Capital Irish Film Festival Donation

Subscribe to get notified about new events!

Solas Nua Inc

Solas Nua — “new light” in Irish — is dedicated to bringing contemporary Irish arts to DC and making art affordable to enjoy. We have presented the work of 1,000+ Irish artists across theatre, film, literature, poetry, music, dance, and visual arts. 

Critically acclaimed playwright Hannah Khalil and Director Chris White will lead an evening session on dramaturgy and the Playwright / Director relationship. With some focus on My English Persian Kitchen, currently in rehearsal, we will explore the drafting process that led to the current rehearsal draft, considering the steps and questions that allowed the text to develop. There will also be an opportunity for an open Q&amp;A with both of them. Sharpen your skills or learn new recipes for new play development from these two internationally celebrated artists! ABOUT THE ARTISTS Chris White is a freelance theatre director and practitioner. He is an Associate Practitioner and Director for Royal Shakespeare Company&#39;s Creative Learning and Engagement and co-ran the young writer&#39;s programme at Soho Theatre.<a fr-original-style="" href="https://www.theguardian.com/stage/article/2024/aug/04/my-english-persian-kitchen-review-traverse-theatre-edinburgh" style="text-decoration-color: currentcolor; -webkit-user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank">&nbsp;My English Persian Kitchen&nbsp;</a>ran at the Traverse Theatre and Soho Theatre in 2004 in sell out runs to critical and audience acclaim and returned for a British and Irish tour in 2025. Other recent directing includes <a fr-original-style="" href="https://feastcornwall.org/project/chippy/" style="text-decoration-color: currentcolor; -webkit-user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank">Chippy&nbsp;</a>by Henry Darke in a Cornish tour (Spring 2024), co-writing and directing <a fr-original-style="" href="https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/wood-of-words-9781350440807/" style="text-decoration-color: currentcolor; -webkit-user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank">Wood of Words&nbsp;</a>a new play from the words of Shakespeare at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre RSC (2023), The Lighthouse Keepers Son&nbsp;with Maureen Beattie at the Samuel Beckett Research Centre, Reading University, and <a fr-original-style="" href="https://theatreweekly.com/world-premiere-of-ric-rentons-autobiographical-debut-play-nothing-in-a-butterfly/" style="text-decoration-color: currentcolor; -webkit-user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank">Nothing in a Butterfly&nbsp;</a>by Ric Renton at Omnibus. Chris&#39;s acclaimed production of Hannah Khalil&#39;s <a fr-original-style="" href="http://www.arcolatheatre.com/event/scenes-from-68-years/2016-04-06/" style="text-decoration-color: currentcolor; -webkit-user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank">Scenes from 68* Years</a> ran at the Arcola Theatre in London in April 2016.&nbsp;He was nominated for Best Director in the Offie Awards 2016 for this production. Chris has also worked in Beijing, directing A Midsummer Night&#39;s Dream at the National Centre of Performing Arts with an ensemble of Chinese actors in 2016, the show was a great success and became part of the company&#39;s regular repertoire.&nbsp; Further work includes a nation-wide project with RSC Education called <a fr-original-style="" href="http://www.rsc.org.uk/whats-on/the-head-that-wears-a-crown/" style="text-decoration-color: currentcolor; -webkit-user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank">The Head That Wears A Crown</a>, which culminated in a performance on the main stage at the Royal Shakespeare Company Hannah Khalil&nbsp;is an Irish-Palestinian playwright. She was writer in residence at the Globe 2022.&nbsp;In December 2022 her play <a fr-original-style="text-align: left;" href="https://www.shakespearesglobe.com/whats-on/hakawatis-women-of-the-arabian-nights-2022/" style="text-align: left; text-decoration-color: currentcolor; -webkit-user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank">Hakawatis</a>played at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, while her adaptation of Hans Christian Anderson&#39;s <a fr-original-style="text-align: left;" href="https://www.shakespearesglobe.com/whats-on/the-fir-tree-2022/" style="text-align: left; text-decoration-color: currentcolor; -webkit-user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank">The Fir Tree</a> returned to the main stage at the Globe making Hannah the first writer other than Shakespeare to have had her work on in both spaces at the Globe simultaneously. Further work at the Globe includes an adaptation of Shakespeare and Fletcher&#39;s <a fr-original-style="text-align: left;" href="https://www.shakespearesglobe.com/whats-on/henry-viii-2022/" style="text-align: left; text-decoration-color: currentcolor; -webkit-user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank">Henry VIII</a>while <a fr-original-style="text-align: left;" href="https://www.rsc.org.uk/a-museum-in-baghdad/" style="text-align: left; text-decoration-color: currentcolor; -webkit-user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank">A Museum in Baghdad&nbsp;</a>played at the Royal Shakespeare Company in 2019/20 making Hannah the first woman of Arab heritage to have a main stage play at the company. Hannah was also a <a fr-original-style="text-align: left;" href="https://research.reading.ac.uk/beckett/announcement-creative-fellows-2020-21/" style="text-align: left; text-decoration-color: currentcolor; -webkit-user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank">Creative Fellow of the Samuel Beckett Archive</a> for 2021/2022 and <a fr-original-style="text-align: left;" href="https://www1.villanova.edu/villanova/artsci/newsevents/2021/0104.html" style="text-align: left; text-decoration-color: currentcolor; -webkit-user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank">was named Heimbold Chair of Irish Studies at Villanova University, Spring 2021.&nbsp;</a>She was made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in 2022.&nbsp;

