AIDA KEYKHAII

Actress, Producer, Co-Founder & Co-Artistic Director of Nowadays Theatre Company,  Translator and Theatre Instructor

Height:168cm       weight: 136LBs       Hair: Brown / Black         Eyes: Brown / Black

AIDA KEYKHAII is an actress, director, producer, translator and theatre instructor, M.A in Play Directing, B.A in Acting. Her works as a theatre director and producer: Dance of Torn Papers (Toronto), Swim Team (SummerWorks Lab 2018), A Moment of Silence (performed in Iran and Toronto), Iceland (Iran and Toronto), Sleeping in an Empty Cup (Fairview Library Theatre, Toronto), Goodbye (Iran), The Pillowman (Iran, Toronto and Russia), and Dinner with Friends (Iran). Some of her works as an actress: The Only Possible WayDrought & Lies, Proof, Winter 66, Writing in the Dark, The Monster, The Moon in Water, GeraniumA Moment of SilenceKHISHKHANEFace of a VirginOliveLittle Stars Of Darkness. Her works as a movie actress: We Are All FineDrought & Lies. Acting in TV: The Curious SAVAGE, The Heart of a DogThe Merchant of VeniceWinter 66. Some of her awards and nominations include: The Iran Festival of University Theatre for Outstanding acting, OliveLittle Stars of Darkness; The IRANZAMIN Festival for Outstanding acting, KHISHKHANE; The Theatre Forum of Iran award nomination for acting, Drought & LiesProof, and The Monsters. The International Iran Festival of University Theatre award for Outstanding directing, Goodbye.


Language: Persian, English


SELECTED ACTING, DIRECTING AND PRODUCING EXPERIENCE:

Jan 2020
‘Winter of ‘88 ’ (Actor), (Stage play, English Premiere),
 Written & Directed by Mohammad Yaghoubi. At Next Stage Theatre Festival, Factory Theatre Mainspace, Toronto, ON.

Nov 2019
‘Swim Team’  (Director)(Stage play),
 Written by Jaber Ramezani. Theatre Centre, Franco Bony, Toronto, ON.

March 2019
‘The Only Possible Way’ (Actor), (Stage play, English Premiere),
 Written & Directed by Mohammad Yaghoubi. At Canadian Stage, Upstairs Theatre, Toronto.

Nov 2018
‘Dance of Torn Papers’ (Co-Directing with Mohammad Yaghoubi)(Stage play),
 Written by Mohammad Yaghoubi, at Studio 313, DanceMakers, Toronto, Canada.

Aug 2018

‘Swim Team’ (Director)(Stage play),
 Written by Jaber Ramezani. SummerWorks Lab, Theatre Centre, Toronto, ON.

Oct 2017

‘Sleeping in an Empty Cup’ (Director)(Stage play),
 Written by Naghmeh Samini. At Fairview Library Theatre, Toronto, Canada.

Aug 2017

‘The Monster’ (Actor)(Stage play),
Written by Naghmeh Samini and Directed by Mohammad Yaghoubi, at Fairview Library Theatre, Toronto, Canada.

Jun 2017

‘Iceland’ (Director)(Stage play),
Written by Nicolas Billon, at Fairview Library Theatre, Toronto, Canada.
-Also staged for 39 nights almost sold out in December 2016 and January 2017, at BARAN Theatre, Tehran, Iran.

Nov 2016

 ‘Moon in the Water’(Actor)(Stage play),
Written & Directed by Mohammad Yaghoubi, at BARAN Theatre, Tehran, Iran.

Sep 2016

‘The Pillowman’ (C0-Directing with Mohammad Yaghoubi)(Stage play),
Written by Martin McDonagh, at Fairview Library Theatre, Toronto, Canada.
-Also performed on 06 of October 2016, at the second international festival of Martin McDonagh, Theatre U Mosta, Perm, Russia.

Aug 2016

‘A Moment of Silence’ (Producer)(Stage play),
Written & Directed by Mohammad Yaghoubi. On 6th to 14th of August, SummerWorks Performance Festival, Factory Theatre Mainspace, Toronto, ON.

Feb 2016

‘Proof’ (Actor)(Stage play),
Adapted based on the play by David Auburn, directed by Mohammad Yaghoubi, at Fairview Library Theatre, Toronto, Canada.

2015

‘Drought & Lies’ (Actor)(Movie),
Written by Mohammad Yaghoubi and directed by Pedram Alizadeh.
 •‘Drought & Lies’ (Actor)(Stage play),
Written and directed by Mohammad Yaghoubi, on February 28th in Montreal, on March 8th in Vancouver, and on March 13th in Toronto, Canada.

2014

 •‘The Monster’ (Actor)(stage play),
Written by Naghmeh Samini and Directed by Mohammad Yaghoubi, at Theatre Shahr, Tehran, Iran.
 •‘The Heart of a Dog’ (Actor)(Stage play),
 Adapted & directed by Mohammad Yaghoubi, based on the novel by Michael Bulgakov, at IRANSHAHR, Tehran, Iran.

