IRAQ, BUT FUNNY PROGRAM – Lookingglass Theatre Company

Iraq, But Funny

Written by Atra Asdou^

Directed by Dalia Ashurina

Creative Team

Scenic Designer

Omid Akbari

Lighting Designer

Christine A. Binder

Costume Designer

Mara Blumenfeld^

Sound Designer

Christie Chiles Twillie

Composer

Avi Amon

Props Designer

Amanda Herrmann

Projections Designer

Michael Commendatore

Dramaturg

Naysan Mojgani

Stage Manager

Isabel Patt

Assistant Stage Manager

Lili Bjorklund

Director of Production

Nikolaj Sorensen

Cast

Susaan Jamshidi – Actor 1

Gloria Imseih Petrelli – Actor 2

James Rana – Actor 3

Sina Pooresmaeil – Actor 4

Atra Asdou – Actor 5

^Member of Lookingglass Theatre Company, Ensemble Member or Artistic Associate.

*Member of Actors’ Equity Association (AEA), the union for professional actors and stage managers.

+ Member of United Scenic Artists, Local 829 of the IATSE.

(SDC) Member of Society of Directors and Choreographers, the union for directors and choreographers.

Support for Iraq, But Funny

Production Sponsors

Opening Night Sponsors

Thank You to Our Season Sponsors

Production Staff

Production Coordinator

Kate Sullivan Coombs

Technical Director

Skate Ehling, Dan Machalinski

Lighting Supervisor

Aaron Lichamer

Sound Supervisor

Max Volpert

Assistant Sound Supervisor

Cooper Josties

Costume Director

Savana Nix

Assistant Costume Shop Manager

Lucy Elkin

Costume Design Assistant

Brenda Winstead

Floor Manager

Olivia Zapater-Charrette

Deck Crew

Hanna Smaglis

Deck Crew Cover

Kevin Vilchez

Wardrobe Supervisor

Auden Granger

Scenic Charge Artist

Sarah Lewis

Projections Programmer

Parker Molacek

A Conversation with the Creators of Iraq, But Funny

Lookingglass Ensemble Member and Creative Producer, Kareem Bandealy, sat down with minds behind Iraq, But Funny.

Click to read the full interview:

Note from Dramaturg Naysan Mojgani

Click to read the full Dramaturgical Note:

Click for additional information about Iraq, But Funny

Meet the Creators

Atra Asdou
Playwright

Dalia Ashurina
Director

Meet the Cast

Susaan Jamshidi
Actor 1

Sina Pooresmaeil
Actor 4

Gloria Imseih Petrelli
Actor 2

Atra Asdou
Actor 5

James Rana
Actor 3

Meet the Creatives

Stage Manager – Isabel Patt
Assistant Stage Manager – Lili Bjorklund

Scenic Designer – Omid Akbari
Lighting Designer – Christine A. Binder
Costume Designer – Mara Blumenfeld
Sound Designer – Christie Chiles Twillie
Composer – Avi Amon
Props Designer – Amanda A. Herrmann
Projections Designer – Michael Commendatore
Dramaturg – Naysan Mojgani

Director of Production – Nikolaj Sorensen
Production Coordinator – Kate Sullivan Coombs

Technical Directors – Skate Ehling, Dan Machalinski
Scenic Charge Artist – Sarah Lewis

Lighting Supervisor – Aaron Lichamer

Sound Supervisor – Max Volpert
Assistant Sound Supervisor – Maya Reter

Costume Director – Savana Nix
Assistant Costume Shop Manager – Lucy Elkin
Costume Design Assistant – Brenda Winstead

Floor Manager – Olivia Zapater-Charrette
Deck Crew – Hanna Smaglis
Wardrobe Supervisor – Auden Granger
Wardrobe Assistant – Sydnee Lasseigne
Projections Programmer – Parker Molacek
Deck Crew Cover – Kevin Vilchez

Coming Up in Our Season

Lookingglass Theatre and Actors Gymnasium team up once to again to bring you an original, circus-infused story that showcases the transformative magic of a simple act of kindness. Conveyed without spoken language, and through dance, clown, and circus, Ice Cream Circus! is designed for all generations and for all language backgrounds.
Sunday, Aug 17 at 5:30 pm at Gill Park (825 W. Sheridan Rd.)
Tuesday, Aug 19 at 5 pm at Seneca Park (Lookingglass’s Backyard!)
Thursday, Aug 21 at 6 pm at Trumbull Park (2400 E. 105^th St.)
Friday, Aug 22 at 6 pm at Kennicott Park (4434 S. Lake Park Ave.)
Sunday, Aug 24 at 3 pm at Tallmadge Park (Actors Gym)
Click to learn more about Ice Cream Circus.

