Parwaz Playhouse, A Theatre Company Making a Difference

By: Anisah Hashmi

If all the world’s a stage, then where are all the Pakistanis? This is a question Imran Sheikh and Imran Javaid hoped to answer when they founded the first Pakistani-American theatre company in New York City. Inspired by the abundant talent of the Pakistani-American community, Sheikh and Javaid wanted to provide people with an outlet for their artistic gifts.

They are drawn to any piece that captures their imagination, which can be adapted or presented in its original fashion. Their first production, Glass, a one-act play by Imran Javaid was showcased at Nyuorican Poets Café in Nov. 2009. The play received great acclaim and was admitted in the Downtown Urban Theatre Festival where it sold out a year later.

Their next production, scheduled to open the 24^th of February, is an adaptation of Beyond the Horizon, a Pulitzer Prize winning play by Eugene O’Neil. Originally set in the 1920’s, they reworked the play to portray a flourishing 1960’s Pakistan. The plot centers on the story of two brothers from a middle-class industrial family who fall in love with the same girl. The intellectual brother is given the opportunity to see the world, which he’s always dreamed of. But before he departs, the girl next door convinces him to stay by confessing her love. In protest, the other brother takes his place. A coming of age story, the play follows the emotional development of these characters and portrays the universality of their journey. Staying behind takes a toll on the brother who chooses marriage over travel as his wife begins to second-guess her decision to settle down as well. The producers feel the play will humanize Pakistanis, since anyone can identify with the characters on stage. In fact, they hope that all of their productions will portray Pakistanis in a positive light.

“We’re not all terrorists, we’re not all extremists,” says Khaula Malik, the playhouse’s manager. “We want to showcase the talent of normal people and have a say in the industry.” In this way they will normalize Pakistani-Americans seeking acceptance into the fabric of American life in hopes that people will look past their ethnicity and talk about the characters they portray on stage.  “You appreciate a person for who they are not what their background is. Generally, you want people to talk about you for your qualities not as someone’s ‘Pakistani friend’,” she said.  With the community’s support, they’re working towards positive representation of Pakistanis in the media and popular culture.

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