Signature Theatre announces the cast and creative team for the DC premiere of What Became of Us, written by Shayan Lotfi. The production will be directed by Signature Theatre Associate Artistic Director Ethan Heard (Signature’s Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Soft Power) and will alternate between two separate casts on a nightly basis, each from a different diasporic background. What Became of Us stars Alma Cuervo (Broadway’s On Your Feet, Cabaret) as Q and Michael DeLorenzo (A Few Good Men, ABC’s When We Rise) as Z in the Purple cast, and Jo Yang (New York Theatre Workshop’s Endlings, Roundabout Underground’s Chinese Republicans) as Q and Stan Kang (Olney Theatre Center’s Kim’s Convenience, Shakespeare Theatre Company’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream) as Z in the Green cast. Performances run June 16 – July 26, 2026 in Signature’s ARK Theatre. Tickets start at $47 and are available at SigTheatre.org.
“In What Became of Us, a sister and brother rebuild connection and closeness by weaving together a vivid tapestry of memory,” said Signature Theatre Associate Artistic Director Ethan Heard. “Through powerful, poetic language, they share their stories with us directly – no adornments, no spectacle, just two older adults, in a cozy living room that wraps 100 community members in its warm embrace. In an era when politicians tell us to see immigrants as criminals, I’m honored to direct a play that brings to life the beautiful complexity of first-generation siblings. Moreover, I’m thrilled we’re rehearsing and presenting two versions of the play in repertory: one with an Asian cast and one with a South American cast. I can’t wait to see how this bounty of talent and mindpower will enrich the creative process and deepen the audience’s experience in the theater.”
What Became of Us is a beautiful and moving play about two siblings maintaining connection over the course of a lifetime. A sister and brother, the elder an immigrant born in The Old Country and the younger born in This Country, share both big and small moments and memories from childhood through teenage rebellion, career successes, parenthood, gray hair and growing old. Their disparate perspectives lead to both fractures and forgiveness as they witness each other’s story. Played on alternating nights by two separate casts each from a different diasporic background, this intimate and tender journey across continents and time redefines home through the eyes of life’s longest relationship.
“Shayan Lotfi has written a beautiful play about assimilation and familial reconnection seen through the hazy sepia tones of memory,” said Signature Theatre Artistic Director Matthew Gardiner. “Two first-generation siblings reflect on their shared lives together, portrayed by two alternating casts in repertory, each drawn from a different diasporic background. At its heart, the play explores the universal bond between siblings – the ways they become keepers of one another’s histories, holding onto where we came from even as time, migration, and reinvention threaten to blur those memories. We are thrilled to present the Washington, D.C. area premiere of this important new play at Signature.”
The creative team for What Became of Us includes Scenic and Costume Design by Chika Shimizu (Signature’s Soft Power, Pacific Overtures), Lighting Design by Colin K. Bills (Signature’s In Clay, JOB), and Sound Design and Composition by Sarah O’Halloran (Theater J/59E59’sThis Much I Know, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company’s Dead Inside). Casting is by Charlotte Sandor. New York Casting is by Geoff Josselson Casting. Karen Currie is the Production Stage Manager and Elizabeth Tippens is the Production Assistant.
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New work at Signature Theatre is sponsored by the Revada Foundation.
EVENT LISTING
What Became of Us
June 16 – July 26, 2026
ARK Theatre
A beautiful and moving play about two siblings maintaining connection over the course of a lifetime.
A sister and brother, the elder an immigrant born in The Old Country and the younger born in This Country, share both big and small moments and memories from childhood through teenage rebellion, career successes, parenthood, gray hair and growing old. Their disparate perspectives lead to both fractures and forgiveness as they witness each other’s story.
Played on alternating nights by two separate casts each from a different diasporic background, this intimate and tender journey across continents and time redefines home through the eyes of life’s longest relationship.
By Shayan Lotfi
Directed by Ethan Heard
June 16 – July 26, 2026
Closed captions will be available for every show via the GalaPro app.
Pride Nights: July 17 and July 24, 2026
Post-show Discussions: July 15 and July 21, 2026
Masks Required: July 19 (2PM), 2026
Tickets and information at SigTheatre.org or 703 820 9771
SHORT LISTING
A beautiful and moving play about two siblings maintaining connection over the course of a lifetime, played on alternating nights by two separate casts. Now playing at Signature Theatre in Arlington, VA for 6 weeks, June 16 – July 26, 2026. Tickets and information at SigTheatre.org.
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