Seek the Water takes place in an Iranian jail, and examines the impact of the Iranian Revolution and subsequent mass migration on three families. It was selected for Custom Made Theater’s 2018 Undiscovered Works Program.
In 1979 Iranians from all social backgrounds took to the streets to demand the ouster of the Shah of Iran. In the aftermath of the Iranian Revolution an Islamic theocracy emerged, and many of the young revolutionaries became its target.
This sparked the largest mass migration of Iranians since the migration to India in the seventh century. As an historical event, its ramifications are still being felt globally. Three decades following the Revolution, Iranian-Americans number in the millions and live in urban areas across the US. Although they have contributed to economic and cultural life in their new country, they have maintained a relatively low profile amidst xenophobia and anti-Iranian political rhetoric.
- Staged reading at Berkeley Repertory School of Theater, August 2017. Directed by Naseem Badiey.
- Staged reading at Custom Made Theater, April 2018. Directed by Kalon Thibodeaux.
- Staged reading at Custom Made Theater, August 2018. Directed by Stuart Bousel.
- Staged reading at Custom Made Theater, June 2019. Produced by the Playwrights’ Center of San Francisco.
Naseem Badie 