Keyanna Khatiblou is hosting another farewell party

Next up at Boston Court is Keyanna Khatiblou’s A Going Away Party Play, which opens September 28, 2024 (previews began September 19). James Fowler is directing a cast of Mehrnaz Mohammadi, Kodi Jackman, Nathan Mohebbi, Giovanny Camarena, and Cindy Nguyen.

Thank you for taking the time to do this interview, Keyanna!

What prompted you to submit A Going Away Party Play to the 2022 Los Angeles Open Submission Window?

The story of A Going Away Party Play is very personal to me, so I was selective about where I sent it. I really respected Boston Court’s focus on developing new plays and identified with their mission to create a magical, innovative style of theater. I have a huge interest in creating theater that is a communal experience, and I also love experimenting with form, so Boston Court seemed like the perfect fit.

What was the process your art went through? Reading and…?
Before the pandemic, there was a workshop and staged reading at Theater on the Lake in Chicago, and then the play was workshopped with a virtual staged reading at Alliance Theatre’s Festival of New Works. Each group of artists brought so much to the play, and I am so grateful for those opportunities. You really don’t know if a play works until other artists come together to bring it to life.

Has your play changed much between the reading and the world premiere on September 28?
Because so much of the play is based on true stories that I heard growing up, or true stories that my friends and I experienced, the story itself stayed pretty consistent. But the tone and urgency of the characters today changed. I spent a lot of time thinking about the different perspectives of first-generation Americans, what they would want to tell the audience, and how I could best amplify those important conversations.

Was it more comfortable for you to have James Fowler as director again?
James has done some really groundbreaking directing work in Los Angeles and we had a great collaboration at the New Play Reading Festival. We are both passionate about creating new, exciting theatre that can connect with a wide audience. I was impressed by the way he ran the rehearsal room and allowed everyone to have a voice in the creative process. When Boston Court suggested he direct the entire production, I was all for it!

What did you learn from James’s statement?
It’s important for me to work with artists who really connect with the story I’m trying to tell, because I tend to be very self-critical and sometimes too collaborative. James and the artistic team at Boston Court were very clear that I should only consider feedback if I really feel it fits my vision for the piece. I’ve learned so much about not agreeing to a note just because someone else wants it—I have to trust my own voice and my own opinion.

Besides James, who have you previously collaborated with in the cast and creative ranks?
Mehrnaz Mohammadi played Mina/Niloofar in the stage reading and was an integral part of the process. She is a phenomenal actress and a true artist. She brings such genuine energy to these roles that it is hard to believe the same artist can transition so seamlessly between roles! Outside of the rehearsal room, our conversations about Iran and America, identity and family were incredibly helpful in understanding all the different perspectives of these characters.

What is your three-sentence proposal for the stage play A Going Away Party?
Mina is an Iranian-American woman who can’t imagine her place in America’s future, so she looks to the past. She throws a party and invites her closest friends to reenact the story of how her parents fell in love and fled the Iranian revolution. A Going Away Party Play is a celebration of multicultural American identity and an exploration of what it means to love and lose your homeland.

Is there a character in A Going Away Party Play that most resembles you?
Mina is definitely the most like me, but all the characters feel like my friends and family. Or different parts of my brain arguing for 95 minutes. The play is based on real experiences from my life and the lives of my family members, but everything I write ends up being a very personal experience for me. Writing for me is just a long, public way of figuring something out. And I have to hire actors and designers to get closer to the answer.

Have you ever hosted or attended a party similar to the one depicted in A Going Away Party Play?
Yes! I did DIY theater in Chicago for a few years. I had a spoken word phase where my producer friends would invite me to perform at art lofts, bars, and back patios for audiences of other artists. Then we would drink and talk about what our performances brought to our lives. These performances were a space where I could write about any unfiltered, personal thoughts I was struggling with, and they were a safe space where I could find support and friendship. I would leave those events feeling inspired and alive. I hope to create a similar space for our audiences.

You were one of 50 selected for an internship at STARZ. Tell us about that experience.
I interned at Starz through the TV Academy internship program and then worked in Original Programming for almost two years. That was my first foray into TV development and production. I was a fly on the wall for probably over 100 pitch meetings, dozens of phone calls, and was asked to provide creative feedback from my first week on the job. I learned so much about the business side of entertainment, how to sell a project, and how to craft stories with enough complexity to last multiple seasons of television. Starz is so writer-focused and an advocate for diverse storytelling; I got to be a very small part of projects that really excited me.

What made you start writing plays instead of TV and film scripts?
I have a few pilots that are being sent out, and I’m also working on podcast scripts. Each medium has its own set of limitations and its own ability to connect with different audiences in different ways. But there’s something so beautiful and powerful about telling a story in a room full of people. For me, theater is a celebration. I hope I’m lucky enough to be able to do this forever!

What’s next for Keyanna Khatiblou?
I can’t announce anything (oh, such a typical LA response), but I’m rewriting a play and working on an audio project.

Thanks again, Keyanna! I can’t wait to attend your party.

To purchase tickets for A Going Away Party until October 27, 2024: click the button below:

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