About the Program

Paul Crewes Rachel Fine Artistic Director Managing Director

IN COLLABORATION WITH PRESENT

A PRODUCTION OF FICTIONVILLE STUDIO AND BANU PRODUCTIONS

CONCEIVED, DESIGNED IN COLLABORATION WITH ORIGINAL MUSIC BY AND DIRECTED BY Larry Reed and Loga Ramin Torkian Hamid Rahmanian ShadowLight Productions and

WRITTEN AND ADAPTED BY CO-WRITTEN BY BASED ON THE BOOK CAST OF CHARACTERS (in order of appearance) Hamid Rahmanian Vikas Menon : The Epic of PERFORMANCE BY FRED C. RILEY III; VOICE BY CHARLIE VARON...... NARRATOR the Persian Kings PERFORMANCE AND VOICE BY FRED C. RILEY III...... SAUM/KNIGHT IN THE PERSIAN COURT

PERFORMANCE AND VOICE BY ROSE NISKER...... SIMORGH/MAGICAL BIRD STORYBOARDS AND PUPPETS HANDCRAFTED BY ASSISTANT DIRECTOR PERFORMANCE BY LORNA VELASCO GABRIELA GARCIA; VOICE BY RYAN TASKER....ZAUL/SON OF SAUM, HERO OF THE STORY CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT BY Neda Kazemifar and Fred C. Riley III VOICE BY MARC THOMSON...... KING MANUCHEHR/KING OF PERSIA Syd Fini Spica Wobbe PERFORMANCE BY AUREEN ALMARIO; VOICE BY MARC THOMPSON...... MEHRAB/GOVERNOR OF KABUL

PERFORMANCE BY ROSE NISKER; VOICE BY JERI LYNN COHEN...... SINDOKH/WIFE OF MEHRAB DIGITAL MEDIA DIRECTED COSTUMES MADE BY PERFORMANCE BY DINA ZARIF; VOICE BY LISA HORI-GARCIA...... RUDABEH/DAUGHTER OF MEHRAB & SINDOKHT AND ORCHESTRATED BY Dina Zarif LOGA RAMIN TORKIAN, AZAM ALI, SINAN CEM EROGLU, Mohammad Talani HABIB MEFTAH BOUSHEHRI, OMER AVCI, AND DINA ZARIF...... MUSICIANS PERFORMED BY Aureen Almario, Ya Wen Chien, Gabriela Garcia , Ariel Lauryn, Rose Nisker, Jon Riddleberger, Fred C. Riley III, Lorna Velasco, and Dina Zarif MAJOR FUNDING PROVIDED BY SPECIAL THANKS Feathers of Fire is represented by The Neda Nobari Foundation, Hamid Neda Nobari, Neda Amidi, Bita Shafipour, Lisa Booth Management, Inc., NYC Shafipour and Fereshteh Amin, Tahbazof Steven McIntosh, Sheila Canby, Ahmad Tel 212 921-2114 PRODUCED BY CO-PRODUCED BY Family Foundation, Nasiri Foundation, Sadri, Mahsa Hakimi, Parastou Mabodi, Email: [email protected] Hamid Rahmanian, Melissa Hibbard Ahmad Kiarostami Bijan and Soraya Amin Foundation, James Longley, Scott V. Burkhardt, www.kingorama.com and Nasim Yazdani Strypemonde Foundation, Maximum Gregory P. Scalco, Paul Dresher Difference Foundation, Saeed and Samira Ensemble, Ahmad Mortazavi, and A PROJECT OF Amidi, Susan Morshed, Kian Amidhozour, Shanna Nasiri. Two Chairs Inc. Farid Falsafi and Afsaneh Vali Najad, Lily Sarafan, Farzam and Azadeh Hariri and Farshid and Guila Zanjani, Maximum OCTOBER 20-29, 2017 Difference Foundation, Shahab Tehrani and Bram Goldsmith Theater Nazila Habibizad, Babak Agha and Meroeh Meraji, Shahin Jansepar, Majid & Maryam Rahimian, Maryam Ansari and Running time: 70 minute performance, followed by a 20 minute presentation Nader Ansari

