Ancient Conflict in 'The Who and the What'". observer.com. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
- ^ Sokolove, Michael (September 6, 2017). "Plunging His Pen Into the Dark Heart of 1980s Wall Street". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 20, 2019.
- ^ Wagner, Annie (October 19, 2005). "Annie Wagner Talks to Ayad Akhtar and Tom Glynn". The Stranger. Retrieved May 31, 2011.
- ^ "An Interview with Ayad Akhtar; A Conversation Between Playwright Ayad Akhtar and Anita Montgomery" May 3, 2015, at the Wayback Machine ACT Webpage
- ^ Langer, Adam (April 12, 2012). . The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 12, 2012. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
- ^ Alter, Alexandra (January 6, 2012). "'Dervish' Whirls Into Publishing World". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
- ^ . www.audiopub.org. Archived from the original on September 20, 2022. Retrieved October 8, 2019.
- ^ "Review: 'Disgraced' at American Theater Company". tribunedigital-chicagotribune. January 31, 2012. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
- ^ Jones, Chris (January 21, 2012). "Tolerance is no easy out in riveting 'Disgraced'". Chicago Tribune.
- ^ a b "The 2013 Pulitzer Prize Winners".
- ^ "Disgraced". www.bushtheatre.co.uk. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
- ^ "Disgraced @ Lyceum Theatre | Playbill". Playbill. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
- ^ a b "Tony Nominations 2015: Full List". Variety. April 28, 2015. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
- ^ "Production History". www.lajollaplayhouse.org. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
- ^ Goldmann, A. J. (June 15, 2018). "Ayad Akhtar Gets a European Welcome, With Conditions". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 8, 2019.
- ^ "Nestroypreis Der Wiener Theaterpreis - Die Gewinner 2018". www.nestroypreis.at. Retrieved October 7, 2019.
- ^ "The Invisible Hand". New York Theatre Workshop. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
- ^ "'The Invisible Hand' Theater Review: It's 'Margin Call' Set Inside a Pakistani Bunker". TheWrap. December 9, 2014. Retrieved October 7, 2019.
- ^ Bano, Tim (March 6, 2017). "Olivier Awards 2017: the nominations in full". The Stage. Retrieved October 8, 2019.
- ^ "The Top 10 Most-Produced Plays of the 2015–16 Season". American Theatre. September 16, 2015. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
- ^ "The Top 20 Most-Produced Playwrights of the 2015--16 Season". American Theatre. September 15, 2015. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
- ^ Stewart, James B. (November 23, 2017). "'Junk' Mines the Milken Era for Truths That Resonate Now". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
- ^ Libraries, Columbia University (April 7, 2017). "2018 – Junk by Ayad Akhtar". Edward M. Kennedy. Retrieved October 7, 2019.
- ^ "Bill Moyers and 'Junk' Playwright Ayad Akhtar on How Wall Street Won". BillMoyers.com. Retrieved October 7, 2019.
- ^ Chow, Andrew R. (September 27, 2017). "Ayad Akhtar and Lucas Hnath Win Steinberg Awards". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 7, 2019.
- ^ Akhtar, Ayad (December 29, 2017). "An Antidote to Digital Dehumanization? Live Theater". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 7, 2019.
- ^ "Akhtar's 'Homeland' Settles at LB". www.publishersweekly.com. Retrieved October 7, 2019.
- ^ a b "The 10 Best Books of 2020". The New York Times. November 23, 2020. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
- ^ Charles, Ron. "Review | Ayad Akhtar's play 'Disgraced' won a Pulitzer Prize. Now 'Homeland Elegies' shows what that success cost him". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
- ^ a b "The 10 Best Fiction Books of 2020". Time. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
- ^ "The 10 best books of 2020". EW.com. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
- ^ a b "Best Books 2020: Publishers Weekly Publishers Weekly". PublishersWeekly.com. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
- ^ a b Miller, Laura (December 10, 2020). "The Best Books of 2020". Slate. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
- ^ a b Haber, Leigh; Hart, Michelle; Cain, Hamilton (November 19, 2020). "These Are the Best Books of 2020, According to O, The Oprah Magazine". Oprah Magazine. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
- ^ "Best Books 2021: Books We Love". apps.npr.org. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
- ^ "Our books of the year". The Economist. December 3, 2020. ISSN 0013-0613. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
- ^ a b "Best of 2020". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
- ^ a b "Barack Obama on Instagram: "As 2020 comes to a close, I wanted to share my annual lists of favorites. I'll start by sharing my favorite books this year, deliberately ..."". Instagram. Archived from the original on December 24, 2021. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
- ^ a b "2021 Andrew Carnegie Medal Winners Announced". American Libraries Magazine. February 4, 2021. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
- ^ "Ayad Akhtar, Ben Ehrenreich among winners of American Book Awards". USA Today. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (July 9, 2021). "Kumail Nanjiani To Headline & EP 'Homeland Elegies' Limited Series Adaptation In Works At FX". Deadline. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
- ^ "Ayad Akhtar named new PEN American president". ABC News. September 8, 2020. Retrieved December 2, 2020.
