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THE KITE RUNNER TOUR TO PLAY PITTSBURGH’S BENEDUM CENTER FOR LIMITED ENGAGEMENT

 



Adapted by Matthew Spangler 
Based on the Novel by Khaled Hosseini 
Directed by Giles Croft 

Tuesday, May 7 – Sunday, May 12, 2024 | Benedum Center

THE KITE RUNNER, a play with music based on Khaled Hosseini’s internationally best-selling novel, will play at the Benedum Center, 237 7th Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222 from Tuesday, May 7 through Sunday, May 12, 2024, for eight performances.  This national Broadway touring production at the Benedum Center is presented by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, part of the 2023-2024 PNC Broadway in Pittsburgh series.

 

For event information, visit Pittsburgh Cultural Trust official ticket sources TrustArts.org, by calling 412-456-4800, or in person at the Theater Square Box Office, 655 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222.  Orders for groups of 10+ tickets or more may be placed by calling 412-471-6930, email groupsales@trustarts.org, or submit a group ticket reservation online at TrustArts.org/groupsales.  For information about Pittsburgh Cultural Trust venue entry requirements, visit TrustArts.org/welcome.  For more information about accessibility services, call guest services at 412-456-6666 or visit TrustArts.org/accessibility.  Support the art you love!  To learn more about how to become a member of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, visit www.TrustArts.org/support.


 

The Kite Runner National Touring Company Credit: Bekah Lynn Photography

The North American tour of the acclaimed Broadway and West End production opens on April 9 at ASU Gammage in Tempe, Arizona, before moving on to nearly 20 cities, including Chicago and Washington DC. Prior to the launch, the show returns home to San Jose for 7 performances from April 3-7. Click here for the full tour route.


Starring in the tour is Ramzi Khalaf as Amir. The cast also features Raji Ahsan, Danish Farooqui, Shahzeb Zahid Hussain, Hassan Nazari-Robati, Haythem Noor, James Rana, Jonathan Shaboo, Kevin Stevens, Wiley Naman Strasser, Awesta Zarif, Jade Ziane, and Sophie Zmorrod. They join Salar Nader, the renowned musician who dazzled audiences in the Broadway production, who was previously announced to be reprising his role as tabla artist for the tour. 

 

The Kie Runner National Touring Company Credit: Bekah Lynn Photography

“It’s not often that a play as powerful and uplifting as THE KITE RUNNER comes along,” said Tracey McFarland, Producer and President of Booking at Broadway & Beyond Theatricals. “We are delighted to take audiences across America on this emotional and hopeful journey.”

 

The powerful stage production of THE KITE RUNNER tells a haunting tale of friendship spanning cultures and continents, following one man’s journey to confront his past and find redemption. Afghanistan is a divided country, and two childhood friends are about to be torn apart. It’s a beautiful afternoon in Kabul and the skies are full of the excitement and joy of a kite flying tournament. But neither of the boys can foresee the incident which will change their lives forever. Told across two decades and two continents, THE KITE RUNNER is an unforgettable journey of forgiveness, and shows us all that we can be good again.

 

Originally published in 2003, Hosseini’s The Kite Runner became a bestseller across the globe and has since been published in 70 countries, selling 31.5 million copies in 60 languages. Now this powerful story has been adapted into a stunning stage production.

 

THE KITE RUNNER originally premiered at the San Jose Repertory Theater in 2009. In 2013, Nottingham Playhouse and Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse staged a new production in the UK. In 2017, THE KITE RUNNER returned to the stage in London’s West End for two critically lauded, limited engagements at Wyndham’s Theatre and the Playhouse Theatre. The much-anticipated Broadway production played a strictly limited run at the Hayes Theater in the summer of 2022.

 

THE KITE RUNNER is directed by Giles Croft and adapted by Matthew Spangler. The creative team includes Jonathan Girling (Composer and Musical Supervisor), Barney George (Scenic and Costume Design), Charles Balfour (Lighting Design), Drew Baumohl (Sound Design), William Simpson (Projection Design), Wojcik Casting Team (Casting Director), Kitty Winter (Movement Director), and Damian Sandys (Associate Director). Humaira Ghilzai serves as Cultural Advisor and Dialect Coach.

 

THE KITE RUNNER is produced by Victoria Lang, Ryan Bogner and Tracey McFarland of Broadway & Beyond Theatricals, Jayne Baron Sherman, Hunter Arnold, and Kayla Greenspan in association with Martin Dodd for UK Productions Ltd., and Stuart Galbraith for Flying Entertainment Ltd/Kilimanjaro Group Ltd. Daryl Roth is the Executive Producer.    

@kiterunnerbway

TheKiteRunnerBroadway.com

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Broadway Across America (BAA) is part of the John Gore Organization family of companies, which includes Broadway.com, The Broadway Channel, BroadwayBox.com, Group Sales Box Office and Broadway Brands.  Led by 20-time Tony-winning theater producer John Gore (Owner & CEO), BAA is the foremost presenter of first-class touring productions in North America, operating in 48 markets with over 400,000 subscribers. Presentations include Disney’s The Lion King, Wicked, The Book of Mormon, and Hamilton. Current productions include &Juliet, Hadestown, Hamilton, Kimberly Akimbo, MJ: The Musical and Moulin Rouge! The Musical.

The John Gore Organization is the leading presenter, distributor, and marketer of Broadway theater worldwide. Under the leadership of 20-time Tony-winning theater producer and owner John Gore, its family of companies includes Broadway Across America, Broadway.com, The Broadway Channel, BroadwayBox.com, Group Sales Box Office and Broadway Brands. The company presents shows in 48 cities across North America as well as on Broadway, Off-Broadway, London’s West End, Japan, and China. It has won Tony Awards in every producing category as well as numerous other Drama League, Drama Desk and Olivier Awards.  The John Gore Organization is committed to supporting theater access and education programs that introduce Broadway to the next generation of audiences and theater professionals.

The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust is one of the nation’s premier arts presenters and a major catalytic influence in Pittsburgh, having overseen one of the city’s most historic transformations: turning a seedy red-light district into a magnet destination for arts-lovers, residents, visitors, and business owners. Founded in 1984, the Cultural Trust presents an array of quality performing and visual arts, provides comprehensive educational experiences, and stewards Pittsburgh’s Cultural District as a national model of economic revitalization through the arts. Lauded as “the single greatest creative force in Pittsburgh,” the Cultural Trust has worked to make Pittsburgh a place where the arts can flourish. The 14-block Cultural District, a project of the Cultural Trust, has become a vibrant center for culture, art, food, and community in downtown Pittsburgh, providing a home for a broad range of performance groups and resident companies. Approximately two million people visit the Cultural District each year, generating more than $300M in economic impact for the region.

TrustArts.org | @CulturalTrust on Facebook · Instagram · X         

 

The PNC Foundation joins the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust in bringing the best of Broadway to entertain, enlighten, and complement the rich experiences that add to the region’s exceptional quality of life. The seven season presentations and two season specials in the PNC Broadway in Pittsburgh series contribute to the city’s reputation as a major destination for the arts, culture, and world-class entertainment.


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