Winni Playhouse features international production on outdoor stage

MEREDITH — The Winnipesaukee Playhouse continues its “through the ages”-themed season with the oldest story in the company’s repertoire, "The Conference of the Birds." In this adaptation of a poem by 12th century Persian mystic Farid ud-Din Attar, all the birds of the world gather to decide who is to be their king and set out on an epic journey.

The poem was adapted into the play in the 1970s by theatre artists Peter Brook and Jean-Claude Carriere, who toured throughout the Sahara with their company of actors including a young Helen Mirren. They would arrive at a village, roll out a carpet, and begin their tale.

The playhouse production, directed by Jamaican-born director Teisha Duncan, features a cast of seven performers from across the country and around the world. This multi-lingual cast includes performers from Iran, Colombia, and Mexico. Composer and musician Klimchak wrote an original score which he performs live onstage with the cast at each performance.

The Conference of the Birds is performed on the outdoor amphitheatre stage. Costume designer Nick Cochran has provided colorful costumes which pay tribute to the performers’ cultural heritages. Masks, fabrics, and puppets are used to create birds and other various creatures from bats to humans.

The show runs through Sept. 17, with performances at 7:30 p.m. and a 2 p.m. matinee on Tuesday, Sept. 13.

The production is sponsored by The Fitness Edge. For more information or tickets, visit winnipesaukeeplayhouse.org.