- ^ Mathew, Shrishti (September 15, 2021). "New York state author, poet announced". Times Union. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
- ^ Galuppo, Mia (February 7, 2023). "'La La Land' to Become a Broadway Musical". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 7, 2023.
- ^ Akhtar, Ayad (November 30, 2017). Junk: A Play. Back Bay Books. ISBN 978-0-316-55072-7.
- ^ Akhtar, Ayad (August 25, 2015). The Invisible Hand. Back Bay Books. ISBN 978-0-316-32453-3.
- ^ Akhtar, Ayad (October 7, 2014). The Who & The What: A Play. Back Bay Books. ISBN 978-0-316-32449-6.
- ^ Akhtar, Ayad (September 10, 2013). Disgraced: A Play. Back Bay Books. ISBN 978-0-316-32446-5.
- ^ (PDF). Little, Brown and Company. May 10, 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 29, 2011. Retrieved May 31, 2011.
- ^ Institute, NYS Writers (September 15, 2021). "NYS Author and NYS Poet announced today". NYSWritersInstitute. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
- ^ "Piscator Award. The Lahr von Leitis Academy & Archive". www.lahrvonleitisacademy.eu. Retrieved October 10, 2019.
- ^ Chow, Andrew (September 27, 2017). "Ayad Akhtar and Lucas Hnath Win Steinberg Awards". The New York Times.
- ^ Editors, Washington Post; Reviewers. "The 10 best books of 2020". Washington Post. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
{{cite news}}:|last1=has generic name (help) - ^ "Best Books for Adults 2020". The New York Public Library. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
- ^ "Best Books 2021: Books We Love". apps.npr.org. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
- ^ "2021 Literary Awards". www.wisconsinlibraries.org. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
- ^ "Ayad Akhtar, Ben Ehrenreich among winners of American Book Awards". USA Today. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
- ^ Paulson, Michael (May 1, 2018). "2018 Tony Nominations: 'Mean Girls' and 'SpongeBob' Lead the Way". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
- ^ Clement, Olivia (April 24, 2018). ""playbill.com"". playbill.com.
- ^ Deb, Sopan (February 22, 2018). "Ayad Akhtar Wins Kennedy Prize for Drama Inspired by American History". The New York Times.
- ^ "Olivier Awards 2022". Olivier Awards. Retrieved February 7, 2023.
- ^ "OBIE Award Winners Announced". www.obieawards.com. May 18, 2015. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
- ^ "AWARDS FOR 2014-2015". outercritics.org. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
- ^ "The Invisible Hand - Lortel Archives". www.lortel.org. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
- ^ "OBIE Winners" June 14, 2013, at the Wayback Machine playbill.com
- ^ Gans, Andrew (May 13, 2013). Is Big Winner of 2012-13 Outer Critics Circle Awards "Pippin Is Big Winner of 2012-13 Outer Critics Circle Awards". Playbill. Retrieved May 13, 2013.
- ^ Gans, Andrew (May 21, 2013). "Natasha, Vanya and Sonia, Closer Than Ever, The Piano Lesson and More Win Off Broadway Alliance Awards" June 5, 2013, at the Wayback Machine. Playbill. Retrieved May 22, 2013.
- ^ "Best Fiction of 2012 | Kirkus Reviews". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
- ^ "The Globe's top 29 picks for international fiction of 2012". The Globe and Mail. November 24, 2012. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
- ^ "Shelf Awareness for Readers for Friday, December 28, 2012". www.shelf-awareness.com. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
- ^ "O, The Oprah Magazine's Best Books of 2012, Best Books of the Year 2012, Books". Barnes & Noble. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
- ^ King, Susan (November 30, 2005). "Getting into the Spirit of awards season". Los Angeles Times. p. E3.
- ^ https://alqahera30.com/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AF%D9%83%D8%AA%D9%88%D8%B1-%D8%A3%D8%B4%D8%B1%D9%81-%D8%B2%D9%8A%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%86-%D9%8A%D9%8F%D8%B5%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D8%AA%D8%B1%D8%AC%D9%85%D8%AA%D9%87-%D9%84%D9%85%D8%B3%D8%B1%D8%AD%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%AE%D8%B2%D9%8A-%D8%B9%D9%86-%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%A8%D9%8A%D8%A7%D9%86-%D9%84%D9%84%D9%86%D8%B4%D8%B1-%C2%A0-%C2%A0-%C2%A0-%C2%A0?fbclid=IwAR0u9BGHaAsoaMm6pn6FCN2_8Z3K1HxA0EBH-PLWPdZs_BcBgL4vEEfCARg
Further reading Edit
- Schwartz, Alexandra (September 21, 2020). "Making a scene : in the age of Trump, a writer explores America's divisions—and his own". Life and Letters. The New Yorker. Vol. 96, no. 28. pp. 18–25.[a]
———————
- Notes
- ^ Online version is titled "An American writer for an age of division".
External links Edit
- Ayad Akhtar at IMDb
- Ayad Akhtar at Library of Congress, with 3 library catalog records