The World is Not Silent
MARCH 22 – APRIL 14, 2024
WORLD PREMIERE
BY DON X. NGUYEN
DIRECTED BY MARYA MAZOR
NEUHAUS THEATRE
This moving story explores the relationship between a son, Don, and his estranged father as they try to reconnect in the wake of his father’s recent hearing loss. Don learns that the key to communication and connection is speaking from the heart as the play explores how language, at the same time, divides and unites us. This play was part of Alley All New Festival in 2022.
In The Press
Review: Alley Theatre’s Vietnamese-themed ‘World Is Not Silent’ has a lot to say (paywall)
HOUSTON CHRONICLE
RUN TIME
The World Is Not Silent is approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes long, with no intermission.
AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETED PERFORMANCE*
To best see the interpreter, we recommend sitting in the following seats:
South Section, Rows C-F, Seats 1-6
POST-SHOW ALLEY CHATS
Join us for post-show Alley Chats with the cast and Alley Theatre Artistic Staff on:
Wednesday, April 3, 7:30 PM
Tuesday, April 9, 7:30 PM
Thursday, April 11, 7:30 PM
CONTENT ADVISORY
The World is Not Silent contains some Language and a harrowing account of a family’s evacuation during the fall of Saigon. Flashing Lights and Haze will be used during the performance. To learn more about the content of this show, please visit our content advisory page.
FURTHER READING
Want to learn more about what goes into this Alley Theatre production? Check out The Back Alley, Alley Theatre’s blog!
WANT TO LEARN MORE?
Before you attend the performance, the program provides cast bios, sponsor backgrounds, and further reading.
PRE-SHOW ALLEY CHAT
Join us for a pre-show Alley Chat and get a behind-the-scenes look at the design process:
Sunday, March 24, 2:00 PM
CAPTIONED* and AUDIO DESCRIBED PERFORMANCE
Sunday, March 31, 2:00 PM
Assisted Listening Devices are also available at every performance.
To best see the captioning screen, we recommend the following seats:
West Section, Rows E-D
Most of the food being used in The Nerd is the real deal. This show takes place in the 80’s, and the food needed for the production is commonplace, like bean salad or Chex mix. Since the actors are eating a lot of food in the show, we prefer to use the real thing as opposed to a prop stand in.Continue reading→
We spoke with Associate Artistic Director Brandon Weinbrenner about Directing The Nerd. Here is what he had to say!Continue reading→
For National Bartenders Day, we spoke with Travis Matthews, our Food & Beverage Manager on his process of creating specialty cocktails for our productions.Continue reading→
A raucous bunch of characters comes alive in Larry Shue’s The Nerd. From the amiable architect to the mysterious titular ‘nerd,’ the characters tell a tale of humor, absurdity, and the complexities of human relationships.Continue reading→
Susan Koozin Reflects on her character in Pictures from Home
We spoke with Houston actor Susan Koozin to reflect on her character Jean Sultan in Pictures from Home. Here is what she had to say!Continue reading→
The Nerd was the first show I ever saw on Broadway. I remember laughing so hard that I had to hold back my laughter so that I could hear the next line. It is so funny and I’m happy that it has now become an American comedy classic – certainly one of the best comedies written in my lifetime.Continue reading→
As the costume designer for the theatrical presentation Pictures from Home, my approach is primarily through the characters. But with the artist, the father and the mother’s multiple points of view: how can I honor them all? How can I suggest the intentional ambiguities that Sultan presents?Continue reading→
Pictures from Home marks a significant milestone for the Alley. The play began with the initial stages of development in the Alley All New Festival in 2020. Originally envisioned and nurtured within the Alley’s creative embrace, Pictures from Home captivated audiences in the reading. Audiences loved the reading’s blend of humor and reflections on the dynamics between an adult son and his aging parents. The enthusiastic response from the reading propelled the play toward a future on the Hubbard Theatre stage.Continue reading→
Exploring the World Through Larry Sultan’s Lens: A Journey into Art and Memory
Larry Sultan’s work shines brightly in the vast realm of photography. He is known for capturing moments that speak to the heart and stir the imagination.Continue reading→
Based on the photo memoir by American photographer Larry Sultan, Pictures from Home was part of the 2020 Alley All New Festival and was a hit on Broadway this past winter. Set in the late 1980’s, photographer Larry Sultan turns the lens on his parents to ferret out the truths beneath their home movies. This deeply intimate and comic portrait of a mother, a father and their son explores the question; who gets to depict the family story?Continue reading→