TEHRAN -- Iran’s theater scene is set to welcome a series of new productions and performances, from the staging of the epic-inspired play Homay to the concert-theater production Siavash, alongside online workshops and digital screenings of acclaimed stage works.
The City Theater Complex will present Homay, the latest theatrical work by playwright and director Ebrahim Rahgozar, beginning Tuesday, August 18, at the Sayeh Hall. The 75-minute production combines live music with a narrative that moves across three historical landscapes: the mythological world of Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh, the Qajar era and the contemporary period.
The production team describes Homay as “a story of history caught in a cycle of repetition,” with live music serving as an integral element in advancing the drama’s emotional and narrative structure.
Produced by the Soureh Theater Club, the play was previously recognized at the 44th Fajr International Theater Festival, receiving honors and nominations in categories including playwriting, directing, female performance, music and ensemble acting.
The cast includes Hana Fathollahi, Javad Omidi, Nazanin Adib, Zahra Amini, Mani Golmuhammadi, Roozbeh Daneshian, Arsha Karami, Helen Mirzapour, Kimia Zamani, Amirabbas Mirhusseini, Saman Derakhshandeh, Matin Taherinia, Arya Kalantari and Hussein Salehi.
Mehmani-ye Shab-e Raftan, written and directed by Parham Pasiyar, will open at Simorgh Theater on August 21.
The play, Pasiyar’s second directing experience, follows Daniel, who gathers his old friends for a farewell gathering. As the night unfolds, fragments of the past return, forcing the characters to confront memories and truths they have carried for years.
The production features Paniz Hamedi, Danial Soltani, Dorsa Rezaei, Nafas Parakouh, Parham Pasiyar, Arshia Ahmadi, Mahnoush Soleimani, Muhammad Matin Asadi, Mehdi Saeedi, Nasim Niko, Homa Asadi and Alireza Mahmoudzadeh.
Ali Zand Vakili Joins Epic Concert-Theater Siavash
Singer Ali Zand Vakili has joined the cast of Siavash, Hussein Parsaei’s concert-theater production based on one of the most enduring stories from Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh.
The production seeks to bring together theater and music in a contemporary retelling of the legendary story of Siavash, a figure associated with honor, sacrifice and moral endurance in Persian epic tradition.
Previously announced cast members include Elham Nami, Azadeh Samadi, Shahram Haghighatdoost, Bahram Radan, Ryan Sarlak, Soroush Kariminejad, Mona Soufi and Mehdi Soltani.
Produced by Seyyed Mahmoud Shabiri and Jalil Kia, Siavash is the third epic-themed production directed by Parsaei and aims to reinterpret a central narrative of the Shahnameh for today’s audiences.
Screenwriting Workshop Led by Shahram Karami
The second online playwriting workshop of the Resistance Theater Festival’s “Resistance Horizon” section will be held under the instruction of playwright and theater director Shahram Karami.
The workshop will focus on character development and the idea of the character as a complete dramatic structure, with the goal of expanding the skills of aspiring playwrights.
The sessions will take place on August 22 and August 25. The workshop series is part of the 20th International Resistance Theater Festival, which continues through autumn 2026.
Online Screening of Nekbat
Theater audiences will also have the opportunity to watch Nekbat, an Iranian adaptation of Stephen Belber’s play Tape, through Filmnet’s online theater platform.
Directed by Pouya Saeedi and produced by Ali Sadatian, the production features Kazem Siyahi, Mojtaba Pirzadeh and Setareh Pesyani.
The story follows John, whose film is accepted at the Lansing Film Festival, and his old university friend Vince, who travels to meet him. Their reunion in a small motel room gradually reveals conflicting memories and different versions of a shared truth.
Nekbat was previously staged at Tehran’s Iran Shahr Theater in 2024, receiving positive responses from audiences and theater critics.
Through these productions — from epic narratives rooted in Persian mythology to contemporary dramas exploring memory and identity — Iran’s theater scene continues to move between tradition, innovation and new forms of audience engagement.