Tariq and Laura Nasir were already long time subscribers to PlayMakers when in 2007 they also added corporate sponsorship to their support of the theatre.
Tariq grew up in Palestine and Jordan before attending university in London where he received a degree in International Business in 1985. He retired from a successful career in international finance in 2004 to become a documentary filmmaker. With a passion for creating dialogue and fostering understanding in global communities, Tariq founded his film company, Unusuality Productions, in 2005. His first film, titled belonging, has received critical acclaim in film festivals around the globe.
Laura Calamos Nasir is a nationally certified Family Nurse Practitioner and Assistant Clinical Professor in UNC’s School of Nursing. Laura’s clinical work with rural and underserved populations in North Carolina has included an Albert Schweitzer fellowship for her work in hospice outreach. While teaching nurses in the graduate program, her interest in patient-centered healthcare and teamwork has extended to include global health initiatives. She is also currently at work on her Ph.D on interdisciplinary collaboration at King's College in London.
With their shared sense of mission as global citizens, the Nasirs have felt an affinity to PlayMakers’ PRC2. The productions in this second stage series explore socially and politically relevant topics and act as a springboard to an audience/community dialogue that is led by panels of artists and experts. In 2007, Unusuality Productions served as a corporate sponsor of the then burgeoning series. Additionally, Tariq has brought a similar expertise for communication and artistic exploration in his role as a member of PlayMakers Advisory Council where he is currently assisting in spearheading the new donor initiative Page to Stage. This is a program that offers behind-the-scenes access to the creative process of theatre and the people who make it. The Nasirs also support the theatre through hosting a table at the PlayMakers Ball and participating in our Online Auction.
From all of us at PlayMakers, we thank Tariq and Laura Nasir for their passion, leadership, and friendship to this theatre. You make better citizens of us all.