Dramaturgy Workshop

Solas Nua presents Branar&#39;s&nbsp;You&rsquo;ll See&hellip;in association with Spooky Action Theater and Keegan Theatre James Joyce&rsquo;s epic story of one day in one city is brought to life in this inventive new show, bringing Ireland&rsquo;s most notorious book to audiences aged 8 and upwards, and to all those who haven&rsquo;t got around to reading it yet. Combining live performance, intricate paper design, an original score and Joyce&rsquo;s odyssey, this is theatre that will excite both young and old. Kindly supported by Culture Ireland. Commissioned as part of Ulysses 2.2, a collaborative project between ANU, Landmark Productions and Museum of Literature, Ireland.

You'll See...

Join a community of beloved patrons, artists, Hibernophiles, and community leaders at Solas Nua&rsquo;s 20th Anniversary Party!&nbsp; We&#39;ll celebrate Solas Nua&rsquo;s achievements from our first two decades &mdash; and shine a light on where we&rsquo;re headed. As we look forward to the next 20 years, your support will help make it possible. Attire: Business smart

Solas Nua's 20th Anniversary Party (copy)

🐤 Reserve your complimentary ticket for this exclusive, unlisted performance of Lie Low&nbsp;during opening weekend.&nbsp;

Lie Low – Exclusive Performance

Join Solas Nua for a conversation with NYT bestselling author Betsy Cornwell about her forthcoming memoir Ring of Salt.&nbsp; Maid meets Under the Tuscan Sun in this inspiring and lyrical memoir about a writer and mother who flees an abusive marriage and must learn to reclaim the story of her life through a search for home on Ireland&rsquo;s wild, western coast. Ring of Salt will be available to purchase at the event, co-hosted by the Notre Dame Club of Washington, DC.&nbsp;

Ring of Salt – in conversation with Betsy Cornwell

Solas Nua's 20th Anniversary Party

Show In A Bag is a newly launched program that offers an opportunity for DMV area performing artists to create a solo show with dramaturgy from Solas Nua and Dublin&rsquo;s Fishamble: the new play company. The aim of this 6-month long program is to offer performers support to develop a solo script to tell a unique story with a small scale production that they can perform anywhere.&nbsp; Join us as our inaugural recipients of Show in a Bag, Jordan Brown and Rebecca Ballinger, share their scripts through this works-in-progress sharing!

Show In A Bag Sharing

Your gift to CIFF supports contemporary Irish film on Solas Nua&rsquo;s screens, bringing new stories, fresh voices, and bold ideas to audiences across the U.S. 🎬 By donating today, you enable Solas Nua to champion Irish artists, make art affordable to attend, and facilitate cultural exchange that connects Ireland and the US. Thank you for standing with artists and the stories they tell.

Your gift to CIFF supports contemporary Irish film on Solas Nua’s screens, bringing new stories, fresh voices, and bold ideas to audiences across the U.S. 🎬By donating today, you enable Solas Nua to champion Irish artists, make art affordable to attend, and facilitate cultural exchange that connects Ireland and the US. Thank you for standing with artists and the stories they tell.