Projectors provided by: Canon USA Community Sponsor: Farhang Foundation Production Sponsor: Mercedes-Benz of Beverly Hills

PERFORMANCES MAGAZINE P25 About the Program About the Artists

HAMID RAHMANIAN AZAM ALI (Composer) is one ARIEL LAURYN (Ensemble) (Creator, Designer & Director,) a of the most prolific, versatile, is a puppeteer, physical 2014 Guggenheim Fellow, is an and gifted singers/ composers comedian, and theater maker award winning visual artist/ on the international music stage based in Brooklyn. She has filmmaker born and educated in today. Azam’s most notable performed with The Very Hungry , . His work centers on work is with the cutting-edge Caterpillar Show (Off Broadway), film and graphic arts. His world music electro-acoustic Puppet Kitchen, Trusty Sidekick, narrative and documentary films have premiered at project . Her distinctive voice can be heard on Columbia Stages, Physical Comedy Lab, and LES Venice, Sundance, Toronto, Tribeca and IDFA Film myriad film and television scores including “Thor- Shakespeare. Her original works have been produced Festivals. He has won numerous international awards The Dark World”, "Matrix- Revolutions", “Prince of by CalArts, Fringe Festivals, Dixon Place, Triskelion and his works have been televised on international Persia- The Sands of Time”, “The Fight Club”, “True Arts, The Pit Loft, and The Tank. MFA Physical Theater networks including PBS, Sundance Channel, IFC, Blood”, "Alias", "The Agency, and "Prison Break". (Dell'Arte International). Channel 4, BBC, and Al Jazeera. Rahmanian Azam has also collaborated with numerous undertook the immense task of illustrating and musicians such as Serj Tankian of System of a Down, ROSE NISKER (Ensemble) is commissioning a new translation and adaptation of Peter Murphy of Bauhaus, Dredg, Chris Vrenna a dancer, theater performer, and Shahnameh by , entitled, Shahnameh: The formerly of Nine Inch Nails, Kodo, Zakir Hussain, aerial rope/fabric artist. She’s Epic of the Persian Kings (2013, Quantuck Lane and Mickey Hart. performed at venues across the Press), which is now in its second edition and globe including 6 tours to available as an audiobook. Rahmanian has created a AUREEN B. ALMARIO Indonesia, EXPO ‘86 Vancouver, pop-up book based on his Shahnameh, which is due (Ensemble) is an actor, and the World Festival of Sacred out in 2018. performance artist and Music at the Hollywood Bowl. She holds a BA from educator. She is a resident artist UCLA in World Arts and Cultures, is a principal artist LARRY REED (Shadow at Bindlestiff Studio in San with renowned Balinese performing arts company A little over a thousand years and places, teaches them about the Master) is an internationally Francisco, CA and the Gamelan Sekar Jaya, and the Artistic Director of Les recognized theater director and co-founder of all female sketch Aerielles, an Oakland-based aerial youth arts troupe. history of civilization and reinforces ago a Persian poet named is one of the few American group Granny Cart Gangstas. She is currently the Ferdowsi of Tous collected the positive attributes of what it dalangs (“shadow masters”) of lead in Chasing Papeles, written by her sister Andrea JON RIDDLEBERGER means embrace all of one’s humanity. and put into heroic verse the traditional Balinese shadow Almario, a play which explores the undocumented (Ensemble) is a NYC based actor, It is our intention to highlight the theater known as Wayang Kulit. experiences of Filipina caregivers. puppeteer, and teacher. He has millennium old mythological strength of the culture and promote The founder and artistic director of ShadowLight performed around the world as a and epic traditions of Iran. a more complex and interesting view Productions, Reed has pioneered contemporary YA WEN (WINNIE) CHIEN puppeteer and is an artistic of Iran here in the . shadow theater by integrating traditional shadow (Ensemble) was born in Taiwan associate of Theater theater techniques with film, modern theater, and