1982, Manhattan. Trapped in the absurd circus of the office of US Passport & Immigration, a desperate father pleads his case—a passport for his little girl—revealing the price he paid for the American Dream in the process. Thirty years later, his daughter Layla embarks on a journey halfway across the world in hopes of reclaiming the lost pieces of her culture, her father, and herself.
For fans of Everything Everywhere All At Once, The Farewell, Aftersun, and Undone.
“Baba is a beautifully tender story, which, paired with the director’s fantastical and colorful vision, promises to deliver an unforgettable night of theatre. Family meets fantasy, past meets present, an airport becomes a portal to another world. You’ll just have to see it for yourself.” – Kathleen Culebro, Artistic Director
Amphibian Stage’s New Tiered Ticket Pricing Model
Tickets for this show range from $15-60, but YOU get to decide what you pay in an effort to make theatre more accessible for any budget. Read more about our tiered ticketing model here!
Production Photos
Community Nights
A Note on Community Nights: The April 28th and May 5th performances of Baba are open to the general public just like any other show. Only the pre-show and post-show events are specifically crafted for our Under 40 and LGBTQIA+ Communities.
Cast & Creatives
Ahmad Kamal
Mohammed
Ahmad Kamal is delighted to be back at Amphibian Stage, after first appearing in Baba, followed by performing in Sparkfest 2023! Regional credits include Selling Kabul (Northlight Theatre), Hotter Than Egypt (ACT and Marin Theatre Compnay), Gloria (Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company), Everybody (Shakespeare Theatre Company) and The Return (Mosaic Theater Company), among others. Ahmad is a graduate of the University of Virginia and Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.
Mohammed
Ahmad Kamal
Ahmad Kamal is delighted to be back at Amphibian Stage, after first appearing in Baba, followed by performing in Sparkfest 2023! Regional credits include Selling Kabul (Northlight Theatre), Hotter Than Egypt (ACT and Marin Theatre Compnay), Gloria (Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company), Everybody (Shakespeare Theatre Company) and The Return (Mosaic Theater Company), among others. Ahmad is a graduate of the University of Virginia and Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.
Savannah Yasmine Elayyach
Layla
Layla
Savannah Yasmine Elayyach
Hamid Dehghani
Director
Hamid Dehghani is a director, playwright, and actor. Born and raised in Iran, he considers Buraki-ye Olya, a village in the south of Iran, his hometown. Hamid has received several awards as a director, playwright, and actor from international festivals in Iran. His directing highlights in Iran include two original scripts, From the Environs of Milad and Sohrab’s Transgression, Nathan and Tabileth by Barry Bermange, and Leila by Morteza Hossein Zadeh (co-directing). Hamid graduated from Tehran University of Art in Iran with a bachelor’s degree in Theatre Directing and worked professionally in Tehran’s theatre scene for over 10 years before moving to the United States in 2018 to continue his education.
Since then, Hamid has directed A Moment of Silence by Mohammad Yaghoubi, Eurydice by Sarah Ruhl, and Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo by Rajiv Joseph at Northwestern University. He also had the opportunity to work as an assistant director at the Metropolitan Opera, Court Theatre, and Chicago Shakespeare Theatre. During the 2020 pandemic when all theaters were closed, he co-founded Grass Studio Theatre and performed three collectively devised pieces – Picnic, Story in a Box, and Reportage of a Room – at various outdoor locations in Chicago. Hamid is the Artistic Fellow at Northlight Theatre and holds an MFA in Directing from Northwestern University.
Looking ahead to the 2024/2025 season, Hamid is excited to direct shows at Northlight Theatre, Goodman Theatre, and Guthrie Theater.
Director
Hamid Dehghani
Hamid Dehghani is a director, playwright, and actor. Born and raised in Iran, he considers Buraki-ye Olya, a village in the south of Iran, his hometown. Hamid has received several awards as a director, playwright, and actor from international festivals in Iran. His directing highlights in Iran include two original scripts, From the Environs of Milad and Sohrab’s Transgression, Nathan and Tabileth by Barry Bermange, and Leila by Morteza Hossein Zadeh (co-directing). Hamid graduated from Tehran University of Art in Iran with a bachelor’s degree in Theatre Directing and worked professionally in Tehran’s theatre scene for over 10 years before moving to the United States in 2018 to continue his education.
Since then, Hamid has directed A Moment of Silence by Mohammad Yaghoubi, Eurydice by Sarah Ruhl, and Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo by Rajiv Joseph at Northwestern University. He also had the opportunity to work as an assistant director at the Metropolitan Opera, Court Theatre, and Chicago Shakespeare Theatre. During the 2020 pandemic when all theaters were closed, he co-founded Grass Studio Theatre and performed three collectively devised pieces – Picnic, Story in a Box, and Reportage of a Room – at various outdoor locations in Chicago. Hamid is the Artistic Fellow at Northlight Theatre and holds an MFA in Directing from Northwestern University.
Looking ahead to the 2024/2025 season, Hamid is excited to direct shows at Northlight Theatre, Goodman Theatre, and Guthrie Theater.
Yoon Bae
Designer
Yoon is an award-winning scenic and costume designer working internationally, including London’s West End, Norway, South Korea, Japan, and the USA. Don Giovanni (Welsh National Opera), Candide (Tokyo), Disconnect (Winner Bay Area Theatre Critics Award), Closer (Seoul), Once on This Island (PTC), The Wolves (ATL), Oedipus El Rey (SDR), Once (PTC), The Great Gatsby (ATC), The Importance of Being Earnest (ATC), Emma, The Sunshine Boys, Evita, A Little Night Music, Putting It Together, Ain’t Misbehavin’, The Magic Flute, Scapin, and Private Lives. London’s West End: Gone with the Wind, Birdsong, Skellig, Equus, Three Thousand Troubled Threads (Edinburgh International Festival), the world premiere productions of Caridad Svich’s Archipelago, Howard Barker’s Wounds to the Face, and Jeff Talbott’s The Messenger (PTC). She is Professor at UNCSA, an active diversity committee member, and a board member representative for USA Local 829 and Wingspace. www.yoonbae.com
Designer
Yoon Bae
Yoon is an award-winning scenic and costume designer working internationally, including London’s West End, Norway, South Korea, Japan, and the USA. Don Giovanni (Welsh National Opera), Candide (Tokyo), Disconnect (Winner Bay Area Theatre Critics Award), Closer (Seoul), Once on This Island (PTC), The Wolves (ATL), Oedipus El Rey (SDR), Once (PTC), The Great Gatsby (ATC), The Importance of Being Earnest (ATC), Emma, The Sunshine Boys, Evita, A Little Night Music, Putting It Together, Ain’t Misbehavin’, The Magic Flute, Scapin, and Private Lives. London’s West End: Gone with the Wind, Birdsong, Skellig, Equus, Three Thousand Troubled Threads (Edinburgh International Festival), the world premiere productions of Caridad Svich’s Archipelago, Howard Barker’s Wounds to the Face, and Jeff Talbott’s The Messenger (PTC). She is Professor at UNCSA, an active diversity committee member, and a board member representative for USA Local 829 and Wingspace. www.yoonbae.com