Ali Mansouri

Paper

Ali Mansouri is an applied theatre facilitator, director, and playwright born in Tehran, Iran. His direct experiences with war and displacement have profoundly shaped his work as both a writer and a theatre practitioner. He approaches theatre as a space for dialogue, reflection, and social transformation. Ali has facilitated Theatre of the Oppressed–inspired and community-based workshops with children, migrants, and diverse groups in Iran and the United States. As a playwright, he is deeply engaged with the ongoing political and social issues that shape everyday life. He holds a master's degree in theatre directing from the Art University of Tehran and is a PhD candidate at UW–Madison. 

PROJECT SYNOPSIS

PAPER - STAGE PLAY

Paper is a meta-theatrical drama about two Iranian theatre artists staging a play on Anna Akhmatova while confronting censorship, bans, and artistic risk in contemporary Tehran. Ali Mansouri seeks to produce the work in Madison, Wisconsin, fostering dialogue about artistic freedom, resistance, and cultural memory across borders and generations.