and currently lives and works in Reconstruction Ensemble in NYC. It took him thirty years to write the dance styles. A true multidisciplinary artist, Reed has San Francisco. She studied MA He has been a puppeteer with Dead Puppet Society, sixty thousand verses that comprise Our goal is to present a more also written, directed, and produced films in the US digital Media in University of Handspring Puppet Company, Mettawee River the Shahnameh (The Book of Kings). holistic view of Iran to wider and Mexico. Shadow Master (1979) has been shown the West of England, Bristol. Theatre Company, Our Voices, InkFish Productions This monumental tome is one of audiences by presenting stories and on the PBS and the Discovery Channel. Reed has Her practice and teaching and toured with the North American and Japanese the most important literary works aspects of Shahnameh in different garnered numerous awards and honors, and was experience spans painting, drawing, photography, tour of War Horse as well as various other projects of Iran and like other great epics, media, which we are collectively named one of Top 50 Artists in the SF Bay Area by printmaking and book art. She has been involved in around NYC. Metropolitan Magazine such as Gilgamesh, The Odyssey, calling “The Shahnameh Project.” in 1995 and 1996. theaters in Taiwan and also ShadowLight Productions company in San Francisco. FRED C RILEY III (Assistant Nibelungenlied and Ramayana, it is LOGA RAMIN TORKIAN Director/ Ensemble) has honed a record of the human imaginative The first of this project, Shahnameh: (Composer) is an Iranian-born GABRIELA GARCIA his skills writing, directing, consciousness. It is well known The Epic of the Persian Kings, a 600- multi-instrumentalist and (Ensemble) completed of her choreographing, building and and has been adapted throughout page illustrated new translation composer. He is recognized MFA Acting degree from the performing for such companies the Near East, Central Asia and and adaptation and published in internationally for his ground- USC where she trained in Le as Imago, Tear of Joy Theatre, India but is mostly unknown in the 2013, is now in its 2nd edition. We breaking work with World Music Coq and Grotowsky movement The Center for Puppetry Arts, West. Feathers Of Fire is one of the have created an elaborate pop-up groups Niyaz and Axiom Of techniques under Andy Shadowlight Productions, and Ping Chong and Choice, both of which he co-founded. A highly-gifted Robinson and David Bridel. She Company. Skilled in many forms of puppetry from love stories in the Shahnameh. book due out in 2018. We have also composer and a visionary, Loga is greatly respected has had success in commercials and independent Czech black to marionettes, intimate to spectacle, he created a short shadow puppet show, for his ability to adapt the Persian classical repertoire films appearing in spots for YouTube, Conde Nast, is ready for any challenge. He is proud to have There is a great power in live based on the story of Zahhak, as to his own unique and modern compositions. In Credit Karma, One West Bank, USA Network and worked with great directors such as Janie Geiser, Jon performance. Feathers Of Fire: A well as an audiobook version of our 2014 Loga was nominated for a Canadian JUNO more, as well as indie film Actors Anonymous Ludwig, Ping Chong, Josef Krofta, and Larry Reed. Persian Epic exposes children and Shahnameh book. Feathers Of Fire: A Award in the Category of “Best World Music Album” directed by James Franco, and Case 347 staring adults to a broader view of this Persian Epic, the shadow play, is the for the album he recorded with musical partner Azam Maya Stojan, out in 2018. Gabriela also works as a world. It introduces new characters fifth part of “The Shahnameh Project.” Ali titled, “Lamentation of Swans.” He continues to movement teacher and talent scout for acting produce albums and tour worldwide with NIYAZ. conservatories in the greater Los Angeles area.

