Kite Runner (play)

Kite Runner is a stage adaption of Afghan novelist's Khaled Hosseini's book, The Kite Runner, which had been made into a feature film in 2007. It was adapted for the stage by Matthew Spangler, and first workshopped with Spangler's students at San Jose State University in February-March 2007. It received its world premiere at San Jose Repertory Theatre in 2009, directed by David Ira Goldstein. Since the premiere it has been performed at the Arizona Theatre Company, also in 2009, Actor's Theatre of Louisville, Cleveland Play House in 2011, New Repertory Theatre (Watertown, MA) in 2012, Theatre Calgary, Citadel Theatre, Nottingham Playhouse, Brighton Festival, and Liverpool Playhouse in 2013.

The premiere production featured Barzin Akhavan (Amir), Demosthenes Chrysan (General Taheri), Gregor Paslawsky (Rahim Khan), James Saba (Ali), Thamos Fiscelle (Baba), Craig Piaget (Young Amir), Lowell Abellon (Young Hassan), Rinabeth Apostol (Soraya), Adam Yazbeck (Assef), Zarif Kabier Sadiqi (Wali), Wahab Shayek (Kamal), and Lani Carissa Wong. The cast was joined on stage by tabla player Salar Nader.

The Nottingham Playhouse Theatre Company production, directed by Giles Croft, successfully toured the UK in autumn 2014 with a cast headed by Ben Turner as Amir. It was shortlisted for the 2014 Best Regional Production in the What's On Stage awards (result February 2015).