Song of the North is a large-scale, cinematic performance combining the manual art of shadow puppetry with projected animation to tell the courageous tale of Manijeh, a heroine from ancient Persia, who must use all her strengths and talents to rescue her beloved, Bijan, from a perilous predicament of her own making and help prevent a war. This epic love story employs a cast of 500 handmade puppets and a talented ensemble of nine actors and puppeteers, all of which come together to create a spectacular experience that advances the themes of unity, collaboration, and experimentation through performance and story. Song of the North, adapted from the Book of Kings (Shahnameh), challenges the Eurocentric worldview of art and storytelling through a contemporary multimedia experience of this classic Persian tale.
The World Premiere was in February 2022 at the Musée du quai Branly, Paris France. This was followed by the US Premiere March 5-12, 2022, at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, NYC.
The show was created, designed and directed by Hamid Rahmanian and produced by Melissa Hibbard, the script written by Hamid Rahmanian and Melissa Hibbard. It’s original score written and orchestrated by Loga Ramin Torkian featuring vocalist Azam Ali. The ensemble cast included Sam Jay Gold, Harrison Greene, Jenny Hann, Esme Roszel, Sarah Walsh, Clay Westman, and Christopher Williams and voice actors Mark Thompson, Christina Calph, Richard Epcar, and Rose Nisker. Stage manager is Zach Perez and company manager Ray Dondero
About the show
Song of the North is an 80-minute multi-disciplinary live performance. It employs shadow puppetry, animation, movement, and an original music score.
The Shahnameh is an ancient collection of myths from the Iranian plateau, a historical and cultural touchstone that is a national treasure in Iran. Song of the North continues Rahmanian’s exploration of this significant epic, and expands the theatrical methods used in Feathers of Fire, his first award-winning multi-media work, to introduce audiences of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities to the valuable artistic, historical, and cultural contributions of Iran.
The production combines multidisciplinary modes of representation to tell the story of Manijeh, a heroine admired for her strength and determination, who helps prevent war between rival kingdoms. One of the most striking elements of this work is the use of over 300 handmade puppets in the play which are inspired by the visual culture of Iran and it’s neighboring lands that evolved around the Shahnameh, with influences from Persian miniature paintings and etchings. The puppets also reference the once vibrant puppetry tradition of Iran while imbuing it with modern and international elements. The intricate puppets and seven actor-dancer-puppeteers interact and perform in front of stunning over 200 animated backgrounds and behind a large, 16X30 foot screen set up at the edge of a proscenium, on which the audience watches the entire show projected, immersing them in a live animated adventure.
Through the multi-sensory telling of this ancient myth, and accompanying engagement programs, we aim to encourage audiences to feel a little less estranged from their neighbors, and illuminate the values and similar experiences we all share.
They will take this show to diverse cities, some of which may not be familiar with the art form and/or Iranian culture. They are also collaborating with local institutions, creating outreach programs that included school performances for at risk youth, ESL learners, and kids with disabilities; workshops for children and adults in areas of dance, shadow puppetry and puppet making, artist talks with university students in theater, Persian arts and arts management; and talk backs with audiences on the process of creating the work.
As an American citizen, born in Iran, Rahmanian works to bridge gaps of understanding, and highlight shared ideals and values in the face of cultural vilification, and official discrimination. The source material of Song of the North is the Persian epic, the Shahmaneh, a beautiful, powerful, and accessible point of entry. We strongly believe that striving toward equity, diversity, and inclusion are hallmarks of a thriving and robust society.
Our work advocates for voices that have been historically misrepresented through work that is accessible for patrons of all ages, cultural backgrounds, economic groups, and physical ability. We embrace artists of all backgrounds and are committed to telling stories that prompt conversation, inspire compassion, and promote empathy.