Week 1: Remembering Our Past(s)
"Come on, birds, put on the cloak of nothingness, drink from the cup of annihilation! Let's go. The journey is many years ahead."
Conference of the Birds, based on the 12th century epic by Sufi poet Farid ud-din Attar, was Pangea’s first production ever. We remounted this play in 2009 in celebration of our 15th anniversary and again in 2016 to commemorate our 20th Anniversary. With each iteration, we chose a new direction to take the piece and were transformed again and again by its wisdom.
Conference of the Birds metaphorically maps out the journey of the human ego and the quest for truth. In this classic tale, the birds of the world take flight on a pilgrimage to find their celebrated king, but the dangers and hardships encountered along the way cause many in the flock to abandon their search. In the end the small number of birds that survive uncover a profound secret.
One of the many beautiful aspects of this production was the original music
created by Dan Rein.
Looking back at all the times we have adapted Conference of the Birds reminds us that Pangea has always been rooted in bringing people together, looking at our struggles, and finding triumph together.
We are three days into our #25DaysFor25Years celebration, and our generous community is already helping us resource more work just like this. Don’t forget- our completely online silent auction, full of amazing items from our community, is coming soon!
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