About the Program
PodMehr Foundation's Performing Arts Program produces live theatrical performances that preserve Iranian cultural heritage, foster artistic expression, and create meaningful dialogue through the performing arts. By supporting original productions and culturally significant works, the program provides opportunities for Iranian and Iranian diaspora artists while bringing stories of identity, history, and the human experience to diverse audiences.
Nakta Pahlevan
Artistic Director
Nakta Pahlevan is the Artistic Director of PodMehr Foundation and an Iranian-American writer, director, producer, and cultural leader. She leads the Foundation's artistic vision, developing programs that celebrate Iranian arts, culture, and heritage while creating meaningful connections across generations and communities.
As a playwright and director, Nakta has written and directed original productions including the bilingual musical TehrAngeles and Seven Labours of Liberty, works that explore identity, history, and the Iranian experience through contemporary performance. She has also created original productions for the Los Angeles Public Library's Nowruz celebrations, bringing Persian history, mythology, and traditions to diverse audiences.
Through PodMehr Foundation, Nakta is committed to preserving Iranian cultural heritage, supporting artists, and creating inclusive artistic experiences that foster dialogue, understanding, and lasting connections across communities.
Artistic Focus
The Performing Arts Program creates original theatrical productions that explore Iranian culture, history, identity, and the shared human experience. Through contemporary storytelling, music, and performance, PodMehr Foundation seeks to preserve cultural heritage while encouraging dialogue across communities and generations.
Current Production
The Confession of a Fractured Woman
(اعتراف یک تن ترکخورده)
PodMehr Foundation presents The Confession of a Fractured Woman, a theatrical production exploring fragmented identity, resistance, and the lived experiences of Iranian women. Written and directed by Nakta Pahlevan and produced by Ali Azizian, the performance features Nakta Pahlevan, Dorna Amri, and Neli Parvin, with sound and visual design by Ali Azizian.
The production is featured on September 19, 2026, at the Second Annual International Conference on “Woman, Life, Freedom” in Richardson/Dallas, Texas. Bringing Iranian women’s stories to the stage, it contributes an artistic voice to the gathering’s conversations about equality, human dignity, and a future free from violence.
Stay connected with PodMehr for future performance announcements and opportunities to support our work.
Our Past Productions
Seven Labours of Liberty
(هفت خان آزادی)
Seven Labours of Liberty is an original immersive theatrical production written and directed by Nakta Pahlevan that draws inspiration from the structure of the Shahnameh to explore the modern history of Iran. Through theater, movement, music, and multimedia, the work traces generations of resilience, loss, and hope while examining the universal pursuit of freedom and human dignity. The production invites audiences to reflect on memory, identity, and the enduring power of collective resistance through a distinctly Iranian artistic lens.
TehrAngeles
(تهرانجلس)
TehrAngeles is an original bilingual musical that explores the lives of the Iranian diaspora in Los Angeles through humor, music, and deeply human storytelling. Blending English and Persian, the production examines questions of identity, belonging, generational change, and cultural memory while celebrating the richness and complexity of immigrant life. Accessible to both Iranian and non-Iranian audiences, the work creates space for dialogue through shared experiences of family, home, and community.