In observance of International Education Week, West Virginia University at Parkersburg will host award-winning actress, producer, and philanthropist, Qurrat Ann Kadwani, for a performance of her solo play, “They Call Me ‘Q,’” on Wednesday, Nov. 14 at 6:30 p.m. in the college theater. Funded in part by the Higher Education Resource Assessment, the event is free and open to the public.

“They Call Me ‘Q’” is a narrative in which Kadwani portrays 13 different characters to tell her story of moving from Bombay, India to the Bronx, New York while seeking balance between the cultural pressures of her traditional parents and social acceptance in a new city. During the play, Kadwani will portray several individuals who have shaped her life including her parents, Caucasian teachers, Puerto Rican classmates and African-American friends. The program creates an open dialogue about immigration and the universal search for identity.

“An increasing number of children in the U.S. are being raised in immigrant families and will become a significant part of our future society,” said Debbie Richards, WVU Parkersburg special assistant to the president for policy and social justice. “This theatrical performance speaks to the cultural conflicts that immigrants experience when discovering their human identity and place in society.”

Kadwani is a theatre graduate of State University of New York at Geneseo, and the founding artistic director of eyeBLINK, a multicultural non-profit committed to promoting social change through theatre, dance, and special events. Her TV appearances include “All My Children,” “As the World Turns,” “The Blacklist,” “Law and Order: SVU,” “Falling Water,” and “Mr. Robot.”

Highlighted as a “Woman Who Shapes the Future” by Fox 5 NY, Kadwani won the SAPNA NYC Dream Award (2014), Maui Fringe Best Play Award (2013), Variations Theatre Groups Best Actress Award (2012), and more. She is also the first South Asian female to have a solo play produced off-Broadway. “They Call Me ‘Q’” has been performed over 200 times in 35 states.

For more information, contact Debbie Richards at Debbie.Richards@wvup.edu or 304.424.8201.