New! This season, go behind the scenes of every Lookingglass show with workshops and classes designed to spark your curiosity. During Circus Quixote, join Lookingglass and the Actors Gymnasium before the show for a juggling lesson that will lift your spirits and get you ready to show off new party tricks. Let’s play! Best for ages 8+
Sign up for A LookinggClass: Juggling 101.

Chicago from above. Contiguous. Glittering. Bordered only by vast, shimmering Lake Michigan. A city connected.Chicago at street level. Blocks sliced into 50 circuitous, disparate districts. A city splintered.
Practiced in “connection,” our artistic collective hits the pavement with cameras, curiosity, and storytelling savvy to bring you a series of multi and mixed media pieces from each of Chi-town’s 50 municipal parcels.
50 Wards: A Civic Mosaic is an ambitious attempt to make our town feel like it looks from above: linked, complete. Watch as we weave together a dazzling tapestry of hometown experiences, bridge the distance between neighborhoods, and plot the line from our fascinating history to our complex present on through to tomorrow’s promise, beginning with these first ten (of 50!) films.
Learn more about 50 Wards: A Civic Mosaic.

Support Lookingglass

As a nonprofit organization, Lookingglass Theatre relies on donations for nearly 70% of its budget. We are grateful to you, our supporters, for believing in the work that we do on and off-stage. When you make a gift, you join a community of donors that make it possible for Lookingglass to journey into developing and producing the vivid adventures audiences experience on our stage, ground-breaking new play development, innovative arts education programs for thousands of under-resourced students, and partnerships with community organizations to bridge gaps throughout Chicago.
Join the Lookingglass Journey Today.

Lookingglass Theatre Company’s annual fundraiser returns on March 20, 2025 at The Casino Club. Join us for an unforgettable experience that takes guests on a dream-like journey through the first night of Spring—featuring an epic pajama party.
Purchase your unGala: Dream tickets.
Co-Chairs: Richard Chapman, Luis Gutierrez, Deann and Rick Bayless
2025 Dream Committee: (In Formation) Rachel Arfa, Geoffrey Baer & Amelia Kohm, Nick Cave & Bob Faust, Sean & Jenni Clark, Scott Johnson & Gary Metzner, Erin Harkey, Matt & Turiya Luzadder, Bill Melamed, Diana and Michael Sands, Lisa Yun Lee
Thank you to our Dreamers:
Fantasy: Joan and Paul Rubschlager, Rich Chapman, Chapman Associates
Illusion: Joseph & Bessie Feinberg Foundation, Lee & Sandy Golub, Son Neuroscience, Steve & Lorrayne Weiss
Reverie: Epstein Becker Green, Exelon
Daydream: Jamey Lundbla & Bill Melamed, Andrew & Heidi Graham, Luis Gutierrez, Larry & Winne Kearns, Diane &Chris Whatton
Donate to the Dream.
Become an unGala Sponsor.

