Draw the Circle

Redefining the limits of unconditional love

The funny, deeply moving story of a bewildered immigrant Muslim family coming to terms with a child who defies their expectations of what it means to have a daughter when that child transitions from one gender to another.

WORLD PREMIERE
Directed by Chay Yew

“effortless blend of comedy and intense intimacy”
Brooklyn’s BEAT Festival

AGE RECOMMENDATION

This very human and personal performance confronts issues faced by transitioning persons and their loved ones. It will be best appreciated by patrons ages 16 and older.


Developing Draw the Circle at the Brooklyn BEAT Festival (Starting at 2:53)

Reviews

REVIEWS

Mashuq Mushtaq Deen’s Draw the Circle Is Truly a Tour de Force at PlayMakers Rep
By Martha Keravuori and Chuck Galle
Triangle Arts & Entertainment
August 25, 2016

Master Storyteller Opens PlayMakers’ Season: Stunning One-Man Show
By Alan R. Hall
Classical Voice of North Carolina
August 24, 2016

NEWS

Mashuq Mustaq Deen’s Solo, Draw the Circle, Chronicles His Female-to-Male Transition
By Robert W. McDowell
Triangle Arts & Entertainment
August 24, 2016

“We Drew A Circle And Took Him In”: PlayMakers Opens 2016/17 Season
Interview by Aaron Keck
WCHL/Chapelboro.com
August 23, 2016

Draw the Circle
By Byron Woods
INDY Week
August 17, 2016

Artists

Chay Yew
Director
Mashuq Mushtaq Deen
Actor
Charles K. Bayang
Creative Team

Related Posts

Anonymous Response to Draw the Circle
We have been receiving so many heartfelt responses from our audience letting us know how deeply moved they have been by Deen's Draw the Circle. One sent us a note to say, "Though I consider myself very open to life lived in any configuration, I experienced angles I had not understood before. This was a gift." Another responded by writing us, "Draw the Circle was one of the most profound and life-changing performances I have ever seen."
Draw the Circle: Articles and Resources
We always encourage our audiences to go deeper and be part of the conversation. If Draw the Circle leaves you wanting to learn more or do more, please visit the links listed here.
Useful Terms for Experiencing Draw the Circle
"You don’t have to know anything about “trans issues” to see this play. And at the same time, there is a lot happening in the state of North Carolina and elsewhere that will directly affect the lives of transgender people, and you will leave this play understanding a little more about what the experience of being transgender is like."-Mashuq Mushtaq Deen
An Invitation: Deen shares his journey of transition in Draw the Circle
"Sometimes Draw the Circle gets labeled a ‘trans play,’ but I don’t think it is. It’s fundamentally a story about family. A story about parents and children. Most of all, there are no bad guys in this play. There are people struggling to love in a world that is changing around them, and sometimes the struggle is the love. I will do my best to bring all of that struggle to the stage … and you are welcome to bring it to the theatre."
Where Are They Now?
PlayMakers has helped premiere six new American plays in the last three seasons. From "Draw the Circle" to "Jump" and everything in between, what are the creators up to now?