Artwork by Jonathan Wood
Winter Weather: Please refer to UBC’s Campus Notifications to check if the campus is open. If the campus is open then we will proceed with the evening’s performance.
The Parliament of the Birds
by Guillermo Verdecchia, adapted from Farid ud-Din Attar’s poem
Directed by Camyar Chaichian
Adapted from the 12th-century Sufi poem and reimagined for our current times, The Parliament of the Birds tells the story of a group of birds who have been gathered by the mysterious hoopoe. Longing for understanding in a troubled world, the birds embark on an epic journey in search of enlightenment and truth. Universal characters are brought to life in this ensemble piece filled with hope, reminding us that we are all inextricably connected.
Schedule
Performances
Thursday, November 24–Saturday, December 3
7:30 pm
No performance on Monday, November 28
Talk Back
Tuesday, November 29
After the show
The Parliament of the Birds runs approx. 1 hour and 40 minutes with no intermission
Location
Frederic Wood Theatre
6354 Crescent Rd, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z2
We acknowledge that the UBC Vancouver campus is situated within the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Musqueam.
Ticket Prices
Adult: $24.50 Senior: $16.50 Student: $11.50
Today’s global consciousness can be overwhelming and, at times, hopeless. Social systems that used to serve as anchors are hindered by a capricious economy, culture wars, military aggression, climate change crisis, pandemics and more. The anger we feel and the inequity we see are fuelled in part by the cynically designed polarization of anti-social media and runaway algorithms. All this, with seemingly few leaders in sight who are pure hearted and courageous enough to pull us out of the darkness. Not entirely unlike today, over 800 years ago, the mystic poet, Attar, also lived in a world rife with tribal warfare, imperial aggression, and existential anxiety. A Sufi, his path was to believe, unwaveringly, that the only route to being at peace, was to find unity through Love. In this contemporary Canadian adaptation, Guillermo Verdecchia focusses his sharp lens on the despair of our current world and offers an unashamedly idealistic salve for our hearts in the form of a theatrical journey that reminds us, as we sit and breathe together in the theatre, that we are all inextricably linked.
Gratitude to the delightful cast, designers and crew who buoyed our spirits while, each rehearsal, I could not quiet my heartache and awe for the young in Iran who are risking life and limb to fulfill their dream of having the freedoms we enjoy. Zan, Zendegi, Azadi/Woman, Life, Freedom.
—Camyar Chaichian, Director
Credits
Christian Billet Archer King, Slave 2, Hermit, Old One, Traveller, Border Patrol, Herald, Brother
Air Dayman Pigeon, Monk
Sera Jorgensen Crow
Adriana McKinnon Sparrow, Servant, Slave 1
Kristi McQuade Hoopoe
Lauren Ordeman Falcon
Nicole-Anne Smith Duck, Queen
Peihwen Tai Parrot
Caylee Watrin Nightingale, Princess, Bat, Walker, Astrologer, Joseph
Jasmine White Cardinal, Moth
Camyar Chaichian Director
Parmiss Sehat Asst. Director
Jasmine Liu Scenic Designer
Taylor Wen Asst. Scenic Designer
Ben Paul Lighting Designer
Hayashida Kuniyoshi Asst. Lighting Designer
Brendan Lowe Sound Designer
Victoria McNeil Asst. Sound Designer
Muleba Chailunga Costume Designer
Victoria Moo Asst. Costume Designer
Midori O’Connor Stage Manager
Finnley O’Brien Asst. Stage Manager
Yuting Yue Asst. Stage Manager
Harlow Nguyen Stage Management Swing
Kathleen Baldakin Production Assistant
Ariana Barer Intimacy Coach
Shaliya Ma Lighting Board Operator
Victoria McNeil Sound Operator
Isabelle Barlow Head Scenic Painter
Tariro Motsi Asst. Scenic Painter
Set Run Crew
Annika Chan, Vincie Lin
Costume Run Crew
Rachel Chan, David Siu, Stephanie Shih
Set & Props Crew
Grycel Tercero, Tiana Khandelwal, Amelia Wagenaar, Isabelle Barlow, Jules Sassi, Marilia Saito, Nishi Praveen Kumar, Huda Shawwash, Sophie Fougere, Mary Anne William, Aaron Au, Hana Yaguchi, Kristine Wu, Maddie Steppler, Mikka Visperas, Samantha Cheng, Jack Mosher, Tariro Motsi, Hannah Abbott
Paint Crew
Aaron Au, Luella DeGeer, Nyssa Estrella, Kaileigh Funnel, Michelle Lee, Victoria Moo Pak Hei, Yun Shim, David Siu, Nina Yu
Lighting Crew
Aaron Au, Annika Chan, Freddi Li, Jasmine Liu, Jack Mosher, Jaddi Sze, Holly Theobold, Yun Shim, Julia Sassi
Costume Shop Crew
Julia Chase, Colton Albee, Wren-Harlow Gillepsie, Marília Saito, Grycel Tercero, Lauren Rankin, Harlow Nguyen, Elly Ich
Stephen Heatley Department Head
Jennifer Stewart Scenic Advisor
Brad Powers Technical Production Advisor
Lorraine West Scenic Paint Advisor
Robert Gardiner Lighting Advisor
Patrick Pennefather Sound Advisor
Christine Reimer Costume Advisor
Inga McLaughlin Stage Management Advisor
Kunji Ikeda Movement Coach
Tanya Elchuk Voice Coach
Borja Brown Production Manager
Cam Cronin Department Administrator
Ryan Murcar Scenic Technical Direction
Lynn Burton Head of Properties
Jodi Jacyk Head of Wardrobe
Erika Champion, Abby Levis, Jeremy Vreeken Production Staff
Amy McDougall, Holly Andersen Staff Costume Support
Linda Pitt Communications Specialist
Sarah Crauder Film Program Administrator
Tony Koelwyn Audience Services Manager
Dmitri Lennikov Film Collections Coordinator
Stuart McFarlane Film Equipment Manager
Mia Faircloth Academic Administrator
Karen Tong Theatre and Film Studies Graduate Secretary
Kirsten Dougans Assistant to the Head
Bhagyashree Chatterjee Communications Assistant
Sophie Fougere, Madeleine Polak Costume WorkLearn Assistants
Kayleigh Funnell, Finley O’Brien Properties WorkLearn Assistants
For any questions, please contact our box office: 604.822.6835 or box.office@ubc.ca.
