"Lynn Nottage is a tremendously talented writer who, with her gorgeous, heart-wrenching new play Ruined, once again introduces us to places and persons with which we may be unfamiliar-building bridges between cultures," said Artistic Director Robert Falls. "Saidah Ekulona is a complex, brilliant actor, and the perfect steward to this devastating war-torn world. We're delighted to welcome back Kate Whoriskey, and to partner with Manhattan Theatre Club in this premiere."
Set in the present-day DRC, Ruined is the captivating story of Mama Nadi (Ekulona), the owner of a canteen who serves up everything from a cold beer and a warm meal-to the company of a woman. Through the eyes of this savvy businesswoman who both protects and profits from the women whose bodies have become battlegrounds, Nottage captures the constantly shifting allegiances and tragic absurdity that marks the civil war in the DRC. Ruined, rendered with Nottage's trademark humanity, clarity and surprising humor, gives a glimpse of a country that has suffered immeasurable losses since the beginning of this war that has raged for more than a decade.
"I sought to sustain the complexity of the modern DRC, a country that's been ravaged by a brutal war, and where the unspeakable has become commonplace," said Nottage. "The challenge in writing the play was to find optimism where there is seemingly none, to mine the ugliness for seeds of beauty. The DRC is a place where hope and disillusionment do a fragile dance. It is in this tension of opposites that my play exists."
Ruined begins performances on November 8 and runs through December 7. Tickets are $10 - $39 and may be purchased online at GoodmanTheatre.org, at the Goodman Theatre Box Office, 170 North Dearborn Street, or by phone at 312-443-3800.