about us
Don Quixote Theatre Group aimes to explore new ways of communication with audience by attempting to eliminate some of their prior knowledge while producing a theatre liberated from literature,enriched from peformative potentials of nontheatrical things,events and games. In order to reach these main objectives,Don Quixote Group has produced experimental theatres using: • Iranian performance traditions and rituals to discover performing functions of them in contemporary theatre. • Familiar literary texts to emply audience’s pre-knowledge in producing theatre. • Emphasis in physical presence of actor on the stage to discover the best alternative instead of the "words".
Our History
In 1996-7, some of theatre students of art and architecture faculty of Azad University of Tehran were gathered to practice and perform “Mother Courage and Her Children”. That was the first serious theatrical activity of this group which had no name and people called it’s actors as “The Children of Mother Courage”. They practiced day and night, about six hours a day and they tried to form a theatre group. ( at first they practiced this play in a Small House Of Play in Azad University, and then in a small dusty yard in Taleghani St. which is famous as “Dust House”(Khaak Khaaneh).
Muhammad Reza Alimardani, Zahra Esmaili, Ali Soruar, Neda Maghsoodi, Younes Lotfi, Nasim Ahmadpour, Alireza Bagheri, Noushin Tabrizi, Arash Bozorgzadeh, Abbas Habibi, Iman Zoghi, Habib Shakoori, Hengameh Gholam Rezayi, Ashkan Ghaffar adli, Akbar Ghahremani, Aarezoo Muhammadnezhad, Afshin Ghadimi, Hamid Esmaili, and Ali Asghar Dashti were “The Children of Mother Courage”.
Some of these names stayed with Mother Courage until the end, and some others leaved during the work. Practices were ended, but repetitively reviewing of Iranian theatre managers and unsuccessfulness in Mother Courage’s performance effected very bad and deep effects. However, stayed member of the group started to work on “An Eagle with Two Heads” immediately, but it was stopped very soon at the practice process.
These stayed members performed two staged-street plays; “Hand & Leg Seller”, and “Love Conversation of Two Polices behind the Traffic Light” in two years of Fadjr International Theatre Festival and they also performed staged-street play “Broken Tent” in two years of International University Theatre Festival of Puppet Show.
During all these years, our band had at least a work which was ready to participate in Fadjr International Theatre Festival, but every year, they rejected those plays.
However, the theatre band had trip to Ghoodjan village and watched Taziye theatre, therefore it found a new point of view to Iranian theatre and some new members were also added to the group after the trip.
Adaptation of “The Faithful Woman” which was a tale from Elahi-Name Attar Nayshabouri, and changing it as a play in form of Taziye under the title of “Tale of Woman’s Play- Reading” (Naghle Shabih Khaani-ye- Zan) was the first professional experience of the “Khavid Theatre Band”. This play had successful performance in Iran Traditional- Ritual Theatre Festival and it also was warmly welcomed in public show in Sanglaj hall.
Holding acting and play-writing workshop by “The Children of Mother Courage” at Shaykh Haadi cultural house, was the preface to produce “Café, Interior, Night” (Shab, Daakheli, Kaafishop) play. Simultaneously with producing this play, practices on Taziye by starting “Play-Reading Session of Little Prince” (Majlese Shabih Khaani Shazdeh Kouchooloo) were continued. This play participated in Iran Traditional- Ritual Theatre Festival and then it was performed in New Hall of City Theatre complex. At last, the book of “Little Play” was published in Iran.
Six months after “Little Prince” performance, “Café, Interior, Night” was performed in the “Theatre House of theatre office.
“Café, Interior, Night” was performing and at the same time, practicing of “Don Quixote” was started. Name of group was changed to Don Quixote.
“Don Quixote” play psrticipated in Art of Asia Festival in Spain after that it’s participation in Fadjr International Theatre Festival and public show in Ghashghai hall. …and then, practices and system of performance of “Pinocchio” (2006) play was caused to look from new window; the view which experiences its new steps and has long way to be stable.
