On The Town: The Kite Runner

The reason for my whirlwind “On the Town” tour? My friend Beejan Land was in “The Kite Runner” on Broadway; when he alerted me that it was closing on October 30, it was a no-brainer that I would tack on 24 hours in NYC before heading to Philly for Mom’s 90th. Natch, Melissa (aka “The Colonel”) accompanied me, as she loves Broadway/theatre ALMOST as much as she loves Shirley.



Playing at the Hayes Theater on West 44th, I knew very little about “The Kite Runner” (I hadn’t read the book yet). Each time I would mention to someone that I was going to see it, I got the scrunched up face and a deep inhale, followed by “Ooh...that one is a real downer!”



The theater itself was lovely; small and intimate, it is the perfect place to get absorbed in an engaging production. Built in 1912, the neo-Georgian style building has a number of gorgeous light fixtures inside.



I probably could have done without the wacky paint on the walls, but I am guessing (hoping) it is only temporary and was only there for “The Kite Runner.” Apparently, the façade and PARTS of the interior are historic landmarks. How does one pick and choose?



The theater was named after Helen Hayes in 1983 but the current owners dropped “Helen” in 2018. Poor Helen. Lost in the shuffle. I wonder who she honked off?



These are the details I love:



The set for the opening of the play:



My thoughts on the “The Kite Runner”? Yes, the themes and the storyline are dark and heavy, which is not a problem for me as long as there is balance. The idea of redemption and how it occurs always fascinates me. Glimpses of humor are sprinkled throughout, but when one of the few rays of hope occurs at the last minute, it seems a bit out of place. The main fault I found in the production was the lead actor, Amir Arison. His performance lacked subtlety and nuance; he played the role instead of living it. I would love to see the play again with a different actor who understands the needs of an important story such as this one. The rest of the cast was stellar, with special kudos to Eric Sirakian, Faran Tahir, Azita Ghanizada, and Amir Malaklou. One other small gripe is with the trend of having actors perform double roles. I can only guess it is a matter of economy, but at times, it becomes jarring. Eric Sirakian plays one of the leads, yet also has a minor part as a vendor at a market. Was this really necessary? It only serves to pull the audience out of the experience and make them wonder who they are watching.



It was good to visit with Beejan after the play back at the Iroquois. I look forward to seeing what he chooses to play in next.



See more New York City photos at my main website.