Look Inside a Night of Broadway Debuts and Language-Learning at the Red-Carpet Opening of English

Sanaz Toossi's Pulitzer Prize-winning drama English celebrated its Broadway opening at Roundabout Theatre Company's Todd Haimes Theatre on January 23. The evening marked the official Broadway debuts of its five stars—Tala Ashe, Ava Lalezarzadeh, Pooya Mohseni, Marjan Neshat and Hadi Tabbal—all of whom reprise their performances from the play's 2022 off-Broadway production at the Atlantic Theater. 

Directed by Knud Adams, English is set inside an Iranian TOEFL classroom (Test of English as a Foreign Language) where a group of adult English learners practice for their proficiency exam. As they butt up against the limits of langauge, dreams, frustrations and secrets come to light.

Take a look at the cast and creators of English—and an avian celebrity guest—as they walk the red carpet on opening night.