Michael Shayan’s mother had a very humble reaction to seeing her son portray her on stage for the first time.
"At first when I started doing it, she's like, 'Why you want to write a play about me, what that is to write?'" Shayan said with a laugh. "Now she's like, 'So what are we doing my play?' I'm like, 'Oh, it's your play now. I get it.' She's like, 'When I'm going to Broadway?'"
Now, that show, Shayan’s solo “Avaaz” is beginning its national tour — in Denver. It’s not just a personal story, it’s also a Persian New Year celebration taking center stage at the Denver Center Theater Company this month. The production marks a milestone as the first major Iranian American play to be staged in Colorado.
Each night, Shayan transforms into his mother Roya, hosting a traditional Nowruz celebration that becomes a window into their shared story of immigration, cultural identity and family bonds. The show's origins trace back to a simple recorded conversation between mother and son.
"My mother never really talked about her history," Shayan said. "Iran was sort of this taboo subject. I think there was just a lot of pain there for her."
That initial interview opened unexpected doors. "She started sharing things that she had never shared with me before," Shayan recalled. "And it also gave me the permission to ask questions I had never asked."
When crafting the script, Shayan discovered an almost supernatural connection to his mother's experiences. "What was really shocking was the parts of the play that I had imagined when I ended up taking them to her turned out to be true to her story. Many of those parts overlapped with her actual story."
Director Moritz von Stuelpnagel worked with Shayan to create a production that moves fluidly through time and memory.
"What we wanted to do is let the design go with her so that in some ways we're surfing her memories," von Stuelpnagel explained. "There's stories we like to tell about ourselves, and there's stories that are harder to work through or harder to own about choices we've made or chapters in our past."
Drawing on his background in Los Angeles as both a magician and standup comedian, Shayan crafted a performance that balances humor with heart. "I love that roller coaster of emotion that happens in the theater ... putting the biggest belly laughs right before the biggest gut punches or vice versa."
The production breaks cultural barriers, von Stuelpnagel noted: "When I talk to [Shayan’s mother], she has said in our culture this: We don't always share what's going on privately. It's just not something that one does. And yet here's a show that very honestly is showing not only her joys but struggles."
For Shayan, "Avaaz" bridges multiple identities in today's complex world.
"This play's an offering to my communities. I'm queer, I'm Iranian, I'm Jewish. These things don't necessarily go together, and especially with what's going on in the world right now, there's a lot of conflict between these identities."
The show has resonated deeply with audiences across demographics, with previous venues reporting unprecedented numbers of repeat viewers. "I think it's ultimately about a mother and son," Shayan reflects. "And if you have a mother or you've had a mother, you can relate to this play.”
The Denver Center Theater Company is presenting "Avaaz" as part of a touring production rather than producing the show itself. This departure from the company's traditional production model reflects broader economic challenges in theater, according to Artistic Director Chris Coleman:
"I think all of us in this industry right now are trying to figure out what our business model is going to look like going forward because we are fortunate,” Coleman said. “Our audiences are basically back to where they were in 2019, but our expenses are way up, as are everybody's in the industry."
The decision to present “Avaaz” is more than economic. Coleman sees it as a significant opportunity to present an Iranian voice.
"My goal, and one of our goals here, is to tell stories about as many different kinds of people as we can find in our region and in our country. And ‘Avaaz’ lets us kind of invite you into a living room that you haven't been in before. And I think that's one of the real joys of our art form," Coleman said.
After its Denver run, "Avaaz" continues its national tour, potentially marking a watershed moment for Iranian American theater in regional venues across the country. Yet for Shayan, each performance remains an intimate exploration of family, identity, and the universal language of mother-child relationships.
“Avaaz” by Michael Shayan plays at the Denver Center’s Singleton Theatre through November 17. The Denver Center Theater Company is a financial supporter of CPR News. Financial supporters have no editorial influence.
