July 31 + August 1-3, 2025
DRONE: A New Play by Andrea Assaf
In-person at the Detroit Public Theatre
Tickets:
$15 Museum Members
$15 Students/Seniors
$25 General Public
$10 Discounted Rate (THURSDAY ONLY)
Purchase tickets by selecting one of the following showings:
DRONE, by Joyce Award-winning playwright Andrea Assaf, is a new play that explores the drone as a metaphor for how we become desensitized to daily violence (domestic and global), the question of Moral Injury, and the effects of remote-control warfare on the human soul. This transdisciplinary performance project integrates theatre, live music, emerging technologies, and artistic containers for public dialogue.
About DRONE
DRONE tells the story of a U.S. pilot who moves to Nevada for a new job—and what that job does to him, and his family. Set in Las Vegas, the drone pilot’s story is juxtaposed with the poetic testimonies of three Survivors, based on the real-life testimonies of witnesses and survivors of U.S. drone strikes. As the pilot begins to hear the voices of The Survivors, and his mental health deteriorates, he escapes more and more into the Las Vegas nightlife, while his wife turns to faith for support, joining a local ministry. During a visit to the military base, she encounters a group of protestors, and a temple to the ancient Egyptian goddess, Sekhmet. As the play takes a turn toward tragedy, we meet a host of characters, including a retired Air Force General, a Sex Worker, a Preacher, and multiple Elvis impersonators.
The play is performed with an interactive media design and live music, intertwining songs from the U.S. South to Syria, featuring internationally acclaimed vocalist Lubana Al Quntar.
Content Warning: This performance contains text based on the actual testimonies of military drone strike survivors and witnesses. The content includes descriptions of war, death, and violence, which may be difficult for some audiences. We encourage self-care in your choice to attend performances.
This performance runs approximately two hours, plus intermission and will be at the Detroit Public Theatre, located at 3960 3rd Ave, Detroit, MI 48201.
DRONE, by Andrea Assaf, is an Art2Action production. Early development was made possible with funding by the New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA) National Theater Project (with lead funding from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and additional support from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation); and the National Performance Network (NPN) Creation & Development Fund, in partnership with the Arab American National Museum, Contemporary Arts Center (CAC) New Orleans, Art2Action, and NPN (the Creation & Development Fund is supported by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency; for more information, visit: www.npnweb.org); the Network of Ensemble Theaters (NET) TEN exchange grant, in partnership with ArtSpot Productions; and Alternate ROOTS Artistic Assistance grants.
The 2025 workshop production at the Detroit Public Theatre, presented by the Arab American National Museum, is made possible in part by the Joyce Foundation’s 2024 Joyce Award.
In partnership with
Made possible in part by
