Show Finder

While I Was Waiting

First Preview: Jul 18, 2017
Opening Date: Jul 18, 2017
Closing Date: Jul 23, 2017
Running Time: 01:35
While I Was Waiting

Share on Social Media

Playing @
Gerald W. Lynch Theatre at John Jay College
524 West 59th Street, New York City, NY 10019
Digging into the story of one middle-class Damascus family, the celebrated Syrian team of playwright Mohammad Al Attar and director Omar Abusaada offer a gripping portrait of a country trapped in a gray area between hope and despair. 

Brutally beaten at a checkpoint, 30-year-old Taim is admitted to the hospital in a coma. As his loved ones gather around him, they must face a reality defined by uncertainty and absence. What happened to Taim? Will he ever wake up? How has their vibrant, modern city become so strange and cruel? Unable to communicate, Taim lingers on the stage, an observer and commentator, as long-buried secrets and complicated relationships are revealed. 

Inspired by a true story, the play weaves together different layers of consciousness, humanizing the situation in Syria and collapsing the distance between the Syrian people and the rest of the world.

Part of the Lincoln Center Festival 2017
Off BroadwayPlay - Drama
Show Notes: No Intermission
Age Guidance: 16
Audience Advisory: Performed in Arabic with English supertitles Performance includes gunshot sound effects.

Performance Schedule

WEDNESDAY thru SATURDAY @ 8 PM
SATURDAY @ 2 PM


Written By
  • Mohammad Al Attar

Director
  • Omar Abusaada

TDF Tickets Offers:

Listed at

Never

Full-price tickets:

$35.00 - $75.00

Accessibility

  • Elevator/Escalator

    Elevator - Main entrance / lobby Accessible to wheelchair users
  • Assisted Listening System

    Devices for the hearing impaired available. Infrared system/assistive listening available. Both at the coat check.
  • Wheelchair Info

    Wheelchair access available.The balcony is not requiring ascending two flights of stairs.
  • Entrance

    The GWL Theater is ADA accessible from the street to the orchestra level of the theater
  • Seating

    The aisles of the theater consist of stairs, not ramps.
  • Telephone

    None on premises
  • Water Fountain

    Located near Men's Room

TDF Social Feed

tdfnyc2 days ago
A look back at our 2026 TDF Wendy Wasserstein Project End-of-Year Celebration! Students, mentors and teachers shared moving reflections about how the program has shaped their lives and creative journeys....
TDF
TDF6 days ago
Matthew Morrison at 54 Below, Summerfolk from National Theatre, National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene' Amid Falling Walls and more are available to stream this weekend.
TDF
TDF7 days ago

In our latest interview, “Tempress” Chasity Moore, Garnet Williams and Teddy Wilson Jr. reflect on their journeys to Broadway, the impact of representation and the future they hope to help...

tdfnyc7 days ago
Tony Award winner Debbie Gravitte and her son, Sam Gravitte, are spending the summer performing just four blocks apart in NYC. Read our conversation about family, theatre, and the special...
tdfnyc1 week ago
In our latest interview, “Tempress” Chasity Moore, Garnet Williams and Teddy Wilson Jr. reflect on their journeys to Broadway, the impact of representation and the future they hope to help...
TDF
TDF2 weeks ago
Staying inside to beat the heat? Catch these 🎭 Our top 5 picks for stage performances to stream this holiday weekend, no sunscreen required.
tdfnyc2 weeks ago
July is Disability Pride Month! This annual event commemorates the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on July 26, 1990, which prohibits discrimination based on disability and helps...
tdfnyc2 weeks ago
What began as an unexpected collaboration has become an acclaimed new play. We spoke with playwright Eliya Smith and actor Amalia Yoo about “Dad Don’t Read This”, creative trust, and...
tdfnyc3 weeks ago
Catch a new musical with a Tony nominee, a two-hander with two TV stars, a Planet of the Apes parody and more—all for $40 or less this summer! Read our...
TDF
TDF
TDF3 weeks ago

Tomorrow is the last day of NYC public school, so it's the perfect moment to revisit this year’s Grad Gift celebration! Last month, TDF treated more than a thousand 2026...

tdfnyc3 weeks ago
TDF treated more than a thousand 2026 grads to a fabulous and FREE trip to Broadway’s CATS: The Jellicle Ball! 🐱 Every year, TDF gives NYC public and charter high...
TDF
TDF1 month ago
TDF's ticketing system is down for an upgrade. We will be up and running shortly.
tdfnyc1 month ago
CATS: The Jellicle Ball co-director Zhailon Levingston shared what he hopes audiences take away from the production during Pride Month and beyond. “If you can’t find this kind of queer...
tdfnyc1 month ago
Lucky 15–that’s how many Broadway shows are currently on TDF! Act quickly—show availability changes frequently, and tickets can go fast. Visit TDF to see all 15 shows currently on membership.
tdfnyc1 month ago
Words of wisdom from Tony-winner Joshua Henry! “What is for you cannot pass you by.” #broadway #tonyawards #joshuahenry
tdfnyc1 month ago
“The win was just getting to do it.” After winning her first Tony Award, Caissie Levy reflected on why being part of the Broadway community has always felt like a...
tdfnyc1 month ago
Tony-winner Ali Louis Bourzgui on the importance of using his platform for activism. “My activism only comes from being an empathetic person, which is what you need as an artist.”...
TDF
TDF1 month ago

Thanks so much for sharing the Tony Awards with us tonight! The biggest surprise may be what a fantastic host P!NK was (though we never doubted her... yet others did)....

TDF
TDF1 month ago
And Schmigadoon wins Best Musical!
TDF
TDF1 month ago
And an award that was essentially a given: Joshua Henry as Best Actor in a Musical for his gorgeous performance in Ragtime.
TDF
TDF1 month ago
Ragtime is picking up some big awards! Caissie Levy just won for Best Actress in a Musical. Maybe they'll extend (again)?
TDF
TDF1 month ago
So glad The Book of Mormon had a moment to celebrate its 15th anniversary on Broadway, especially after that awful fire. Gives new meaning to the show much go on!
TDF
TDF1 month ago
Death of a Salesman wins Best Revival of a Play. Amazing it's been revived on Broadway twice SINCE the pandemic. And such incredibly different productions.
TDF
TDF1 month ago
I suspect every musical-loving adolescent will be begging for The Lost Boys tickets after that number!!