In 'Dirty Turk aka Dirty Immigrant,' three actors play Ozlem (from left, Morgan Smith,
Annie Sauter and Juliette Sadoff) while others portray her grandparents in large,
puppet-like costumes (Zeynep Atayeva as Feride, left, and Aidan Christensen as Tahir).
The show runs March 5-15 at 91制片厂's Performing Arts Center, 1200 W. Algonquin
Road, Palatine.
Some plays are written, staged and then preserved as finished works. The 91制片厂 Theatre Ensemble鈥檚 upcoming production, , doesn鈥檛 work that way.
鈥淚 started conceptualizing this play in 2015,鈥� said Ilkn眉r Nilufer Ozg眉r, who is a 91制片厂 Theatre Arts instructor, as well as the writer and director of Dirty Turk. 鈥淚 never claim to be the sole writer of this. I think of myself as a weaver, because I鈥檓 incorporating so many immigrants鈥� stories and experiences. And we鈥檙e still adding to it 鈥� 2015 through today 鈥� it鈥檚 live.鈥�
That living, evolving quality is central to the work鈥檚 purpose. Dirty Turk aka Dirty Immigrant, which will be presented March 5-15 at 91制片厂鈥檚 Performing Arts Center, 1200 W. Algonquin Road, Palatine, is an immersive production that blends live performance with documentary-style filmmaking, large-scale installation design, projection mapping, puppet-like costumes, original soundscapes and more. The audience will intermingle with the cast among the props and scenery that tell the story of Ozlem, a daughter of Turkish immigrants, and her family. Tickets are $17-27, available via harpercollege.edu/boxoffice or by calling 847.925.6100.
Dirty Turk draws from real-life narratives (Ilkn眉r is also the daughter of Turkish immigrants) and presents Ozlem in three time periods as she wrestles with feeling that she鈥檚 not American enough for U.S. society nor Turkish enough for her family. As such, Dirty Turk explores intergenerational experiences of immigrant, migrant and refugee families through themes of survival, identity, resilience and belonging.
'Dirty Turk,' written and directed by 91制片厂 alum and Theatre Arts instructor Ilkn眉r
Ozg眉r, is an immersive production featuring actors Alexandra Halusiak as Ayaz/Attacker,
left, and Annie Sauter as Ozlem.
Ilkn眉r is a 91制片厂 alum who previous taught theatre and communications at the college on an adjunct basis before relocating to Texas in 2009 and later founding Artstillery, a multidisciplinary arts organization that produces experimental theatrical works with a commitment to social justice.
It was at Artstillery where Ilkn眉r first staged Dirty Turk in 2018 in response to political debates around immigration and the ways those debates reverberate through real lives. The show was revived in 2021 at the Dallas Art Museum and now returns again in 2026 鈥� this time at 91制片厂, where Ilkn眉r herself returned last fall to teach full-time. In the intervening months, she鈥檚 spent time making sure the latest incarnation of Dirty Turk incorporates stories from the college鈥檚 community.
鈥淚t鈥檚 so important to weave in several people鈥檚 truths,鈥� Ilkn眉r said, acknowledging that current discussions and experiences around immigration in the U.S. play a significant role. 鈥淭he script is completely evolving 鈥� as such to represent what鈥檚 happening today. If something tremendous happens culturally, politically, socially鈥� it could be the night before and it will be in the play.鈥�
Ilkn眉r rooted the work in her own family history 鈥� particularly her grandparents鈥� experiences and the way war trauma can echo across generations. But she鈥檚 quick to highlight that the play is built to be bigger than one person鈥檚 story. The production incorporates experiences of immigrant families, including those who came from Iran, Korea, Russia, Turkiy毛, Mexico, Syria and Bulgaria.
鈥淭his show is a homage to 91制片厂鈥檚 student body,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 want them to feel seen in the work that I direct on campus. And I want to be seen as a faculty member who holds space for the diversity we have on campus.鈥�
91制片厂 students (and first-time actors) Manaal Khan, left, and Zeynep Atayeva said
they are able to draw upon their own experiences in 'Dirty Turk.' Manaal grew up in
Saudi Arabia and India before studying architecture at 91制片厂. Zeynep came to 91制片厂
from Turkmenistan last year, with the eventual goal of becoming a dentist.