P26 PERFORMANCES MAGAZINE PERFORMANCES MAGAZINE P27 About the Artists Support ANNUAL DONORS The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts gratefully acknowledges your generous support and investment MOHAMMAD TALANI FICTIONVILLE STUDIO is the production in our cultural community. The following list recognizes donors who made contributions to The Wallis’ Annual Fund (Digital Media Director/ company of husband and wife team, Hamid between September 1, 2016-October 1, 2017. For any questions regarding your donations or if you would like to join Ensemble) Born in Iran, Rahmanian and Melissa Hibbard. Together they have Mohammad is a Berkeley-based created film, book, graphic and fine art, photography The Wallis’ Annual Fund, please call 310.246.3800 ext. 715. musician, actor, and and theater projects that span two decades. Their videographer. He has work has won numerous awards, been selected to PLATINUM CIRCLE ($50,000+) Colburn Foundation Ronald Frazier Trust collaborated in several fields as premiere at prestigious venues including the The Ahmanson Foundation Eunice David John and Amy Jo Gottfurcht / an actor, editor, music performer, and producer with , , Toronto Annenberg Foundation Sharon and Gov. Gray Davis SSI Investment Management different artists including Bahram Beyzaei, Mohsen Film Festival, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Honolulu Meridith Baer Home Louise and Brad Edgerton Sally Karbelnig Namjoo, Babak Jalali, and others. He is a member of Museum of Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Lynn and Les Bider Family Foundation Hon. Donna Ellman Garber Stuart Klabin the band Kiosk, a pioneering Iranian rock band. Their films have been seen around the world on BBC, Delta Air Lines Beverly and Herb Gelfand Charlene and Dr. S. Sanford Kornblum Channel 4, Al Jazeera, and PBS among other Betty Hayman Steve Ghysels Lawry’s The Prime Rib LORNA VELASCO international outlets. They have always strived to Mercedes-Benz of Beverly Hills The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation Jacqueline and Hoyt B. Leisure / (Ensemble) is a San Francisco create work that is multi-dimensional and Montage Beverly Hills Julie and Bruce Goldsmith Leisure Family Foundation theatre artist whose training provocative, offering a unique glimpse into worlds The Seattle Foundation/Katharyn A. Gerlich In memory of Morris A. Hazan Cathy and Mark Louchheim began at Bindlestiff Studio with that are otherwise unknown and little explored. Their GRoW @ Annenberg Foundation / Jewish Community Foundation Pasadena Showcase for the Arts founding director Chrystene Ells. recent works include the seminal work Shahnameh Gregory Annenberg Weingarten & Family Cinny Kennard Ginny Mancini She continued her theater the Epic of the Persian Kings, a 600-page tome that Coldwell Banker Laurie and Lyn Konheim Cookie Miller training at UC Berkeley, and at retells the stories of the Persian Book of Kings by the David C. Bohnett Kris Levine Jade Mills Estates the Arts Institute of Indonesia, where she was trained poet Ferdowsi. Los Angeles County Arts Commission Elisabeth and Jeffrey Lipsman The Estate of Leah and William Molle in classical dance, mask making, puppetry, and Lori and Robert N. Goodman Linda May and Jack Suzar Nic’s Beverly Hills music. She is both principal puppeteer and teaching BANU PRODUCTIONS is a production and Lois Harwin Jamie McCourt Porta Via Restaurant artist for Larry Reed’s Shadowlight Productions. event management company owned by Nasim Lauren B. Leichtman and National Endowment for the Arts Melissa Rosenberg and Lev Spiro Yazdani based in Dubai, UAE. Banu is active in Arthur E. Levine Family Foundation Daphnah Nazarian Gail and Lee Silver Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Stein DINA ZARIF (Costumes/ promoting, engaging and fostering cross-cultural Meeghan and Michael Nemeroff New England Foundation for the Arts Ronald D. Rosen Sally and David Weil Ensemble) is a performer dialogues and inspiration to showcase ethnic Arline and Buddy Pepp Marc Selwyn Fine Arts Judy Henning and Richard S. Rosenzweig musician and vocalist. She has diversity by supporting and creating different art and The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust Bruce Schulman ENTHUSIAST ($1,000 – $2,499) co-composed original music cultural programs. Banu has advanced into further Dwight Stuart Youth Fund Joan and