thank you!

HALLAJ continues this weekend in Richmond Hill

Lara Arabian as Jamil & Peter Farbridge as Hallaj, photo by Guy Bertrand

Hallaj is up & running at the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts. Just three shows remain - Friday at 8pm & Saturday at 2pm & 8pm. A big shout out to all our downtown friends who are coming to see us each night and to the Richmond Hill crowd, many of whom are being introduced to the work of Modern Times through Hallaj, a piece we're all very proud of indeed...

The journey continues next week when we pack up and head to Kitchener for Impact '09. Soheil heads out a bit early to facilitate a panel on Intercultural Theatre Creation this Saturday and Hallaj plays Centre in the Square on Tuesday September 29 at 8pm.

Come see us if you're in the neighbourhood...

This week only!

There's a special deal in town (if, by "town", you mean Richmond Hill)...

Phone the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts this week (and by "this week", I mean before September 16th) and order your Hallaj tickets.

905.787.8811 & use the promo code 'Modern Times'.

They'll mail your tickets along with two TTC tickets and two VIVA bus passes. For each ticket you buy. So, it may take a while to get there, but it'll be free (and by "a while", I mean...oh forget it). Leave downtown by 6 and think of it as an adventure.

See a map here. Real simple - straight line up Yonge St.

And did we mention Hallaj? Three years in development, the latest play from Modern Times, directed by Soheil Parsa, with a pretty fantastic cast and creative team. You may remember reading something about it here before.

How often do theatres send you subway tokens in the mail?

Seriously, it's worth calling just to see if they'll do it.

This remarkable offer expires September 16th!

Why Hallaj?

The Execution of Mansur al-Hallaj, 17th century

Co-written by Soheil & Peter, Hallaj has been in development since 2003. You may have caught a glimpse of it before - as a work in progress with the Tarragon Theatre Playwrights Unit in 2005-06, at Harbourfront as part of the “Under the Azure Dome” festival of Persian Culture in 2006 or this past January as part of Modern Times' Flurrious flurry of activities.

Rehearsals began this week for the premiere production of Hallaj, opening September 22nd at the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts.

So, why Hallaj?

Here's an excerpt from an interview with Soheil on his attraction to the character of Hallaj...

Why were you first attracted to the story of Hallaj?

Soheil - In every culture, in every political system, in every religion, there is somebody who stood up and said ‘no’. Hallaj was one of these fascinating figures. He couldn’t tolerate poverty, he couldn’t tolerate social injustice, so he said ‘no’.

He might be an idealist, I’m not saying that he was a perfect man, but this is interesting for us. If we look at Joan of Arc, we don’t encourage people to do exactly the same thing, but we say, look how unique this individual was. The spirit of these individuals…they are not compromising their lives. Their lives are nothing if there is injustice, if there is no relationship with God. So this is why I’ve chosen this character. He was wonderful and controversial, confronting the religious and social conventions of the day.

His famous saying, which I love…he is asked, ‘Hallaj, if you believe in the unification of man and God, then what of your belief as a Muslim, your belief in religion’” And Hallaj says, ‘Religion is a raft.’ Once you get to the other side you don’t need it. He says religion is a tool to take you somewhere else, to take you to another level. This is so beautiful. He’s not rejecting religion, no, but it is a tool that takes you to the level of spirituality.

read the full interview in the Hallaj Study Guide here...

Araš ce se vratiti...

Modern Times Stage Company is proud to announce our return to Canada after a successful international co-production of the acclaimed play Aurash with OKC Abrašević in Mostar, Bosnia-Herzegovina.  Throughout the month of May, Artistic Director Soheil Parsa led a cast of local actors  and a production team including Modern Times' Sue Balint and Peter Farbridge in a local language production of Araš. 

Originally adapted and translated by Soheil Parsa and Brian Quirt from a short story by Bahram Beyza'I, Araš was presented on June 5th and 6th at OKC Abrašević, receiving much attention in the local and national media and an enthusiastic response from audiences.  OKC Abrašević will present Araš in repertory in the coming months, with the possibility of touring the production to major centres throughout the region.

 

For everything Mostar...production photos...local coverage, you're at the right place.  It's all here on the blog.

 

Read the press release...

thank you Mostar...

Opening tonight...

Late last night, tech continues...

Early this morning, Ivan, Martina, Soheil, Marija & Huso at our press conference...