a black and orange sign
Man and woman converse on a balcony, separated by a mesh fence.

English

by Sanaz Toossi
directed by Knud Adams

February 5 – March 20, 2022
Linda Gross Theater

2020 Steinberg Playwright Award and the Laurents/Hatcher Foundation Award winner Sanaz Toossi returns to Atlantic following her Middle Eastern MixFest debut!

Two words set in motion award-winning playwright Sanaz Toossi’s intricate and profound New York debut: “English Only.” This is the mantra that rules one classroom in Iran, where four adult students are preparing for the TOEFL — the Test of English as a Foreign Language. Chasing fluency through a maze of word games, listening exercises, and show-and-tell sessions, they hope that one day, English will make them whole. But it might be splitting them each in half.
Running time: approximately 100 minutes, with no intermission

Cast

Tala Ashe portrait in black and white, looking at the camera

Tala Ashe

Elham
Portrait of Ava Lalezarzadeh with curly dark hair, smiling in black and white.

Ava Lalezarzadeh

Goli
Headshot of Pooya Mohseni, smiling at the camera.

Pooya Mohseni

Bone by Bone
Marjan Neshat, headshot in black and white, looking directly at the camera.

Marjan Neshat

Marjan
Black and white headshot of Hadi Tabbal, a man with curly hair and a beard.

Hadi Tabbal

Omid
Sanaz Toossi portrait: smiling woman with dark curly hair and nose ring

Sanaz Toossi

Playwright
Close-up portrait of Knud Adams, looking directly at the camera

Knud Adams

Director
Atlantic Theater Company exterior at night with "The Band's Visit" show poster.

Marsha Ginsberg

Scenic Design
Atlantic Theater Company exterior at night with "The Band's Visit" show poster.

Enver Chakartash

Costume Design
Atlantic Theater Company exterior at night with "The Band's Visit" show poster.

Reza Behjat

Lighting Design
Atlantic Theater Company exterior at night with "The Band's Visit" show poster.

Sinan Refik Zafar

Sound Design
Atlantic Theater Company exterior at night with "The Band's Visit" show poster.

Alex H. Hajjar

Production Stage Manager
Atlantic Theater Company exterior at night with "The Band's Visit" show poster.

Gracie Carleton

Assistant Stage Manager
Roundabout Theatre Company logo: white 'R' on black background.

Roundabout Theatre Company

Co-Producer

Team

Gallery

Students in an English class, focusing on TOEFL exam prep. "English Only" whiteboard visible.
Three women in hijabs sit at desks, one thoughtfully holding a pen.
Safiran English Institute in Iran: Women in classroom at night.
Two women in headscarves converse in front of a whiteboard.
Man and woman converse on a balcony, separated by a mesh fence.
Woman in hijab writing on whiteboard in classroom
Four masked individuals, two men and two women, converse in a bright room.
Cast and crew of an English-language play posing for a group photo.

News

Classroom scene with "English Only" sign, related to learning English as a foreign language.

Unraveling the Secrets of the Self Through ‘English’

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Cast of "English" play in a classroom, with "English Only" on the whiteboard.

‘English’ Is One of the Best Plays in New York Right Now

Read More
Atlantic Theater Company's brick building with arched windows and a red flag.

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