Solas Nua &mdash; meaning &quot;new light&quot; in Irish &mdash; is a leading multidisciplinary arts organization that is dedicated exclusively to contemporary Irish arts. With 100+ nominations and multiple awards, we have presented the work of 1,000+ Irish artists across:Theatre&nbsp;|&nbsp;Film&nbsp;|&nbsp;Literature&nbsp;|&nbsp;Music&nbsp;|&nbsp;Visual Arts Learn more at <a fr-original-style="" href="//solasnua.org" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="text-decoration-color: currentcolor; user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank">solasnua.org</a> | <a fr-original-style="" href="https://www.instagram.com/solasnua_" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="text-decoration-color: currentcolor; user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank">@solasnua_</a>

Solas Nua — meaning "new light" in Irish — is a leading multidisciplinary arts organization that is dedicated exclusively to contemporary Irish arts.With 100+ nominations and multiple awards, we have presented the work of 1,000+ Irish artists across:Theatre | Film | Literature | Music | Visual ArtsLearn more at solasnua.org | @solasnua_

Support Solas Nua

🍽 We&#39;ve saved a seat for you at the theatre to celebrate the opening of My English Persian Kitchen&nbsp;by Hannah Kahlil. Reserve your complimentary ticket for this exclusive, unlisted performance and join us for a special reception afterwards.&nbsp; Note: This ticket is non-transferrable.

My English Persian Kitchen – Exclusive Performance

Our Fall theatre production, <a fr-original-style="" href="https://www.solasnua.org/events/my-english-persian-kitchen" style="text-decoration-color: currentcolor; user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank">My English Persian Kitchen</a> by Hannah Khalil, is based on the story of Atoosa Sepehr, as told in her cookbook <a fr-original-style="" href="https://www.atoosasepehr.com/book" style="text-decoration-color: currentcolor; user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank">From a Persian Kitchen</a>. Join Atoosa Sepehr and Director Chris White&nbsp;for a conversation about Atoosa&#39;s experience having her story transformed from her own words a written play and, finally, a full theatrical production. There will be time for a Q&amp;A and an opportunity for Atoosa to sign copies of her book, which will be available to purchase onsite.&nbsp; When: Sunday, November 15 | 12:30 &ndash; 1:30 p.m.Where: Solid State Books (<a fr-original-style="" href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/Solid+State+Books/@38.9003507,-76.9993618,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x89b7b83d3fb44983:0x15cb9ff54bcf0869!8m2!3d38.9003466!4d-76.9967815!16s%2Fg%2F11gccw1qrx?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI2MTAyMC4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D" style="text-decoration-color: currentcolor; user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank">600 H St NE, Washington, DC</a>)&nbsp;About My English Persian Kitchen, playing November 12 &ndash;&nbsp;6 at Atlas Performing Arts CenterHailed as a &ldquo;thoroughly flavorful feast of a play&rdquo; by The Guardian, My English Persian Kitchen chronicles one woman&#39;s resettlement in England and then in Belfast after fleeing an abusive husband and her home country of Iran. Longing for her homeland, she turns to her mother&rsquo;s recipes for solace and strength as she rebuilds both her life and her spirit. This one woman play features the live cooking of traditional Persian ash-e-reshteh (noodle soup) onstage to bring audiences together through the communal nature of food and the joy of finding home.

Solas Nua Inc

Solas Nua Inc

Solas Nua Inc

Upcoming events

Events

Get your tickets

My English Persian Kitchen – Exclusive Performance

Get your tickets

A Taste of the Story: From the Kitchen to a Theatre Production

More ways to support us

Donate now

Capital Irish Film Festival Donation

Donate now

Support Solas Nua

Powered by

.css-11vgt0p a{color:inherit;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-11vgt0p a:hover{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-color:hsl(323, 74%, 14%);}Solas Nua Inc

Solas Nua Inc

Upcoming events

Events

Get your tickets

My English Persian Kitchen – Exclusive Performance

Get your tickets

A Taste of the Story: From the Kitchen to a Theatre Production

More ways to support us

Donate now

Capital Irish Film Festival Donation

Donate now

Support Solas Nua

Powered by

Solas Nua Inc