Scorched

The Wilma Theater

Recipient

Grant Year 2008

Grant Amount $110,000

Status Completed

Updated May 30, 2023

The Wilma Theater presented Scorched by Lebanese playwright Wajdi Mouawad, the second American production of the play after more than 100 French-language productions. Translated by Linda Gaboriau, Scorched tells the story of North American twins whose mother's will asks that they return to their Middle Eastern homeland to deliver letters to a father they thought was dead and a brother they never knew existed. The twins' travels uncover their mother's history as a political activist and prisoner of war, as well as secrets about their own origins. Directed by Blanka Zizka, the production included original music by Iraqi-American musician and composer Amir ElSaffar.

Recipient

The Wilma Theater

Established in 1973, The Wilma Theater presents bold, original, well-crafted productions that represent a range of voices, viewpoints, and styles. In 2011, former artistic director Blanka Zizka founded the Wilma HotHouse Company as an incubator for artistic experimentation and a way to create long-term relationships and collaborations with local Philadelphia artists from diverse backgrounds. Beginning in 2020, the company established a new leadership structure with artists sharing artistic leadership in a cohort format.

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