Arts & Entertainment
NoHo Finds Religion: 'Tartuffe,' Convent Demons and a Clash of Sexuality and Faith
Molière, demon exorcism and a gay Muslim Guyanese émigré are all slated to make an appearance on a stage near you in May.
Three plays with religious themes are set to hit NoHo and Toluca Lake next month: Tartuffe, Sotto Voce and No Word in Guyanese for Me.
has taken Molière's Tartuffe and turned it into Turbo-Tartuffe, a modern spin on an old tale of religious hypocrisy.
According to the press release, it's an "all-new, high impact, high energy production."
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The production is directed by Zombie Joe fixture Denise Devin. It runs from May 6–June 24 every Friday at 8:30 p.m at the ZJU Theatre Group, 4850 Lankershim Blvd. Call the box office on 818-202-4120 to reserve your tickets.
The troupe is also premering Sotto Voce by Robert Riemer. The play is set in a convent, where a young woman is forced to confront the demons of her past. The press release calls it a "passionate new thriller."
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Sotto Voce, directed by Zombie Joe himself, runs at the ZJU Theatre Group from May 7–June 11 on Saturdays at 8:30 p.m.
Ovation award-winning actress Anna Khaja is starring in No Word in Guyanese for Me, a play by written by Wendy Graf and directed by Anita Khanzadian. Graf's recent play Leipzig earned her an L.A. Drama Critics Circle nomination.
According to the press release, No Word in Guyanese for Me "explores religious and sexual identity, parental bonds, and clashing cultures in the story of a young, gay immigrant who must reconcile her sexuality with the teachings of her Muslim faith."
The action moves from Guyana to Queens in New York City, as the protagonist, Hanna, is transplanted with her family to start a new life in the United States.
"It's a plea for understanding and tolerance at a time of fear and religious, moral and political polarization," said Graf in the press release. "This is the story of a young girl who, in the end, is forced to give her family a choice: accept her as a gay Muslim, or lose her forever."
No Word in Guyanese for Me opens at the Sidewalk Studio Theatre May 14 and runs through June 12. Tickets can be booked online by clicking here.
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