Asheq: Ritual Music to Cure a Lover by Onelight Theatre

Asheq by Onelight Theatre

Developed under the artistic leadership of Shahin Sayadi, Asheq: Ritual Music to Cure a Lover is a story of forbidden love, a family that is divided by long-held secrets, and a community that is trying to find balance between traditional ways and the modern world. The play culminates in a Zar exorcism ceremony, intended to rid a young man of the “sickness” of his love for an outcast young woman, that ultimately reveals a father’s long-buried secrets. Asheq: Ritual Music to Cure a Lover is set in the northern shores of the Persian Gulf in southern Iran where East African and Persian traditions have blended over time to produce unique cultural practices, including the modern Zar / exorcism rituals. The play explores how cultures and communities change over time: how traditions can be sustained from generation to generation and also how there can be sudden, overnight cultural change. Onelight commissioned Habib Meftahoushehri (Iran/France) and Mohsen Sharifian (Iran), internationally-recognized musicians with ties to southern Iran, to develop original music for the production. Prismatic supported the development of this production through the Level Up project and is proud to present the debut production at Prismatic 2018. There will be a talk-back with Shahin Sayadi following the performance on Friday, September 14, during which Sayadi will discuss the creative process of developing Asheq

Rah-Eleh

Rah is an Iranian- Canadian digital and performance artist. Rah’s work has been exhibited extensively both nationally and internationally. She has been the recipient of numerous awards including a SSHRC Canada Graduate Scholarship. Rah was also the only Iranian-Canadian artist in SAW Galleries Ciphers: Tension with Tradition in Contemporary Iranian Photography which was curated by PhD. Andrea D. Fitzpatrick and was a first-of-its-kind exhibition of Iran’s most critically acclaimed lens-based artists. In her work, Rah focuses on and critiques the visual stereotypes and performative aspects that shape female gender identity and Iranian ethnic identity. Her perspective is that of a Canadian-Iranian who is questioning while also trying to assert gender and cultural identity. In particular, she focuses on the performances through which individuals express such identities and critiques the value and legitimacy of identity and cultural expression. Rah’s body of work aims to contribute to greater social knowledge, awareness and cultural discourses surrounding the Iranian diaspora. She aims to contribute to the interdisciplinary field of contemporary art within a Canadian cultural framework and help fill the gap of research and art production surrounding the Iranian-Canadian diaspora in cultural production and scholarship.

SuperNova

Presented in partnership with the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, SuperNova takes audiences to galaxy Messier 82 to witness a talent show that sets an ideal stage to critically examine race and ethnic performance. The judges in the talent show, Sirius, Mira and Bellatrix, are each named after the brightest star from various constellations. They are assessing the contestants, Oreo, Fatimeh, and Coco, who each perform short acts that examine issues of race and ethnic performance. As the show progresses, it becomes apparent that each judge is, themselves, mirrored by the contestants. Prismatic and the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia are honoured to debut Rah-Eleh’s SuperNova. Join us for an artist talk with Rah-Eleh to dive deeper into the themes and concepts of this new work on Thursday September 13th at 6:00 pm at the Windsor Foundation Lecture Theatre at the AGNS.

SEPTEMBER 10TH - 17TH INSTALLATION VIEWING | ALL DAY | ART GALLERY OF NOVA SCOTIA | AGNS ADMISSION RATE SEPTEMBER 13TH | 6PM | ARTIST TALK | ART GALLERY OF NOVA SCOTIA - WINDSOR FOUNDATION LECTURE THEATRE | FREE

Shauntay Grant Book Launch and Reading of ‘Africville’

Shauntay Grant is a writer and storyteller from Halifax, Nova Scotia. A descendant of Black Loyalists, Jamaican Maroons, and Black Refugees who came to Canada – Shauntay’s love of language stretches back to her storytelling roots in Nova Scotia’s historic black communities. Prismatic hosts the launch and reading of Shauntay’s newest book ‘Africville’ at the Africville Museum on September 13 at 11am – an event for the whole family.

