Lookingglass Theatre Company Iraq, But Funny

Chicago’s Tony-Award winningLookingglass Theatre Company is proud to announce its next production, the world premiere of Iraq, But Funny, May 29 – July 20, 2025, in The Joan and Paul Theatre at Water Tower Water Works, 163 E. Pearson St. at Michigan Ave. This semi-autobiographical play is written by Ensemble Member Atra Asdou and directed by Dalia Ashurina and features Susaan Jamshidi, Gloria Imseih Petrelli, James Rana, Sina Pooresmaeil and Atra Asdou. 

A raucous satire about five generations of Assyrian women reclaiming their stories, as narrated by a British guy. Making its world premiere at Lookingglass Theatre, Ensemble Member Atra Asdou’s original dark comedy jauntily marches through the Ottoman Empire to modern-day U.S.A. exploring history, family and dysfunction.  

“When you think of Iraq, you don’t usually think of comedy. I started writing Iraq, But Funny four years ago because I needed a place to put my family’s stories and wanted to share a side of my people audiences rarely see: their sense of humor,” said Playwright Atra Asdou. “Iraq, But Funny explores the cyclical nature of mother/daughter and familial/generational relationships and how they relate to the cyclical nature of invasions, war and world history.

And who better to give voice to Assyrian women than a British guy who narrates the whole thing. I’m also in the cast of Iraq, But Funny and we hope to make you laugh, learn and feel like you’re part of the family, too. Who knew colonialism could be so fun!”    

The cast of Iraq, But Funny includes Susaan Jamshidi (she/her, Actor 1); Gloria Imseih Petrelli (she/they, Actor 2);  James Rana (he/him, Actor 3); Sina Pooresmaeil (he/him, Actor 4) and Atra Asdou+ (she/her, Actor 5). 

More information on the cast and creative teams may be found here. 

The creative team of Iraq, But Funny  is Atra Asdou+ (she/her, writer); Dalia Ashurina (she/her, director);Isabel Patt (they/them, stage manager); Lili Bjorklund (they/them, assistant stage manager); Omid Akbari (he/him, scenic designer); Christine A. Binder~ (she/her, lighting designer); Mara Blumenfeld+ (she/her, costumer designer);

Christie Chiles Twillie (she/her, sound designer); Avi Amon (he/him, composer); Amanda Herrmann (they/them, props designer); Michael Commendatore (he/him, projections designer) and Naysan Mojgani (he/him, dramaturg). 

+ Connotes Lookingglass Ensemble Member

~ Connotes Lookingglass Artistic Associate

Iraq, But Funny has previews Thursday, May 29 – Saturday, May 31 at 7:30 p.m., Sunday, June 1 at 1:30 p.m. and Wednesday, June 4 – Friday,  June 6 at 7:30 p.m.,  with a press opening on Saturday, June 7 at 6 p.m. The performance schedule for June 8 – July 20 is Wednesdays at 7 p.m., Thursdays at 1:30 and 7 p.m., Fridays at 7 p.m., Saturdays at 1:30 and 7 p.m. and Sundays at 1:30 p.m., with additional Tuesday performances at 7 p.m. on June 17 and July 1. There will be no performances on the holidays of Juneteenth (Thursday, June 19) and the Fourth of July (Friday, July 4).  The estimated running time is two hours and 15 minutes including one intermission. Iraq, But Funny single tickets are $30 – $90 and are available at LookingglassTheatre.org.