Full Casting for Ayad Akhtar's 'The Who and The What'

After the extended run of LCT3's production of Ayad Akhtar's 'Disgraced' last season, the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright returns to the Lincoln Center this season with the New York premiere of The Who and The What. He will be returning with the director of 'Disgraced', Kimberly Senior, and the cast has now been confirmed to feature Tala Ashe, Greg Keller, Nadine Malouf and Bernard White.

The Who and The What begins previews on 31 May, with an official opening on 16 Jun and will run until 13 Jul 2014 at the Lincoln Center's Claire Tow Theater.

Synopsis: 'The Who and The What tells the story of Zarina (Nadine Malouf), a brilliant and outspoken Pakistani-American writer, who goes to great lengths to please her family, even dating a convert to Islam (Greg Keller) to please her traditional father (Bernard White). But when her father and sister (Tala Ashe) read the manuscript of Zarina's novel about women and Islam, a confrontation ensues which threatens to tear their family apart for good.

Tala Ashe will be making her LTC debut. She appeared Off-Broadway at The Public Theater in 2011's 'Urge for Going'. Other selected theatre credits include 'Age of Innocence' (Arena); 'Troilus and Cressida', 'The Very Merry Wives of Windsor', 'Iowa' (Oregon Shakespeare Festival); 'Welcome to Arroyo's' (Old Globe); 'As Soon As Possible' (Second Stage); 'Love's Labour's Lost' (Huntington); 'Pearls from Salt' (Olney Theatre) and 'Twelfth Night' (Actors Shakespeare Project).

Greg Keller made his LCT debut with 'Dying City'. He has also appeared on Broadway in 'Wit' (2012) and 'Uncle Vanya' (2000). His Off-Broadway credits include Off-Broadway: 'Belleville' (NYTW); 'Cradle and All' (MTC); 'You Never Can Tell' (Roundabout); 'The Seagull' (CSC); 'That Pretty Pretty or the rape play', 'Steve & Ida' (Rattlestick); 'Smudge' (The Women's Project) and 'Telethon' (Clubbed Thumb).

Nadine Malouf will be making her LTC debut. Her theatre credits include 'Les Enfants de Paris' (NY Musical Theatre Festival), 'The Hidden Sky' (Prospect Theater Company), a National Tour of 'Les Miserables', 'Scorched', 'Godspell', 'Fiddler on the Roof' (Syracuse Stage); 'Sunset Boulevard' (Ogunquit Playhouse) and 'Rent' (Weston Playhouse).

Bernard White made his LTC debut with 'Blood and Gifts'. He also appeared Off-Broadway in 'Landscape of the Body' (Signature), 'Sakharam Binder' (Play Company) and 'The Death of Garcia Lorca' (Public). Other selected theatre credits include 'Troilus and Cressida', 'Henry V' (Oregon Shakespeare Festival); 'The Seven', 'Dogeaters' (La Jolla); 'Wings of Desire' (American Repertory/Toneelgroep Amsterdam); 'Blithe Spirit', and 'Lucy and the Conquest' (Williamstown).

The creative team will feature set design by Jack Magaw, costume design by Emily Rebholz, lighting design by Japhy Weideman and sound by Jill BC Du Boff.

- by Tom Millward