Lookingglass Theatre Company gratefully recognizes the gifts and partnerships provided by our community of individual donors. As a nonprofit theatre, we are thankful for their generosity and their capacity to support our mission, our artists, and the theatrical and educational experiences we are able to provide.
If you would like to join this group of members, please contact Carlos García León, Assistant Director of Development at cgarcialeon@lookingglasstheatre.org.
Anonymous (5)
Steve Armstrong and Christopher Talbot
Rachel Avraham
Joanne Baizer
Lorraine Barba
Sandra Bass
Deborah Baughman
Deann and Rick Bayless
Mary Beaubien
Jennifer Benson
Molly Beran and Todd Chaney
David Bernstein
Henry and Leigh Bienen
Robert Bradbury
Kevin Brady
Thomas Broderick
Kathleen Brown
Cheryl Bruce
Brenda Langstraat
Gregory Cameron
David and Kerry Catlin
Richard Chapman
Robert Chapman
Joyce Chelberg
Tony Chin
Mary Cianfrocca
Tom Claggett
Barbara Clayton
Joy Clendenning and Michael Scott
Jay Cohen
Linda B Coleman
Laura Comiskey
Sharla Cooper
Anne Davis
Deanna Dunagan
Peggy Kelly
Geoffrey Dybas
Steven Edelstein
Mr. Jonathan Eller
Carol Farver
Laura Ferrell
Rachel Fink
Timothy Fox
Charlie and Stephanie Frankel
Sandy and Jim Freeburg
Stephen Friedman
Susan Gaud
Lori Ann Gerdisch
Lee and Sandy Golub
Sylvia Grady
Mr. Craig Grannon
Jennifer Hall
Michael Harrington and Anne Pramaggiore
Jacqueline Hayes
Alyssa Hemmingsen
Barbara Hodder
Tom Hurwich
Justin Huscher
Judith Iacuzzi
Nora Jaskowiak
Justine Jentes
Christian Jessen
Gary Metzner
Laura Hunt
Michelle Joseph
Elena Kamel
Charles L. Katzenmeyer
Judith Kaufman
Larry and Winnie Kearns
Tom Kehoe
Nathaniel Keller
Peggy Kelly
Julie Koerner
Judy and Peter Blum Kovler Foundation
Rachel Kraft and Doug Brown
Hari Kumar
Brenda Langstraat
Mr. James Lannen
Yvonne Lee
John Lippman
Jerome Loew
Vivek Mali
Taylor Malishenko
Jeremy and Joan Mattson
Rita McConville
Cheryl McEachran
Michael McMillan
Melinda McMullen
Jill and Jonathan Meier
Robert Melamed
Jacki Melnyk
Marla Mendelson
Claire Miller
Kristi Moynihan
Michael Murzanski
Joan Oh
Barbara O’Keefe
Susan Okimoto
Sue Pajakowski
Georgia Parchem
David Perry
Elizabeth Phillips
Samuel Prentice Jr
Jerry Proffit
Ms. Barbara Richards
Joanna Riopelle
Ms. Abbie Roth
Mr. Alan Rottman
Diana and Michael Sands
Donna Schatt
William Schwaber
David Schwimmer
Arthur Schwimmer
Joanna Sevim
Ilene Shaw
Richard Smith
Yasmeen Soin
Robert Stearn
Matthew Steinmetz
Susan Stephenson
Catherine Stewart and Geoffrey Smith
Jon Stillman
Jon Stillman
Mary Pat Studdert
Megan Tamte
Nancy and Michael Timmers
Ian Tregillis
Scott Turow
Stephen Uihlein
Anne Van Wart
Lane Vanderslice
Rachel Vidal
Steve and Lorrayne Weiss
Diane and Christopher Whatton
Lawrence White
Joshua Yellen
Mary Zimmerman
Elizabeth Zoia
Donor listing reflects all gifts of $250 and above received as of September 1, 2023.

Thank you to our Institutional Contributors:

John R. Halligan Charitable Fund

Anonymous Foundation

Illinois Emergency Management

Board of Directors

Board Chairperson – Richard Chapman
Vice President – Steve Weiss
Secretary – Jill Reznick Meier
Treasurer – Molly Beran
Governance Chair – Brenda Langstraat Bui
Chanon DiCarlo
Luis Gutierrez
Chairperson Emeritus – Diane Whatton

Emeritus Board: Geoffrey Baer, Liz Barrett, Leigh Bienen, Joe Brady,
Richard Bromley, Paul Gray, Jon Harris, Rachel E. Kraft, Celia G. Leventhal, Rocque E. Lipford, Jr., Taylor Malishenko
Chairperson Emeritus: Joe Brady, Richard A. Ditton, Lisa Naparstek Green, John McGowan, Nancy Timmers
Presidents Emeritus: Richard Chapman, Christine Mary Dunford, James Johnson, John Morris, Todd Leland, Scot Pepper, Kevin Rochford

