Aniska Tonge sat down with Set Designer Sadra Tehrani to chat about English.
Sadra Tehrani and I met on a whim. Time was limited – he’d be leaving Atlanta in just a few days – but we needed to chat. English had been on the Hertz stage for just about a week and it seemed as though no audience member left without commenting on how this set -- simple and authentic in its nature -- transported them to an unfamiliar world. Which is why this conversation was necessary and how – in just one hour or so – Tehrani and I laughed, talked English and life, and everything in between.
Iranian first and artist second, Tehrani’s work has long been influenced by his upbringing. As a set designer for both stage and film productions, his desire to design started early on.
“As a child I discovered joy in picturing imaginary stories,” he reflected. “I used to conjure up make-believe situations and create them in the form of sequential drawings.”
His ability to create worlds on stage is innate; almost easy. But he pours his heart into every set design. He’s meticulous about each detail. It’s no wonder he ended up in theater, an art form that lives for the fine and often overlooked details. Let Tehrani tell it, theater won him over almost instantly.
“I distinctly recall my introduction to theater during my early years of studying architecture when I attended a play in Tehran. It was called ‘Flight Instructions for Captains and Cabin Crew’ by Farhad Fozouni, a prominent Iranian graphic designer who had also designed the scenery. This experience left an indelible mark on me,” Tehrani said.
Most things do. In our short time together, I clock how much he thinks on his surroundings; aware of the world around him and what he could create in that space.
Anyway, he continues, “The play felt tightly paced, seamlessly holding time in suspension at moments while swiftly propelling it forward in others – a sensation I grasped only in hindsight. It certainly left a lasting impact on me – an intriguing and unknown idea about theater as something that I felt drawn to discover. Fast forward to 2019, I left my job as an architect, enrolled in NYU’s MFA program in design for stage and film and began a new chapter.”
His work on English seemed almost destined.
“Working on a narrative so closely tied to my own lived experiences has been a deeply emotional and ultimately redemptive journey. The shared familiarity with the story allowed us – the creative team – to collectively understand and appreciate the emotional gravity of each pivotal moment, and so our discussions concerning the spatial layout, costume choices, and auditory elements were engaged and interwoven.”
In case you didn’t know this creative team and process have been deeply pure and authentic to the Iranian experience. From the costumes sourced in Tehran, to the literal sounds captured in the streets of Iran, no part of this production has been overlooked when it comes to the realness of it all. Tehrani sees the importance of the authenticity for both the audience members and him.
Tehrani credits his creativity to those around him. Friends and creatives that aid in building a world we all look forward to living in. He sees his position as an artist as a start for others that can relate to his experiences.
“In the realm of theater, film, and the performing arts in the United States, the issue of representation remains a significant concern even in 2023. The question of who gets to narrate particular stories, or embody the characters within them, continues to be quite constrained and at times repetitive.”
With his work as enigmatic and stirring as one could expect for a young and hungry artist, there’s no telling where his career will take him. But one thing’s for sure, it’ll leave space and inspiration for those that come after.
English runs on the Hertz Stage August 16 – September 17, 2023.