Paul Selwyn Gay and Harry Abrams and sung in Home, a theatrical meaningful artistic projects and activities to achieve Van Cleef & Arpels Mark S. Siegel Diane and Ken Bishop dance performance. Zarif also the goal of connecting the world through a cultural, Vanity Fair Eva and Marc Stern Hedva and Dudley Danoff performed classical repertoire intellectual, and educational experience with The Wasserman Foundation Tobey Cotsen-Victor and Jonathan A. Victor Mr. and Mrs. Irwin Deutch at venues such as Red Poppy Art House, MAPP fundraising for selected charity organization. Luanne Wells Marilyn Ziering Pat and Sandy Gage and Mission culture center. Her recent music Dr. Kenneth Geiger Love Song From Around The World SHADOWLIGHT PRODUCTIONS was project is , a GOLD CIRCLE ($25,000 – $49,999) DIRECTORS CIRCLE ($5,000 – $9,999) Howard Gleicher founded in San Francisco in 1972 by Larry Reed to duet with harp. She performed in a reading of Camille and Arnon Adar Barbara Belzberg Susan Howard Ardaviraf's Report nurture indigenous shadow theatre traditions, Beyzaie's and most recently she Jacqueline and Clarence Avant Sonia and Robert Freedman Mr. and Mrs. Michael Kibler expand the possibilities of the shadow theatre performed the role of "Dancer/Singer" in Mr Hon. MeraLee Goldman Lisa and Josh Greer Joanne C. Kozberg Tarabnameh medium, and reflect the cultural diversity and Beyzaie's newest play a Persian Bram Goldsmith* Vera and Paul Guerin Eyvinne and Kay Lee complexity of the modern world through its works. It traditional musical in Stanford. Carol Goldsmith Debra Holstein Gayle Leventhal is one of the very few companies dedicated solely to Leon Lowenstein Foundation / Sandra Krause and William Fitzgerald Karen and Walter Loewenstern MARK AMIN is the founder and CEO of Sobini the art of shadow theatre, and fills a distinctively John M. Bendheim Suzanne and Richard Kayne Anne Osberg and Moose Moravec Films, a film production and financing company. unique role in the American Theatre scene. The Matt Construction The Loewenstern Fund at Sandra Karole Peters Most recently, Amin produced Sony Picture Classics' company’s work has been presented internationally Playboy Enterprises Community Foundation Santa Cruz County Gelila and Wolfgang Puck Miles Ahead starring and IFC's Good and the company has received Citations for Vicki Reynolds and Murray Pepper Ann Mulally Rabbi Steven and Didi Carr Reuben Kill starring . Amin's upcoming projects Excellence from the International Puppetry Lynda and Stewart Resnick Palm Restaurant In memory of Lily Rosman include a theatrical reboot of the Zorro franchise and Association, as well as having been nominated for Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Rosenstein Rotary of Beverly Hills Georgina and Alan Rothenberg Russ & Roger, starring Will Ferrell and Josh Gad. the American Theater Wing Design Award. Ruby Family Foundation Michal Amir Salkin and Kenneth H. Salkin Marc Scott Prior to Sobini, Amin served as Vice Chairman of www.shadowlight.org Wendy and Ken Ruby Steinway & Sons Beverly Hills Louise and Robert Schwab Entertainment. During his nine-year term, Marc Selwyn Ron Watson Carol (Jackie) and Charles Schwartz Lionsgate produced and distributed such films as Vicki and Ron Simms Dr. and Mrs. Hal Slavkin Monster's Ball, which earned Halle Barry an Susan and Peter Strauss ARTISTS CIRCLE ($2,500 – $4,999) Lisa Weinberg Spector Academy Award for Best Actress, and Crash, which Viceroy L’Ermitage Beverly Hills 360 Group International, Inc Karen Sulzberger and Eric Lax won the Academy Award for Best Picture. Previously, Wells Fargo Betsy and Harold Applebaum Mr. DL Stuart, Jr Amin founded and served as Martha and Berry Berkett Elizabeth Topkis Chairman and CEO until the company merged with SILVER CIRCLE ($10,000 – $24,999) Judy Carroll Patty and Richard Wilson Lionsgate. Amin's past credits include the critically Debbie Allen Marcy Carsey acclaimed Eve's Bayou starring Samuel Jackson, the Sheri and Les Biller Family Foundation Dr. Fanya Carter Emmy® Award-winning The Simple Life of Noah California Arts Council Crateful Catering Dearborn starring Sidney Poitier, and Frida, which City of Beverly Hills C & O Restaurants garnered six Academy Award nominations. John W. Carson Foundation Mrs. Howard Deshong Jr. Dan Clivner and Steve Cochran Diane and Scott Eblin

P28 PERFORMANCES MAGAZINE * IN MEMORIAM PERFORMANCES MAGAZINE P29