2's Got Your Ticket: Selling Kabul
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A family in Afghanistan struggles to survive after the U.S. withdrawal.
It's a story called "Selling Kabul" - now on stage at the Northlight Theatre in Skokie.
With 2's Got Your Ticket, CBS 2 Entertainment Reporter Vince Gerasole sits down with the production's director.
"Selling Kabul" is unpredictable and suspenseful and offers a very human look at the impact of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
In the play, Taroon, who once served as an interpreter for the U.S. military. The Americans have now withdrawn and with them, promises of protection.
His sister hides him from the increasingly powerful Taliban. But on the eve of his son's birth, their safety and secret are threatened.
Director Hamin Dehghani was especially moved by the play's themes of family and sacrifice.
"What drew me to this piece was a beautiful human story about the people of Afghanistan that we don't see in other platforms," he said. "For example, people of Afghanistan who have been dealing with consequences of war."
The director said he appreciates the authenticity of the story and wanted to convey that in the production.
"This is a story that has been written based on real people and things that have happened to translators, people who have worked with American troops. And now they have been left behind in Afghanistan," Dehghani said.
The story is centered on a certain time and place but it has messages not restricted to that period.
"You get to see a family. You get to see 'oh my gosh. These people are so similar to us," Dehghani said.
"Selling Kabul" was a finalist for the 2022 Pulitzer Prize. It's at the Northlight Theatre in Skokie through Feb. 25.