TIMELINE OF DON QUIXOTE THEATRE GROUP
1996 | Beginning of theatrical activity |
1997-2001 | Working on “Mother Courage and Her Children” Written by “Bertolt Berecht” Directed by “Ali Asghar Dashti” Art and Architecture Faculty of Islamic Azad University of Tehran |
1997 | Working on “The Man with a Flower in His Mouth” Written by “Luigi Pirandello” Directed “Ali Asghar Dashti” Art and Architecture Faculty of Islamic Azad University of Tehran |
1999 | Working on “The Eagle Has Two Heads” Written by “Jean Cocteau” Directed by “Ali Asghar Dashti” Art and Architecture Faculty of Islamic Azad University of Tehran
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| Working on “Maid to Marry” Written by “Eugene Lonescoˮ Directed by “Ali Asghar Dashti” Art and Architecture Faculty of Islamic Azad University of Tehran
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| Working on “The Indifferent Loverˮ Written by “Jean Cocteauˮ Directed by “Ali Asghar Dashti” Art and Architecture Faculty of Islamic Azad University of Tehran
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| Working on “Someone Arrives” Written by “Sima Vasli Raadˮ Directed by “Ali Asghar Dashti” Art and Architecture Faculty of Islamic Azad University of Tehran
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| Performing “Hand & Leg Seller” (a street theatre) Written and directed by “Ali Asghar Dashtiˮ Fadjr International Theatre Festival,Tehran
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2000 | Performing “Amorous Conversation of Two Policemen Behind the Traffic Light” (a street theatre) Written and directed by “Ali Asghar Dashtiˮ Fadjr International Theatre Festival,Tehran
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| Performing “The Broken Tentˮ (a street, puppet theater) Written and directed by “Ali Asghar Dashtiˮ International Festival of Puppet Theatre,Tehran International University Festival of Puppet Theatre,Tehran
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| Performing “The Fish” Written and directed by “Ali Asghar Dashtiˮ Sharif University,Tehran |
2001 | Founding “Khavid Theatre Groupˮ
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| Performing “Zan” Written and directed by “Ali Asghar Dashtiˮ 11th Ritual-Traditional Theatre Festival, Tehran Sangelaj Theatre Hall,Tehran
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2003 | Holding an acting/playwriting workshop for the group members Sheykh Haadi Cultural House
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| Performing “Shabih-Khani of the Little Prince” Directed by “Ali Asghar Dashtiˮ 12th Ritual-Traditional Theatre Festival (2004),Tehran-Iran New Theatre Hall-City Theatre Complex ,Tehran
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2004 | Publishing “Shabih-Khani of the Little Prince” Written by “Ali Asghar Dashtiˮ Namayesh Publication
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| Performing “Café-Shop/Interior/Night” Written by “Mehdi Mir Mohamadiˮ,“Ali Asghar Dashti” and “Yunes Lotfiˮ Directed by “Ali Asghar Dashti” International Iran Zamin Theatre Festival,Ahwaz-Iran Theatre House ,Tehran
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2005 | Converting the name of the group to “Don Quixoteˮ
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| Performing “Don Quixoteˮ Written by “Ali Gholipour” Directed by “Ali Asghar Dashti” 23th Fadjr international Theatre Festival(2004) Ghashghaei Theatre Hall,City Theatre Complex,Tehran Asian Arts Festival,Barselona,Madrid-Spain
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2007 | Performing “Pinocchio” Dramaturg: “Nasim ahmadpourˮ Directed by “Nasim Ahmadpourˮ and “Ali Asghar Dashti” 26th Fadjr International Theatre Festival,Tehran Ghashghaei Theatre Hall,City Theatre Complex,Tehran(2008) Ruhr Theatre, Mulheim-Germany (2008)
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2008 | Composing statute of the group by its eight permanent members
