“When we first read AJAX, all of us tore through it without stopping. It’s funny, surprising, dark, and packs an incredible punch. We know new plays, so trust us when we say–this is a very special new play that you’ll want to see right here in Fort Worth before it blows up.”
— Jay Duffer and Elizabeth Kensek
The CIA walks into a Tehran courtyard in 1953. What happens next shaped the next seventy years of Middle Eastern politics. In this darkly comic spy thriller a swimming pool becomes a nation, tennis becomes oil politics, and politeness becomes warfare. You’ve never seen American foreign policy look this seductive—or this damning.
Runtime: 95 minutes with no intermission
Amphibian’s Tiered Ticketing Model
Tickets for this show range from $29-67, but YOU get to decide what you pay in an effort to make theatre more accessible for any budget. Ticket levels for Main Stage productions are:
– Discounted: $29
– Standard: $45
-Pay-It-Forward: $67
Cast & Creatives
Habib Yazdi
Playwright
Habib Yazdi is an Iranian-American playwright and filmmaker. He produced and directed the PBS series United States of Comedy and is a recipient of South Coast Repertory’s Elizabeth George Commission. His comedic play about the 1953 American coup in Iran, Ajax, was developed at The New Group and Bay Street Theater; it premieres at Boise Contemporary Theater in spring 2026. A Sundance and Islamic Scholarship Fund Building Bridges Fellow, Habib has participated in the Warner Bros. Discovery Access Directors Program, Mentorship Matters writing lab, New York Stage and Film workshop, and Gotham Week. His short films have screened at festivals worldwide—including St. Louis, Brisbane, Brooklyn, Vail, and Pan African— and at venues such as the Barbican Centre, de Young Museum, and Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum. Habib earned his M.F.A. from NYU Tisch School of the Arts, where he received the Oliver Stone Screenwriting Award and the Goldberg Play Prize. He is currently developing a site-specific play for Montana Repertory Theatre’s Plays on Tap.
Playwright
Habib Yazdi
Habib Yazdi is an Iranian-American playwright and filmmaker. He produced and directed the PBS series United States of Comedy and is a recipient of South Coast Repertory’s Elizabeth George Commission. His comedic play about the 1953 American coup in Iran, Ajax, was developed at The New Group and Bay Street Theater; it premieres at Boise Contemporary Theater in spring 2026. A Sundance and Islamic Scholarship Fund Building Bridges Fellow, Habib has participated in the Warner Bros. Discovery Access Directors Program, Mentorship Matters writing lab, New York Stage and Film workshop, and Gotham Week. His short films have screened at festivals worldwide—including St. Louis, Brisbane, Brooklyn, Vail, and Pan African— and at venues such as the Barbican Centre, de Young Museum, and Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum. Habib earned his M.F.A. from NYU Tisch School of the Arts, where he received the Oliver Stone Screenwriting Award and the Goldberg Play Prize. He is currently developing a site-specific play for Montana Repertory Theatre’s Plays on Tap.
Kareem Fahmy
Director
Kareem Fahmy is a Canadian-born playwright and director of Egyptian descent. He received the 2022 Woodward/Newman Playwriting Award (for American Fast), a NYSCA/NYFA Playwriting Fellowship, the Janet Sloane Literature Residency at Yaddo, is a two-time finalist for the National Showcase of New Plays, and was named a Rising Leader of Color by TCG. American Fast is receiving a National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere at Artists Repertory Theatre, City Theatre, and InterAct Theatre. A Distinct Society will receive a co-world premiere at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley and Pioneer Theatre. Dodi & Diana (O’Neill NPC Finalist) received a World Premiere at Colt Coeur. Other plays include Pareidolia, The In-Between, and an adaptation of the acclaimed novel The Yacoubian Building. Kareem’s work has been seen at Atlantic Theatre Company, Denver Center, Northlight Theatre, Capital Repertory Theatre, New York Stage & Film, and more. Commissions: Artists Repertory Theatre, Ensemble Studio Theatre/Sloan, Colt Coeur. Fellowships: The Old Globe, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Sundance Theatre Lab. Co-founder/Chair of the Middle Eastern American Writers Lab. MFA (Theatre Directing), Columbia. www.kareemfahmy.com
Director
Kareem Fahmy
Kareem Fahmy is a Canadian-born playwright and director of Egyptian descent. He received the 2022 Woodward/Newman Playwriting Award (for American Fast), a NYSCA/NYFA Playwriting Fellowship, the Janet Sloane Literature Residency at Yaddo, is a two-time finalist for the National Showcase of New Plays, and was named a Rising Leader of Color by TCG. American Fast is receiving a National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere at Artists Repertory Theatre, City Theatre, and InterAct Theatre. A Distinct Society will receive a co-world premiere at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley and Pioneer Theatre. Dodi & Diana (O’Neill NPC Finalist) received a World Premiere at Colt Coeur. Other plays include Pareidolia, The In-Between, and an adaptation of the acclaimed novel The Yacoubian Building. Kareem’s work has been seen at Atlantic Theatre Company, Denver Center, Northlight Theatre, Capital Repertory Theatre, New York Stage & Film, and more. Commissions: Artists Repertory Theatre, Ensemble Studio Theatre/Sloan, Colt Coeur. Fellowships: The Old Globe, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Sundance Theatre Lab. Co-founder/Chair of the Middle Eastern American Writers Lab. MFA (Theatre Directing), Columbia. www.kareemfahmy.com
FAQ’s
How long is this performance?
The approximate run time of AJAX is 95 minutes with no intermission.
Is this a comedy or a drama?
AJAX is a comedy.
Is there free parking?
Yes. If you have a ticket to the performance, you can park for free in the parking lot North of our building on South Main Street; just look for the blue mural and show poster.
Is there assigned seating?
All seating is General Admission except for members who have reserved seating included in their membership package. We recommend arriving 15 minutes prior to the show to find your seats.
Is there a dress code?
Come as you are! (Shoes and shirts required). We’re glad to have you.
Can I bring food or drink into the theatre?
We do not permit outside food and drink inside the theater. We sell snacks, water, soda, and alcoholic beverages at the bar in the lobby.
Are accessible seating options available?
Our venue is ADA Accessible and there is accessible seating available in the theatre. Please let our box office know ahead of time so we may accommodate your needs.
What’s On
