Broadway's The Kite Runner To Require Masks For Friday Evening Performances

Broadway’s The Kite Runner will require audiences to wear masks at Friday evening performances at the Hayes Theater beginning August 19. The mandate will remain in place for the remainder of the limited engagement, which concludes October 30.

The news follows The Broadway League's policy that face masks will continue to be optional for audience members attending Broadway shows until further notice, along with the lifting of vaccine requirements. All other performances of The Kite Runner will be mask optional.

"We have received feedback from some theatregoers who remain cautious about being in an audience with non-masked patrons, as well as others who are still immunocompromised," says Producer Victoria Lang. "We want to give everyone the opportunity to see The Kite Runner and are offering this option to accommodate them."

Based on a novel by Khaled Hosseini and adapted by Matthew Spangler, the show follows Amir from a young boy living in Kabul, Afghanistan to adulthood, as he confronts his past and searches for redemption.

READ: Amir Arison Soars Onto Broadway in The Kite Runner

Leading the cast is Amir Arison as Amir and Faran Tahir as Baba. They are joined by Mazin Akar, Barzin Akhavan, Demosthenes Chrysan, Azita Ghanizada, Danish Farooqui, Joe Joseph, Déa Julien, Dariush Kashani, Beejan Land, Amir Malaklou, Christine Mirzayan, Haris Pervaiz, Alex Purcell, Eric Sirakian, Houshang Touzie, and Evan Zes. Salar Nader plays the tabla, a percussion instrument.

The production comes to New York after premiering in the U.K., including two runs in London’s West End. Giles Croft directs, having previously directed the production in the U.K., and is joined on the creative team by scenic and costume designer Barney George, lighting designer Charles Balfour, sound designer Drew Baumohl, projection designer William Simpson, composer and musical supervisor Jonathan Girling, movement director Kitty Winter, casting director Laura Stanczyk, cultural advisor and script consultant Humaira Ghilzai, and associate director Damian Sandys.

The work is produced by Lang, Ryan Bogner, and Tracey McFarland of Broadway & Beyond Theatricals; Jayne Baron Sherman and Hunter Arnold, in association with UK Productions Ltd. and Flying Entertainment Ltd/Kilimanjaro Group Ltd. Daryl Roth serves as executive producer.

Visit TheKiteRunnerBroadway.com.