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| Holding a workshop for Don Quixote members named “Let’s Tune our Bodies” Led by “Parvin Hadi Niaˮ Ghashghaei Theatre Hall,City Theatre Complex, Tehran
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2009 | Performing “Molla Nasreddin” Dramaturg: “Nasim Ahmadpourˮ Directed by “Ali Asghar Dashti” 27th Fadjr International Theatre Festival,Tehran Mowlavi Theatre Hall,Tehran
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2011 | Performing “Pinocchio 2” Written and directed by “Nasim Ahmadpourˮ Monoleev Festival ,Tehran
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2012 | Performing “A Repertoire of Don Quixote Works Unveiling Mohsen” Idea and dramaturg: “Nasim Ahmadpourˮ Directed by “Ali Asghar Dashti” Chaharsoo Theatre Hall,City Theatre Complex, Tehran
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| Performing “dal Khutai Namak” Written and directed by “Ali Shamsˮ Teatro Salauno,Rom- Italy Teatro Tordinono,Rom-Italy 2013
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| Performing “Tell/Zahhakˮ (a cooperative project) Written by “Brigitte Helbling” and “Nasim ahmadpour” Dramaturg: “Aydin Alinejad ”and “Nasim Ahmadpourˮ Directed by “Niklaus Helbling” and “Ali Asghar Dashtiˮ Altdorf-Switzerland (August-September 2012) Zürcher Theater Spektakel,Zurich-Switzerland (September 2012) 31th Fadjr International Theatre Festival,Tehran-Iran (January 2013) Theater der Künste Zürich,Zurich-Switzerland (February 2013)
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| Performing “Monodialogue” Written and directed by “Nasim Ahmadpourˮ Monoleev Festival,Tehran |
National Awards of Don Quixote Theatre Group
2000 | Best Play for “Broken Tentˮ Written by “Ali Asghar Dashtiˮ International University Festival of Puppet Theatre,Tehran
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2001 | Best Direction for “Zanˮ Directed by “Ali Asghar Dashtiˮ 11th Ritual-Traditional Theatre Festival ,Tehran-Iran
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| 2nd prize for directing “Shabih-Khani of the Little Prince” Directed by “Ali Asghar Dashtiˮ 12th Ritual-Traditional Theatre Festival,Tehran-Iran
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| Best scenic design for “Shabih-Khani of the Little Princeˮ Scenic designed by “Alireza Beyraghiˮ and “Ali Asghar Dashti” 12th Ritual-Traditional Theatre Festival,Tehran-Iran
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| Best actor for “Shabih-Khani of the Little Princeˮ Played by “Massoud Hehazi Mehrˮ 12th Ritual-Traditional Theatre Festival,Tehran-Iran
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| Diploma of honor for poetry of “Shabih-Khani of the Little Princeˮ Poetry: “Muhammad Motlagh” 12th Ritual-Traditional Theatre Festival,Tehran-Iran
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| Diploma of Honor for the teenage actor of “Shabih-Khani of the Little Princeˮ Played by “Ali Aghighiˮ 12th Ritual-Traditional Theatre Festival,Tehran-Iran
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| Diploma of Honor for actor of “Shabih-Khani of the Little Princeˮ Played by “Hassan Aghighi” 12th Ritual-Traditional Theatre Festival,Tehran-Iran
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2005 | selected as The Superior Theatre Group (Don Quixote) from Association of Theatre Critics and Playwrights of Iran.
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2013 | The best direction for “Tell/Zahhakˮ Directed by Niklaus Helbling and Ali Asghar Dashti 31th Fadjr International Theatre Festival, International competition section ,Tehran-Iran
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| Awarded for writing “Tellˮ part in “Tell/Zahhak” Written by Nasim Ahmadpour 31th Fadjr International Theatre Festival, International competition section ,Tehran-Iran
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| Awarded for acting in “Tell/Zahhakˮ playedby Farbod Farhang 31th Fadjr International Theatre Festival, International competition section,Tehran-Iran
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