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BENGAL TIGER AT THE BAGHDAD ZOO

  • Crow’s Theatre and Modern Times Stage Company present
  • Rajiv Joseph
  • Rouvan Silogix
  • Oct 11 - Nov 6, 2022
  • $45-$75
  • Approximately two hours plus intermission
  • Guloien Theatre
Archived
  • Details

    “It’s a black comedy, a grisly horror show, and a metaphysical ghost story.”

    The Hollywood Reporter

     

    Crow’s Theatre and Modern Times Stage Company present the Toronto premiere of BENGAL TIGER AT THE BAGHDAD ZOO, written by Rajiv Joseph and directed by Modern Times Artistic Director Rouvan Silogix.

    Pulitzer Prize finalist, Tony Award nominated, and National Endowment for the Arts award winner for Outstanding New American Play, BENGAL TIGER AT THE BAGHDAD ZOO is set amid the chaos of the 2003 American occupation of Iraq. In this darkly comic tale, the lives of two American marines intersect with an Iraqi gardener as they search through the rubble of war for friendship, redemption, and a toilet seat made of gold.

    Playwright Rajiv Joseph is a two-time Obie Award winner for Best American New Play, a writer for the Netflix series Nurse Jackie, and co-screenwriter of the film Draft Day, directed by Ivan Reitman. Director Rouvan Silogix is a Pakistani-Tanzanian immigrant and award-winning theatre creator. He is the founder and Artistic Director of Theatre ARTaud and was Crow’s Theatre Associate Artistic Director before being appointed Artistic Director of Modern Times.

    Please visit moderntimesstage.com to learn more about the Modern Times Stage Company.

    Download the show program here: https://www.crowstheatre.com/uploads/2022-2023 Season/03 Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo/Programme.pdf

    Read about Ahmed Moneka's real life experiences in Baghdad as told to The Toronto Star. https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/stage/2022/10/10/iraqi-actor-ahmed-moneka-came-to-toronto-in-2015-and-couldnt-go-home-now-hes-on-stage-in-bengal-tiger-at-the-baghdad-zoo.html

    READ THE REVIEWS

    “This play explodes, baffles and mesmerizes from all four corners of the stage. Artfully directed by Rouvan Silogix and charged with breathtaking performances, this play might be called whimsical if it wasn’t so painful." https://www.ourtheatrevoice.com/items-2/'bengal-tiger-at-the-baghdad-zoo'-by-rajiv-joseph

    “Crow’s Theatre [and Modern Times Stage Company] has struck gold for the second time this season with Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo.” https://torontonicity.com/2022/10/15/bengal-tiger-at-the-baghdad-zoo-opens-at-crows-theatre-review

    "There are so many layers to unwrap in this play and this production that I’m going to be thinking about for a long time. It packs a lot into two hours and it does what great theatre always should; make us think."  https://operaramblings.blog/2022/10/17/bengal-tiger-at-the-baghdad-zoo/

    "If you want something powerful and totally unlike anything you’ll see onstage in Toronto, this is the show for you." https://barczablog.com/2022/10/17/darkly-comic-bengal-tiger-at-the-baghdad-zoo/

  • The Team

    CAST

    • Christopher Allen - Kev
    • Andrew Chown - Tom
    • Mahsa Ershadifar - Iraqi Woman / Leper
    • Sara Jaffri - Hadia / Iraqi Girl
    • Ali Kazmi - Iraqi Man / Uday
    • Ahmed Moneka - Musa
    • Kristen Thomson - Tiger

    CREATIVE

    • Rajiv Joseph - Playwright
    • Rouvan Silogix - Director
    • John Gzowski - Sound Designer
    • Lorenzo Savoini - Set / Props / Lighting Design
    • Ming Wong - Costume Designer
    • Laura Delchiaro - Head of Wardrobe
    • Lisa Nighswander - Head of Props
    • Geoff Scovell - Fight Director
    • Corey Tazmania - Intimacy Director
    • Israa Abdul JaLeeL - Iraqi-Arabic Language Speaking Coach
    • Andrew Dollar - Stage Manager
    • Maya Bowers - Assistant Stage Manager