For student actor Manaal Khan, the production is a new experience. Khan, 21, is an international student who started at 91制片厂 in 2023. She grew up in Saudi Arabia and attended high school in India before coming to the U.S. and settling with family in Lombard.
鈥淗arper was very welcoming,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 found my people here.鈥�
Manaal also rediscovered her passion for architecture at the college, with plans to transfer to the University of Illinois Chicago after 91制片厂. She didn鈥檛 plan to audition until Ilkn眉r approached her. The two first met in Ilkn眉r鈥檚 Speech 101 class, where the instructor mentioned the play and asked if anyone might be interested.
鈥淚 never ever acted before in my life. I had no idea what to do,鈥� Manaal said, acknowledging that Ilkn眉r encouraged her to take the leap. 鈥淪he stopped me and said, 鈥業 see the potential in you.鈥欌��
In Dirty Turk, Manaal portrays an imam, a role that she described as deeply meaningful 鈥� particularly because it touches on Islamophobia and fear in the post-9/11 era. She also described how the production uses a welcoming, community-centered image of a mosque.
鈥淚n the play, the mosque is shown as an open community space,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a place where people from different backgrounds can come together, share experiences and support one another. It shouldn鈥檛 be seen as something meant only for a certain group, but as a welcoming space that encourages connection, understanding and a sense of belonging for everyone.鈥�
Student actor Zeynep Atayeva, 19, started at 91制片厂 in August 2025 and said her first weeks in the U.S. were emotionally overwhelming. She was born and raised in Turkmenistan and came to live with her sister (a student at Loyola University Chicago) in Palatine and pursue an education in the U.S., with the eventual goal of becoming a dentist.
Like Manaal, Zeynep had no prior acting experience, but brings a wealth of visceral experiences as an immigrant experiencing culture shock in America. She also speaks multiple languages, including Turkish, which comes in handy when portraying Feride, the grandmother in the play.
鈥淪he鈥檚 one of the mentally strongest characters in the play, even though she has so much trauma inside her,鈥� Zeynep said. 鈥淒eep inside, she wants to show love, but there鈥檚 so much frustration and hidden conflict. Feride reminds me of my own grandmother.鈥�
The role also has a unique theatrical challenge. The grandparents are literally larger than life in Dirty Turk and Zeynep will appear as Feride via a giant, majestic puppet with slightly unwieldy arms. She said the unusual costume helps her connect with the character.
鈥淲hen I first tried it on, I felt so much like Feride,鈥� Zeynep said. 鈥淪he鈥檚 hiding some of her feelings. As an actor in this costume, I鈥檓 hidden too.鈥�
Zeynep and Manaal are bringing their experiences to Dirty Turk, just like their castmates who are Black, white or Latine, those who were born in the U.S. and trace their heritage to myriad countries. Rehearsals have featured a range of emotions that鈥檚 just as wide. One moment, the cast and crew are navigating how to responsibly incorporate the harshest of language into a scene, the next, they鈥檙e sharing memories of grandparents or laughing about the age gap between those who remember the 鈥�90s and those who were born well after.
A spirit of empathy, sharing and learning is obvious. The cast appears more excited than daunted by performing in this unconventional production with themes about feeling metaphorically dirty as an immigrant. The show鈥檚 scope is expansive, but Ilkn眉r emphasized that the heart of the piece is not about shock value 鈥� it鈥檚 about the everyday experiences of family and community.
鈥淭he piece is about love and family and resilience and community and acceptance,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a safe space for these narratives to be shared in a public arena, when most of these people are whispering.鈥�
For Ilkn眉r, everything works together. The conversations, narrative 鈥渨eaving,鈥� rehearsals, preparation and immersive performances all create opportunities where immigrant, migrant and refugee stories are not hidden or minimized.
鈥淲e are a nation of immigrants,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e hold our beliefs and value systems close. No matter the culture you come from, we share similar experiences.鈥