The Department of Curiosity

Hooray! Lookingglass Camps are BACK for Summer 2025! We can’t wait to welcome you to our newly renovated space for two unique camps that will explore themes from our upcoming season!
Paper Magic: a Shadow Puppet Camp August 4 – 8, 9am – 3pm Ages 6 – 10
Lights. Paper. Magic! Create epic adventures with shadow puppets as you design, build, and bring your own puppets to life using storytelling traditions from around the world. Through creative drama and movement games, we’ll explore folk tales from around the world, invent original heroes and villains, and build magical stories to share! Learn how to build your own puppets, skillfully manipulate your creations to tell exciting tales, and explore the way light and shadow can be used to build story and suspense. Learn the fundamentals of Lookingglass playmaking techniques, explore design and story structure, and go to the park each day for lunch. By the end of the session, you’ll be ready to invite your friends and family to join you on a magical adventure into, and out of, the shadows!
Mysterious City: A Chicago Scavenger Hunt Camp August 11 – 15, 9am – 3pm Ages 8 – 14
“Are you a gifted young person looking for special opportunities?” begins the mysterious letter in your mailbox. The Mysterious City Society needs your help! Together, we’ll build a summer adventure demanding all your creativity and daring-do! Your mission: report to the historic Lookingglass Water Tower theatre for a scavenger hunt camp that will take us through the Lookingglass, beyond the pumping station pipes, and back in time through the pop culture, music, and movements and milestones of our city’s not-so-distant past. Learn the fundamentals of Lookingglass playmaking techniques, explore the structure of scavenger hunts and choose your own adventure stories, search for clues on walking field trips, and work with Lookingglass teaching artists to create an original scavenger hunt play to share with family and friends. Make something special you can re-play all summer long.
Learn more about summer camp!

Curiosity is a driving impulse behind Lookingglass’ work on stage and in our community. Guided by the Company’s mission to make theatre “exhilarating, inspirational, and accessible to all,” Lookingglass’ Curiosity Department cultivates creativity, expands access, and transforms classrooms and communities across the city we call home.
Learn more about the Department of Curiosity.

Heading into it’s 26th year, The Lookingglass Young Ensemble (YE) is a group of Chicago-area young adults, ages 13-18, committed to building their theater skills, lifting their voices, and developing their creativity through collaborative creation.
This year the Young Ensemble performs The Portrait of Madame X, written and co directed by Lookingglass Ensemble Member, Phil Smith, with co direction by Lookingglass Ensemble Member Louise Lamson and based on an adaptation of Alexander Pushkin’s Queen of Spades by Tommy Rapley and Dennis Watkins.
Who is really holding the cards at Madame X’s high stakes Gaming Parlor? Find out as the one and only Lookingglass Young Ensemble unspools their feverish take of Alexander Pushkin’s unrivaled tale of gambling and the supernatural, “The Queen of Spades.”
Performances are March 2 at 7:30 pm and March 3 and 4 at 7 pm
Tickets are $35 for adults and $10 for students
Stay tuned for when tickets go on sale to the public!

Lookingglass’s Community Partnerships aim to fulfill the Company’s mission “to make theatre exhilarating, inspirational, and accessible to all.”  Building on our longtime commitment to the whole City of Chicago, these programs cultivate relationships with community-based organizations, bringing artists onsite to neighborhoods across the City and providing tickets to Lookingglass’s mainstage productions at no cost to participants. 
Learn more about Lookingglass’s Community Engagement Programs

PBS Lookingglass Alice: Your class can access our exciting acrobatic adaptation of “Alice In Wonderland” which has been streamed by nearly 2 million viewers to-date on the PBS app.
Residency Programs: The Lookingglass Theatre Company’s CPS Residency Programs bring the world of the theatre straight to the classroom. Our Teaching Artists provide rigorous theatre instruction based in Lookingglass core values of Collaboration, Invention and Transformation. We provide both theatre-based instruction and arts integration programming. Our curriculum is aligned with the Chicago Guide to Teaching & Learning in the Arts, as well as the Illinois Learning Standards for Fine Arts. Our programs can be offered during school or after school, and are individually customized with our partners’ goals and needs in mind. Currently we are at work in schools and with community agencies in and around Chicago!
Learn more about Lookingglass School Programs.

