Brookfield Native Wins Pulitzer Drama Prize For His Play

Brookfield Central alumnus Ayad Akhtar has been awarded a Pulitzer prize for drama for his play Disgraced.

Disgrace is about a "successful corporate lawyer painfully forced to consider why he has for so long camouflaged his Pakistani Muslim heritage."

The play first premiered in Chicago's American Theater Company in 2012; was staged last fall at New York's Lincoln Center; and is now being prepared to be staged in London, reported the Journal Sentinel.

Akhtar published "American Dervish", a fictional work based on his experiences growing up in Brookfield as a first-generation Pakistani-American. The novel has won numerous awards and published in 25 languages around the world.

In addition to being a playwright, he is also a screenwriter. He co-wrote and starred in The War Within, which was released internationally and nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for Best Screenplay. Finally, as an actor, he starred as Neel Kashkari in HBO’s adaptation of Andrew RossSorkin’s non-fiction book, Too Big to Fail.

While at Brookfield Central, Akhtar participated in a number of activities includingstudent government. After graduating from Brookfield Central High School, Akhtargraduated from Brown and Columbia Universities with degrees in Theater and Film Directing.

“We are very proud of the accomplishment of this esteemed alumnus and we hope to continue to provide the foundation that allows our graduates to thrive and excel whenthey leave our school,” said Don LaBonte, principal of Brookfield Central High School in a release.