Dakar 2000 Tickets

By: Rajiv Joseph
Director: May Adrales
Producer: Manhattan Theatre Club
Cast list: Abubakr Ali (as Boubs), Mia Barron (as Dina)
Sets: Tim Mackabee
Costumes: Emily Rebholz
Lighting: Alan C. Edwards
Sound: Bray Poor
Other info: Projection design by Shawn Duan, hair and makeup design by Tommy Kurzman

In Dakar 2000, a Peace Corps volunteer stationed in Senegal endures a rough car accident. Recovering in the hospital, it becomes clear that the accident may have been more of a targeted attack. A State Department operative comes to visit him in the hospital, and, despite their different ages, genders, and backgrounds, they form an unlikely friendship — and one that might be crucial to his safety.

The operative takes command of his situation, quickly taking the volunteer under her wing and charting his path forward. However, each has secrets they need to hide, which may soon come to light as the operative ropes the volunteer into the darker side of public service — one he can’t come back from. Shocking at every turn, Dakar 2000 is a one-of-a-kind theatrical event and a taut thrill ride, promising an unforgettable night in the theatre. Audiences who enjoy genre pieces will find much to adore in the craft and structure of this surprising work.

What to watch for

• Rajiv Joseph has twice won the Obie Award, first in 2016 with Guards at the Taj and then in 2018 with Describe the Night.
• MTC is known for staging lauded new plays, including Mary Jane, Doubt, Ruined, and Cost of Living.
• Thrillers are not always seen on stage and as such they can make for unique and memorable experiences; Selling Kabul, one recent example, was another off-Broadway play that went on to be a Pulitzer finalist.
• Long an advocate for new plays, director May Adrales served as the Artistic Director of The Lark, an international play develop think tank, and as Associate Artistic Director and Director of New Play Development at Milwaukee Rep.