About Lookingglass

“Oh my, how curious everything is!” – Alice, Lewis Caroll, Through the Looking Glass and what Alice Found There
When Alice walked through the looking glass, she walked into a world beyond imagination. She walked into a world more involving and intoxicating than any movie or circus, more thrilling than a high-speed chase, more frightening than a child’s nightmare, and more beautiful than a thunderstorm on a hot summer night. She awoke with a new sense of herself in the world and her own power within it.
Reflected in Lewis Carroll’s achievement is the mission of the Lookingglass Theatre Company. Through theatre, which invites, even demands, interaction with its audience, our goal is to fire the imagination with love, to celebrate the human capacity to taste and smell, weep and laugh, create and destroy, and wake up where we first fell — changed, charged and empowered.
The Lookingglass Theatre Company combines a physical and improvisational rehearsal process centered on ensemble with training in theatre, dance, music, and the circus arts. We seek to redefine the limits of theatrical experience and to make theatre exhilarating, inspirational, and accessible to all.

Lookingglass Theatre Company plies its craft and paints its dreams in what is now called Chicago, the traditional homelands of the Council of the Three Fires: the Odawa, Ojibwe, and Potawatomi nations.  Other tribes-such as the Miami, Ho-Chunk, Menominee, Sauk, Meskwaki, and Fox-also called this area home. Indigenous people continue to live in the region, and practice their heritage and traditions, including care for the land and waterways.
For more information and other resources please consider visiting the website for the Chi-Nations Youth Council (https://chinations.org/).
And to learn more about where you live and Indigenous Sovereignty please visit  Native-Land.ca.

Founded in 1988 by graduates of Northwestern University, Lookingglass Theatre Company is a nationwide leader in the creation and presentation of new, cutting-edge theatrical works and in sharing its ensemble-based theatrical techniques with Chicago-area students and teachers through Education and Community Programs. Guided by an artistic vision centered on the core values of collaboration, transformation, and invention, Lookingglass seeks to capture audiences’ imaginations leaving them changed, charged and empowered.
Recipient of the 2011 Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre, Lookingglass has built a national reputation for artistic excellence and ensemble-based theatrical innovation. Notable world premieres include Mary Zimmerman’s Tony Award-winning Metamorphoses, The Arabian Nights, and The Odyssey, David Schwimmer’s adaptation of Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle and Studs Terkel’s Race: How Blacks and Whites Think and Feel about the American Obsession, and David Catlin’s circus tribute to Lewis Carroll, Lookingglass Alice. Lookingglass’ work has been produced in more than a dozen US cities.

Updated November 2024
Lookingglass Theatre Company has always championed storytelling that leaves us all “changed, charged, and empowered.” Founded by an Ensemble of artists, our organization is maintained by and thrives due to the dedication of this Ensemble, our Board of Directors and Staff, and you.
Located on unceded lands in a historic Chicago building, on one of the city’s most affluent streets, we are aware of the privilege we’ve had within systems that have shaped history. This awareness drives our work towards dismantling oppressive values, structures, and behaviors within our organization and the broader theatre community.
This is the work of our AEI (Anti-racism, Equity, and Inclusion) Committee. This committee—made up of Ensemble, Staff, and Board members—meets regularly, fostering a culture of ongoing learning, resource-sharing, and open, challenging conversations. These efforts ensure that we remain committed to creating an environment that celebrates and values a multiplicity of identities and experiences.
Lookingglass aims to be a space where everyone feels a sense of belonging, regardless of race, ethnicity, cultural background, religious practice, sexual identity, gender identity and physical, mental or cognitive abilities. We believe that embracing the unique experience of each individual deepens our storytelling and builds pathways to understanding between all of us.

The health and safety of our audiences, artists, and staff are a top priority and we have invested our resources accordingly. As guidelines are constantly evolving, all policies are subject to change.
Masked performances are offered for patrons who are more comfortable in a masked environment, the following performances of Circus Quixote will require masks: February 21, March 12
To reduce physical contact, all play tickets will be digital, and programs will be offered as digital programs via the use of a QR code. A physical, printed half-sheet will also be available for audience members to grab at the performance if they would like one.
Our air ventilation system reflects current best practices in Covid-19 mitigation. This includes increasing our air intake to 25%, using MERV-11 pre-filters and MERV-16 filters, having installed a cabin air filter for our elevator, as well as completing a test and balance service to ensure that all aspects of the updated system are working at peak performance.
We commit to continuing frequent, enhanced cleaning and disinfecting. Please join us in washing and sanitizing our hands as necessary.

