Do not miss this national touring production of The Kite Runner at the Victoria Theatre in Dayton, May 28 to June 2. It is co-presented by Human Race Theatre Company and Dayton Live. The show follows Amir, played by Ramzi Khalaf, from his childhood in Kabul, Afghanistan, to his adulthood in San Francisco. The story spans over 20 years and explores themes of friendship, kinship, devotion, grief, guilt, and so much more.
ON STAGE
Ramzi Khalaf carries the show as Amir. He starts the show as a young boy from an affluent house and family, completely oblivious to the clash of the caste system in Afghanistan. Through his solo narration, interspersed with vignettes to illustrate the most poignant moments in his life, we see him navigate around the guilt he feels for his inaction during a moment of violence in his youth. This guilt follows him through his asylum to the United States in the 1980s and assimilation to American culture, into his marriage and his quest to become a parent. It finally leads him to an opportunity to try and make things right. Khalaf is absolutely captivating in this role and takes everyone along on the roller coaster ride of emotions from start to finish.
Other standout cast members include Shahzeb Zahid Hussain as Hassan/Sohrab, whose innocence and devotion is so pure and good, and Wiley Naman Strasser, whose portrayal of the vile Assef made my skin crawl at every encounter.
Another stunning aspect of the show is Salar Nader’s performance on Tabla, a pair of hand drums. Nader appears on stage about five minutes before the performance and spends the next ten minutes acoustically setting the scene by playing the tabla to a musical track. His percussion underscores the rest of the show, performing live in nearly every scene, to build tension and convey emotion. The tabla, along with members of the company playing singing bowls at key points in the show, build up a musical soundscape that immerses all of your senses into the show’s setting.
BACKSTORY
The Kite Runner is based on the 2003 best-selling novel of the same name by Khaled Hosseini. The show was adapted by Matthew Spangler and this production is directed by Giles Croft. Humaira Ghilzai serves as cultural advisor and dialect coach. Her work to showcase authentic Afghan culture shines through in song, dance, tradition and ceremony.
THEMES of The Kite Runner
In the novel, the story ends in the months after September 11, 2001 without dwelling on the event or its aftermath for Afghans in America. The fraught relationship between the U.S. and Afghanistan in the intervening years underlines the need for shows like this to tell the story of humanity around the world. There are a lot of bad players who are doing a lot of bad things. There are a lot of innocent people who escape because they can, and so many more who suffer because fleeing is not an option. Those stories matter, too.
OVERALL
This show is a must-see. You will leave the show feeling a little uncomfortable, a little heartbroken, and a little hopeful. You will drive home thinking about people like Hassan and Sohrab around the world: innocent victims in any number of international conflicts happening today. They don’t deserve what they are experiencing, for they are people, too.
This beautiful show about humanity is the perfect end to the Human Race Theatre Company’s season.
TICKETS AND MORE
The Kite Runner runs through June 2, 2024. The show is recommended for patrons age 13 and up, due to violence and references to rape. Tickets are still available for most shows and can be purchased through Dayton Live. Here are three special attractions for this show:
- The lobby of the Victoria Theater is decorated with “Kites of Kindness” – paper kites that have been created with messages of hope by people in the Dayton community and beyond. Be sure to spend a little time reading the messages.
- Every night of the performance, there is an exhibit in the mezzanine level called Afghans of Dayton. The exhibit gives a brief explanation of the history of power in Afghanistan and shines a spotlight on a few individuals in Dayton’s Afghan community.
- There will be a Q&A talkback after the performance on Wednesday, May 29th, with members of the company. Anyone with a ticket to Wednesday’s performance is invited to stay for the event afterwards.
Parent’s Day Out Performance
The Human Race Theatre Company’s popular Parents’ Day Out performance is the matinee on Saturday, June 1. Children ages 5-12 can participate in a theater workshop next door during the showtime. The workshop is free–with the purchase of an adult ticket to the matinee.
