Albanian actor, playwright, and director Diar Xani is set to take the stage at the prestigious New York Theater Festival with his monodrama “42nd Street.” Selected among numerous competitors, Xani will perform his piece three times this week at Hudson Guild Theater in Manhattan.
The festival is known for showcasing rising talents and offering participants the opportunity to compete for various awards. Being selected is a significant honor, and Xani sees this as a dream come true. “New York Theater Festival is one of the most prestigious festivals in the world. For me, participating is a great honor,” he told Illyria newspaper.
“42nd Street” is inspired by the famous 42nd Street in Manhattan, a place of dazzling lights, luxury, and tourists, but also home to the homeless and crime. Xani’s monodrama follows a protagonist who arrives in New York searching for a promised opportunity on 42nd Street, only to be abandoned. With nowhere to go, he is forced to make the street his home while desperately trying to escape his fate.
Xani, who first set foot in America on this very street, explains that his script draws from real experiences of immigrants struggling to find their way in a new country. “Many people have started their journey in America from this street” he said.
A seasoned actor and director, Xani began his acting career at age 12 in Kosovo before studying in Macedonia, Prishtina, and later earning a Ph.D. in Istanbul. He has performed across Europe, including Germany and Switzerland, and has won multiple awards for his work.
“42nd Street” was written over several years, during Xani’s daily subway commutes in New York. “I wrote pieces of it on my phone while traveling to work and later refined it on my computer,” he revealed. Despite financial constraints, he brought the production to life with the support of fellow Albanian artists, including assistant director Saranda Rugova and composer Arenc Leka.
New York audiences will have three chances to witness this unique Albanian theatrical piece:
- Wednesday, February 26 at 4:00 PM
- Friday, February 28 at 6:30 PM
- Sunday, March 2 at 1:00 PM
Performances will take place at Hudson Guild Theater. A rare opportunity to see an Albanian artist take the stage at such a prestigious event—don’t miss it!
