DUBAI: US-Iraqi actress Alia Shawkat takes center stage in New York City with her theatrical debut in Clare Barron’s Obie-winning play “You Got Older,” which has extended its off-Broadway run for a second time due to strong demand.
The production, staged at the Cherry Lane Theater, will now continue through April 26 after originally being scheduled to end on March 29, before first being extended through April 12.
Directed by Anne Kauffman, the play stars Shawkat as Mae alongside Peter Friedman as Dad. The cast also includes Misha Brooks, Caleb Joshua Eberhardt, Paul Cooper, Nadine Malouf and Nina White.
Best known for her screen roles in “Search Party,” “Blink Twice” and “Arrested Development,” Shawkat’s move to the stage marks a significant milestone in her career. She is also set to appear in the upcoming film “The Wrong Girls” alongside Kristen Stewart and Seth Rogen, following her recent performance in “Atropia,” which won the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival.
Directed by Hailey Gates, “Atropia” is a war satire centered on an aspiring actress working on a US military base designed to simulate an Iraqi war zone — an idea inspired by real-life training programs. Gates has said she initially attempted to document the concept before turning it into a fictional satire.
“So, I did a lot of research and visited a bunch of the bases. Sort of working my way up the (Department of Defense), and they weren’t interested in my documentary. So, then I thought it was a subject ripe for satire,” Gates previously said.
In “You Got Older,” Shawkat plays Mae, a woman who returns to her Washington hometown after losing both her job and her relationship, only to care for her ailing father. As she reconnects with her surroundings, an unexpected encounter challenges her understanding of intimacy and family.
Reflecting on the revival, playwright Clare Barron described revisiting the work with Kauffman as an opportunity to see the story anew.
“The chance to revisit this play with Anne Kauffman is a dream come true,” she said in an earlier statement. “We both got older. Who knows if we’re wiser! But it’s a beautiful experience to see the play through a new lens with a new venture on a precious, old stage. Life and intimacy continue to confound.”
The production features scenic design by Arnulfo Maldonado (“Buena Vista Social Club”), costumes by Asta Bennie Hostetter (“John”), lighting by Isabella Byrd (“Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club”) and sound design by Daniel Kluger (“Oh, Mary!”).
