Pulitzer Prize-Winning Playwright Sanaz Toossi Connects with Kean Students at Common Read

Language, identity and belonging were at the heart of Kean University’s sixth annual Common Read, where Iranian American playwright Sanaz Toossi shared the personal experiences that inspired her acclaimed play English. 

The annual event brings first-year students together around a shared text to explore timely issues through reading and discussion. This year’s selection, which won the 2023 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, follows four Iranian adults studying English in a classroom near Tehran. 

The event opened with a poem by Kean’s inaugural Poet Laureate Ameenah McKiethen. Toossi then joined a group of students for a panel moderated by Mahchid Namazi, Ph.D., an associate professor at the College of Health Professions and Human Services.  

Toossi discussed the doubts she once had about pursuing a career in writing and the importance of seeing oneself represented in stories. 

“I did not think that I could make a career out of writing, and definitely did not think it was for women, especially women who look or sound like me” she said. “Even if it’s not written for you, there’s a world in there that you recognize.” 

Reflecting on her childhood, Toossi recalled watching her parents navigate English as a second language and seeing her mother judged for speaking with an accent. She explained that these experiences fueled her desire to challenge inaccurate portrayals of Iranians. While anger initially motivated her writing, she emphasized the importance of hope and compassion, particularly in her play’s ending. 

“The world is so hard,” Toossi said. “Art doesn't have to lie, but we have to keep going, and I think hope is something that has so much value to offer, especially right now.” 

Freshman Amaya Noel found parallels between the play and her own cultural identity and family relationships. 

“I definitely relate to the author by being Dominican and Haitian myself,” Noel said. “I took away from the book the similarities in culture. I have a genuine understanding of certain aspects of the book that are relatable to relationships with my family.” 

Kean Department of English Lecturer Abby Maguire also reflected on the play’s themes and their relevance to students and educators. 

“Having students more aware of the nuances of the immigrant experience, that being fluent in a language doesn’t mean you feel represented by it or that you feel people understand you as a person is really important,” Maguire said.  

In a moment that brought the play’s themes to life, Toossi and Namazi read the play’s final passage in Farsi.