Africville

When a young girl visits the site of Africville, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, the stories she’s heard from her family come to mind. She imagines what the community was once like —the brightly painted houses nestled into the hillside, the field where boys played football, the pond where all the kids went rafting, the bountiful fishing, the huge bonfires. Coming out of her reverie, she visits the present-day park and the sundial where her great- grandmother’s name is carved in stone, and celebrates a summer day at the annual Africville Reunion/Festival. Africville was a vibrant Black community for more than 150 years. But even though its residents paid municipal taxes, they lived without running water, sewers, paved roads and police, fire-truck and ambulance services. Over time, the city located a slaughterhouse, a hospital for infectious disease, and even the city garbage dump nearby. In the 1960s, city officials decided to demolish the community, moving people out in city dump trucks and relocating them in public housing. Today, Africville has been replaced by a park, where former residents and their families gather each summer to remember their community.

Stephanie Yee

Stephanie Yee is a multidisciplinary artist known for creating thoughtful and immersive work that interrogates concepts of community and identity. Using performance, video, sculpture and installation, she creates spaces where the audience can negotiate a work’s meaning together. Blurring the lines between real and imagined scenarios, Yee’s practice aims to re-examine notions of everyday life. Currently based in Windsor, Ontario, her artistic pursuits brought her to Halifax and New York City. As both an artist and curator, she has participated in various artist-run centers, festivals, galleries and residencies, locally and internationally. She was an Arts Nova Scotia creation grant recipient, was featured on the cover of Visual Arts News magazine’s Summer 2017 issue and is one quarter of ORIENTATION, an Asian woman arts collective. A crowd favourite at Prismatic, Stephanie is pleased to present Broken English Karaoke and can’t wait to see you up on stage, mic in hand! Broken English Karaoke

Festival goers are invited to end the night with us either on the stage or in the audience of this interactive performance installation. All within the length of a song, each opportunity challenges the participant to navigate the boundaries between the familiar and unfamiliar. While karaoke pervades everyday life in many Asian countries, the presence of karaoke in North America is usually confined to aspiring celebrities and drinking culture. Adopting the platform of karaoke, and its myriad associations, this piece replaces the lyrics of popular American songs with broken English translations. The end result allows for a fun experience that not only exposes the complexities of language, but social anxieties as well. Come join us and have a good time as we delve into and explore the lively state of being lost and found in translation.

Shibaali – presented by Cresco Habib Meftahboushehri with special guest Mohsen Sharifian

Shibaali: an artist’s travel diary brought to life through music and rhythm. Musician, percussionist and composer, Habib Meftah-boushehri studies the movement of rhythms and music across time and space. He is inspired by the history of rhythms that have been traveling from place to place, from country to country and, in particular, how these sounds come together in the blend of musical traditions in Southern Iran. Habib’s birthplace, Boushehr, Iran is the cross-roads of distinct cultures: Persian, Muslim and African influences give the music and rhythms of this region a unique sound and texture. With all of this history and experience in his backpack, Habib moved from southern Iran to Paris and from there, all over the globe. He has been exchanging rhythms with musicians from diverse cultural backgrounds, a percussion merchant. Habib has expanded his sound and his musical expertise to become one of the most in-demand perscussionists in the world music scene. With Shibaali, Habib brings audiences the treasures of his musical, global travels. Prismatic is proud to present Habib Meftahboushehri, in concert with special guest, master musician, Mohsen Sharifian. Mohsen Sharifian is a master of the ney-anban, a traditional double reed instrument, similar to a bagpipe, from southern Iran. He is also the leading global authority on the traditional music and instruments of Boushehr. Since childhood, Mohsan and Habib have been collaborating and influencing each other’s musical projects. It is a rare opportunity for these globe-trotting musicians to appear together on stage. Prismatic is honoured to bring Habib’s newest work, Shibaali, to audiences in Canada, with Nicolas Lacoumette and special guest performer, Mohsen Sharifian.