Lookingglass Company Members

Creative Producer, New Engagements – Kareem Bandealy
Creative Producer, Mellon Playwright in Residence – J. Nicole Brooks
Director of Education – Molly Bunder
General Manager – Sarah Burnham
Director of Development – Aurélia Fisher Cohen
Production Coordinator – Kate Sullivan Coombs
Marketing Manager – Allie DiSanto
Technical Director – Skate Ehling
Executive Assistant + Spektrix Manager – Josh Essex
Artistic Director – Kasey Foster
Assistant Director of Development – Carlos García León
Audience Services Lead – Oonagh Kelly
People and Culture Director – Jazmin Jones-Oliver
Managing Director – Jamey Lundblad
Technical Director – Dan Machalinski
Donor Relations and Data Manager – Mantra Radhakrishnan
Operations Manager – Nikolaj Sorensen
Director of Ticketing & Audience Services – Kylie Lucille Stover

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Lookingglass Merch is Here!

Lookingglass Merchandise

Head over to our concessions before or after the show to grab some Lookingglass Merch!

But wait.. There’s more! We also have an amazing online collection celebrating 35 years of Lookingglass Theatre: including brilliant hoodies, t-shirts, mugs, and hats!

Our Lookingglass Swag is the perfect gift for any theatre lover! Treat yourself or a loved one!

Shop Our New Collection

Venue Policies

The use of cameras (with or without flash), recorders, or other electronic devices is strictly prohibited. The video and/or audio recording of this performance by any means whatsoever is also strictly prohibited. Patrons are asked to silence cellular phones and double-check alarms before entering the theatre.

Please arrive early for your scheduled performance, shows begin promptly at the time indicated on your ticket. All late seating will be conducted at the discretion of the House Manager.
Everyone in the theatre must have a ticket. No babes in arms or kids on laps. In general, no children under the age of 5 are admitted into the theatre unless otherwise noted.

No outside food or drink in the theatre. Lookingglass Theatre is not responsible for personal property. Lost and Found is held at the box office.
Smoking is prohibited

Lookingglass Services & Amenities

During the run of Iraq, But Funny:

The Box Office hours are Tuesday-Saturday 12PM-8PM and Sunday from 12-4PM

The Box Office is closed on Mondays.

Need assistance? Call 312.337.0665, or email Box@LookingglassTheatre.org

Groups of 10 or more save up to 25% when you book a group for Circus Quixote!
A trip to Lookingglass is the perfect outing for your school group, office, in-town visit, retirement community, social group, book club, scout troop, religious group, or alumni organization!
Get a list of Pre-Show Restaurant Recommendations and Hotel Recommendations.
Take part in a Post-show discussion at select performances
Purchase before the general public.
Get a payment plans scheduled to accommodate your group’s needs.
Resource guides can be provided to enhance your group’s learning experience.
Click here, call 312.337.0665, or email Box@LookingglassTheatre.org to book your group today!

Give the Gift of Lookingglass!
Looking for the perfect gift for your fellow theatre lover? Lookingglass offers gift certificates for any custom dollar amount. Use them for a show or membership!
Lookingglass gift certificates are perfect for all occasions. Available in any denomination, gift certificates can be exchanged for tickets to any Lookingglass production.
Click here to purchase and learn more.

Lookingglass Theatre is accessible to people who use wheelchairs, those who cannot walk stairs, and patrons with visual and hearing impairments. Lookingglass strives to make our Theatre accessible to all. If you have any questions or requests for your visit, please contact our box office so that we can best accommodate your needs. 312.337.0665 | Box@LookingglassTheatre.org
Circus Quixote Accessible Offerings
Accessible Seating and Entrance
Mask required performances: February 21, March 12
Open caption performance: March 5
Audio Described and Touch Tour Performance: March 8

Interested in volunteering? Lookingglass is now accepting usher volunteers for performances!
Ushers will arrive an hour before curtain and assist with scanning tickets, handing out programs, coat check, and directing patrons to their seats. After the show, ushers will be responsible for light clean-up of the theater. Ushers are compensated for their work with a complimentary ticket to the performance they volunteer.
If you are interested in volunteering as an usher please email us at HouseManager@LookingglassTheatre.org