Ta’zieh in West Mass, Held in Umass Amherst

Ta’zieh – Between Two Rivers | Play inspired by the Religious-Iranian Traditions on Muharram and Ashura

This Event was held in Umass campus and had a very good feedback from the community. Tazieh is held in Moharam and in inspiration to feeling Muslims (sheas) have for the 3rd Imam “Hosseing ebn Ali” and what happen to him and his 72 soldiers in Ashura.

What is Tazieh?

Ta’zieh or Ta’zïye or Ta’zīya or Tazīa, (Arabic: تعزية‎‎, Persian: تعزیه‎‎, Urdu: تعزیہ‎) means comfort, condolence. It comes from roots aza (عزو and عزى) which means mourning. Depending on the region, time, occasion, religion, etc. the word can signify different cultural meanings and practices:  In Persian cultural reference it is a kind of Condolence Theater inspired by historical and religious events, symbolizing epic spirit and resistance.  In reference to Iranian Shiism it is a kind of Passion Play on the tragic killing of Hussein.

In South Asia and in the Caribbean it refers specifically to the Miniature Mausoleums (imitations of the mausolems of Karbala, generally made of coloured paper and bamboo) used in ritual processions held in the month of Muharram.
Ta’ziyeh as a kind of passion play is a kind of comprehensive indigenous form considered as being the national form of Iranian theatre which have pervasive influence in the Iranian works of drama and play. It originates from some famous mythologies and rites such as Mithraism, Sug-e-Siavush (Mourning for Siavush) and Yadegar-e-Zariran or Memorial of Zarir. (WkiPedia)

UMASS Theatre production of Ta’Zieh

This Play was Conceived by Nikoo Mamdoohi and Q-Mars Haeri, Written by Q-Mars Haeri and Ifa Bayeza, Directed by Nikoo Mamdoohi