Red Poppy Art House: ICU (I See You) : A One-Woman Play

A one-woman staged reading inspired by Iran’s “Women, Life, Freedom” movement

Presented by

Red Poppy Art House and Golden Thread Productions present a special theatrical reading of ICU (I See You) by Leyla Modirzadeh and Domenique Lozano, a one-woman play performed by Bridgette Loriaux.

ABOUT THE PLAY

Red Poppy Art House and Golden Thread Productions proudly presents ICU (I See You), a one-woman theatrical reading written by Leyla Modirzadeh and Domenique Lozano, and performed by Bridgette Loriaux.

Inspired by Iran’s 2022–2023 “Women, Life, Freedom” movement, ICU illuminates the events and human experiences of the uprising through the intersecting lives of five Iranian women.

The movement began after the death of Mahsa Amini while in the custody of Iran’s morality police, sparking nationwide protests led by women and girls demanding dignity, freedom, and basic human rights. What followed was one of the most significant protest movements in modern Iranian history and a brutal crackdown by the regime.

ICU is a full-length play currently in development as part of Golden Thread’s New Threads Staged Reading Series. New Threads is Golden Thread’s annual staged reading series that engages its audience in the process of playmaking and allows writers of Middle Eastern and non-Middle Eastern descent an authentic and supportive space to develop work about the Middle East.

Because the events that inspired the work continue to resonate so deeply, the artists wanted to share the story with audiences now rather than wait for the play’s final production. Portions of the performance will be presented with scripts in hand as part of the play’s ongoing development process.

The title ICU operates on several levels. It references the intensive care units where injured protesters sought treatment. It declares “I see you”—the fundamental demand to be witnessed, recognized, and remembered. It also evokes the eye itself and the power of sight, which became a powerful symbol throughout the movement.

The play begins on a hopeful morning in the midst of the Women, Life, Freedom protests. From there, it follows the aftermath of a single day and night, tracing the lives of women whose futures are forever altered by the choices they make and the events they endure.

Through humor, resilience, grief, friendship, and extraordinary courage, ICU explores what it costs to demand your humanity—and what it takes to keep fighting for it. With some laughs.

Written by: Leyla Modirzadeh & Domenique Lozano
Performed by: Bridgette Loriaux

Presented by Red Poppy Art House and Golden Thread Productions.

About Golden Thread Productions
Golden Thread Productions is a San Francisco-based theatre company dedicated to exploring Middle Eastern cultures, diverse perspectives, and global immigrant experiences. Founded in 1996, it is the first American theatre company devoted to the Middle East and its diaspora. Through new play development, education programs, and its signature ReOrient Festival, Golden Thread champions underrepresented voices and creates powerful opportunities for cultural exchange, dialogue, and artistic innovation.