DISGRACED Pulitz Prize Winning Play '13

Ayad Akhtar's brilliant play won the Pulitz. last year, and for good reasons.  DISGRACED dismantles the fragile facades of racial/religious tolerance & civility with commanding authortity.  Unlike the B'wy farce GOD OF CARNAGE which also reveals contemptuous behavior & prejudice, DISGRACED takes social issues seriously for a scorching impact.  Amir (played ferociously by Hari Dhillon) is an intense atty. of Muslim heritage at an all Jewish law firm.  He's hungry to place his name alongside the names of the firm's all Jewish partners.  Amir is married to a beautiful Emily (Gretchen Mol) an aspiring artist.  The young couple appear loving & living in an upscale NYC apt.  They are friends with another bi-racial/cultural couple Isaac, a Jewish art dealer, and Jory, a black atty. working at the same law firm as Amir.  "You can't start a fire without a spark."  Amir's nephew Abe implores his Uncle's for legal counsel for an Islamic friend charged as a terrorist.  Against his better judgement but at the urgings of his wife & nephew, he goes to the courthouse.   Amir is quoted in the Times linking his law firm with the case.  Soon the law partners question Amir's idenity (nationality & birth name.)  It appears Amir was not totally forthcoming in his bio details.  Soon after, the 2 couples are having a friendly, civilized dinner that combusts into flames igniting racial, religious & cultural hatred & violence.  Akhtar's play is an illuminating play on the precarious balance between justice & order;  self-loathing & disgrace.  Most of us are still dancing in the dark.