2013

‘Dinner with Friends’ (Director)(stage play),
 Written by Donald Margulies, at Iranshahr, Tehran, Iran.

2011

‘Everyday mess of Marriage’  (Director)(stage play),
Written & directed by Mohammad Yaghoubi, at Theatre Shahr, Tehran, Iran.
 •‘Winter of ’88’  (Actor)(Stage play),
Written and directed by Mohammad Yaghoubi, at Theatre Shahr, Tehran, Iran.

2010

‘Writing in the Dark’ (Actor)(Stage play),
Written & directed by Mohammad Yaghoubi, at Theatre Shahr, Tehran, Iran.
 •‘A Moment of Silence’ (Director)(Stage play),
Written by Mohammad Yaghoubi, at Mowlavi Hall, Tehran, Iran.
 •‘A Mouth Full Of Birds’ (Actor)(Stage play),
Written & directed by Fares Bagheri, at Theatre Shahr, Tehran, Iran.

2009

  •‘Drought & Lies’ (Actor)(Stage play),
Written & Directed by Mohammad Yaghoubi, at Theatre Shahr, Tehran, Iran.
‘The Curious Savage’ (Actor)(TV Drama based on the play by John Patrick),
Directed by Mohammad Yaghoubi. Channel 4, Iran.
 •‘Winter of ’88’ (Actor)(TV Drama),
Written by Mohammad Yaghoubi. Channel 4, Iran.

2008

‘Goodbye’  (Director)(stage play),
Written & directed by Mohammad Yaghoubi, at Theatre Shahr, Tehran, Iran.
 •‘Machismo’ (Actor)(Stage play),
Adapted & directed by Mohammad Yaghoubi, based on the novel The Honorary Consul by Graham Greene, at Theatre Shahr, Tehran, Iran.

2006

 ‘Honey Moon’ (Director & Producer),((short film)),
Written by Mohammad Yaghoubi, Iran.

2005

 ‘The Only Possible Way’ (Actor)(stage play),
Written & directed by Mohammad Yaghoubi, at Theatre Shahr, Tehran, Iran.

2004

 •‘We Are All Fine’ (Actor)(Movie),
Directed by Bizhan Mirbagheri
‘Geraniums’ (Actor)(stage play),
Written & directed by Mohammad Yaghoubi. At Theatre Shahr, Tehran, Iran.

2001

‘A Moment of Silence’ (Actor)(stage play),
Written & directed by Mohammad Yaghoubi, at Theatre Shahr, Tehran, Iran.

1999

 •‘Little Stars Of Darkness’ (Actor)(stage play),
Directed by Ali Oliyaee, at Mowlavi Hall, Tehran, Iran.
‘KHISHKHANE’ (Actor)(stage play),
Written & directed by Hosein Kiyani, at Theatre Shahr, Tehran, Iran.

1998

‘Olive (Actor)(stage play),
Directed by Shokoofeh Masoori, at Mowlavi Hall, Tehran, Iran.
1997
‘With the Wind’ (Actor)(stage play),
 Directed by Mina Ebrahimzade, at Theatre Shahr, Tehran, Iran.
 

HONOURS AND AWARDS

2018 – Canadian Stage (RBC Emerging Company In-residence).
2018 – Awarded grant by Ontario Arts Council and Toronto Arts Council to co-direct English premier of “Dance of Torn Papers”.
2018 – The “Best of the Fest” for Outstanding Production, Ensemble, Direction and Design for “Swim Team”.
Honourable Mention from Canadian Stage in Direction for “Swim Team”.
2016 – The laureate diploma for the most original vision of the play “The Pillowman” at the Second International Festival of Martin McDonagh, Perm, Russia.
2015 – Nominated for Outstanding acting by Iran’s Actors Society at the Iran Theatre Forum, The Monster.
2013 – Nominated for Outstanding acting by Iran’s Actors Society at the Iran Theatre Forum, Proof.
2010 – Nominated for Outstanding acting by Iran’s Actors Society at the Iran Theatre Forum, Drought & Lies.
2006 – Nominated for Outstanding acting by Iran’s Actors Society at the Iran Theatre Forum, The Only possible Way.
1999 – 〈 Received for Outstanding acting by The Iran Festival of University Theatre, Little Stars of Darkness.
           〈Received for Outstanding acting by in IRANZAMIN festival,  KHISHKHANE”.
1998 – Received for Outstanding acting by The Iran Festival of University Theatre, Olive.
1997 – Received for Outstanding acting by The Fadjr International Theatre Festival of Iran, With The Wind.
 

SELECTED TEACHING EXPERIENCE

Aug 2019 – Acting & directing workshop (with Mohammad Yaghoubi for 3 months),
At OISE (Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto)
2018 – Acting & directing workshop (with Mohammad Yaghoubi for 4 months), resulted in a theatre project on stage named “Dance of Torn Papers” for three days at Studio 313, DanceMakers, Toronto, November 2-4, 2018.
2018 – Acting workshop (for Four months) for Persian community
At OISE (Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto), resulted in a Persian language theatre project performed in 3 days at Small world Music Centre, Toronto.