opening Gala

Rebecca Thomas Hubert Francis

Master of Ceremonies & Spoken Word Welcome Song

Mahalia Smith

Monologue & Song

Sina Bathaie

Musical Performance

AVA

Seventeen-year-old Iranian Ava challenges the strict rules of her traditional upbringing and learns that her mother broke the rules as a young woman as well. Ava’s first visit to the gynecologist with her mother is a traumatic experience for the 16-year-old young woman. Trauma gives way to anger when Ava discovers her mother’s dishonesty and learn of the rules she broke, when she was the age Ava is now. Bewildered and enraged, Ava attempts and fails suicide at school. To avoid being expelled, she accepts a deal to snitch on her classmates, but a guilty conscience is a heavy burden. Misunderstood by her parents and tormented by school, Ava decides on a third way forward. Prismatic is honoured to be presenting Ava, which has won numerous awards at Toronto International Film Festival (2017) and the Canadian Screen Awards (2018), including best first film and best actress in a supporting role.

Sadaf Foroughi

Sadaf Foroughi is an Iranian-Canadian, Montreal-based filmmaker. She began her artistic career in 2003 by creating and producing short films, documentaries and video art. Foroughi graduated with an MA in Film Studies from the University of Provence, and obtained a degree in Film Production from the New York Film Academy. Sadaf’s debut feature film AVA had its premier in the Toronto International Film Festival

September 11 at 9pm – Artists of the Iranian Diaspora

RECEPTION AND PANEL DISCUSSION – PRESENTED BY CRESCO ATLANTICA HOTEL HALIFAX – COMMONS ROOM (TICKETED)

Following Shibaali concert, Prismatic hosts a reception and panel discussion to explore the artistic and professional challenges and opportunities facing artists in the Iranian diaspora. Hear from Prismatic 2018 artists: Habib Meftahboushehri (France), Sina Bathaie (Canada), Rah-Eleh (Canada), Mohsen Sharifian (Iran) and Shahin Sayadi (Canada / US).

September 12 at 1:30pm – Inside the Creative Process

ROOM 1028 - THE KENNETH C. ROWE MANAGEMENT BUILDING, DALHOUSIE UNIVERSITY (FREE)

A part of Intro to Performance class but Open to the Public, Prismatic 2018 artists, Shahin Sayadi and Rah-Eleh, will be engaging with students of the Fountain School of Performing Arts (Dalhousie University) to provide a “behindthe-scenes” look into the creative process that the artists employ to develop and produce their theatre, visual arts and performance art works.

September 13 at 6pm – Rah-Eleh – Artist Talk

AGNS – WINDSOR FOUNDATION LECTURE THEATRE (FREE)

Visual and performance artist Rah-Eleh will be speaking about her creative process and work, with specific reference to SuperNova – the artist’s installation that is co-presented by Prismatic and the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia.

September 14 – Santee Smith – Artist Talk

SPATZ THEATRE (ACCESS WITH PERFORMANCE TICKET) Following the student matinee performance of The Mush Hole Award-winning dancer and choreographer, Santee Smith, will engage with audiences following the performance of The Mush Hole. talk

September 14 – Shahin Sayadi – Artist Talk

DALHOUSIE ARTS CENTRE – DUNN THEATRE (ACCESS WITH TICKET)

Theatre artist, Shahin Sayadi, will engage with audiences following the final performance of Asheq at Prismatic 2018. He will be discussing his creative influences and the process used to develop and produce Asheq: Ritual Music to Cure a Lover.

September 14 at 1:00pm – Access and Equity, in the Performing Arts

STUDIO TWO, DALHOUSIE ARTS CENTRE, 6101 UNIVERSITY AVENUE

Prismatic is proud to partner with the Fountain School of Performing Arts to bring culturally diverse, professional artists into university classrooms to engage with performing arts students. Rah-eleh Film Analysis Masterclass September 10th – 2:30pm to 5:30pmmaster

Sina Bathaie

Composition Masterclass September 14th – 9:30am to 11:30am

classes

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