Children of The Wise

by Aidaa Peerzada

When his anti-colonial activism lands him on a watch list, Rafi Peer is forced to flee British-ruled India in 1919. Almost a century later, his American granddaughter returns to Rafi’s native land, now Pakistan, in search of meaning on a study abroad trip. Nadia discovers the truth of her Grandfather’s mysterious artistic legacy, a family she’s never known, and comes closer to finding her own artistic purpose.

When his anti-colonial activism lands him on a watch list, Rafi Peer is forced to flee British-ruled India in 1919. Almost a century later, his American granddaughter returns to Rafi’s native land, now Pakistan, in search of meaning on a study abroad trip. Nadia discovers the truth of her Grandfather’s mysterious artistic legacy, a family she’s never known, and comes closer to finding her own artistic purpose.

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Children of The Wise

Recommended by

  • Nabra Nelson: Children of The Wise by Aidaa Peerzada
    “

    An epic and ambitious play that merges and transcends time. It resonates with me as a bi-racial artist, and explores the complexity of living within and between cultures and artistic and political movements. This is the new epic classic that we need in contemporary theatre.

    An epic and ambitious play that merges and transcends time. It resonates with me as a bi-racial artist, and explores the complexity of living within and between cultures and artistic and political movements. This is the new epic classic that we need in contemporary theatre.

    ”

Character Information

This play is designed for a cast of 6 actors to take one all the roles.

Ensemble Track 1: Imran/ Peer Taj/ Peer Qummar

Ensemble Track 2: Almi/Choti/Gisela/Jahanara/ The Woman in The Veil

Ensemble Track 3: Kashaf/Ismat/The Dervish/ Ustad Suraj/ Whinnie/ Ingrid

Ensemble Track 4: Nadia

Ensemble Track 5: Rafi/ The Man on The Horse

  • RAFI PEER
    A young activist against the British Raj, who later becomes a an actor in
    Germany & Bollywood. Later a playwright in Pakistan. He is a descendent of "Peers" said to
    have once kept the temples of Sufi saints.
    30s-40s
    MENASA
    (he/him)
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      30s,
      40s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      South Asian or South Asian American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male
  • IMRAN
    A soft-spoken anxious dreamer, he is a TV actor in contemporary Pakistan in 2012. English and Urdu Speaking. A son of Rafi Peer. Nadia's father.
    40s
    MENASA
    (he/him)
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      40s,
      50s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      South Asian or South Asian American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male
  • NADIA PEERZADA
    A young artist headed to college in 2012. She is one of Rafi Peer's granddaughters.
    20s
    MENASA
    (she/her)
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      South Asian or South Asian American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • PEER TAJ-UD-DIN
    Severe but boistrois, he is a prominent lawyer in Punjab in the early, 1900s. He is Rafi Peer's father.
    40s -60s
    MENASA
    (he/him)
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      40s,
      50s,
      60s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      South Asian or South Asian American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male
  • THE MAN ON THE HORSE
    A man returning from war to the ruin of his home town. He is a character in Rafi's play.
    MENASA
    (he/him)
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      30s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      South Asian or South Asian American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male
  • PEER QUMMAR-UD-DIN
    A warm-hearted man and prominent judge in Punjab in the late-1800s. Rafi's Grandfather.
    60s
    MENASA
    (he/him)
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      60s,
      70s+
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      South Asian or South Asian American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male
  • THE DERVISH
    The Spirit of an ancient Sufi Saint.
    MENASA
    (she/he/they)
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      40s,
      50s,
      60s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      South Asian or South Asian American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Non-binary
  • ALMI
    Nadia's cousin, a niece to Imran and Kashaf. Rafi's granddaughter in 2012.
    20s
    MENASA
    (she/her)
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      South Asian or South Asian American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • USTAD SURAJ
    A Hindustani Gana instructor and performer in contemporary Lahore.
    30s
    (he/him)
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      30s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      South Asian or South Asian American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male
  • CHOTI
    Curious and detail-oriented, she is Kashaf's housemaid in 2009 also Peer Taj-Ud- Din's house maid in 1920. She may be a different person, but she is still called Choti aka "The Small One" and everyone is still ordering her around.
    20s
    MENASA
    (she/her)
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      South Asian or South Asian American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • WHINNIE
    Clever wife of Peer Taj-Ud-Din and Rafi's step mother.
    British/ White
    (she/her)
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      40s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      White
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • GISELA
    A creative thinker who runs a dance studio in Berlin in 1923. She is Rafi's girlfriend.
    30s
    White/German
    (she/her)
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      30s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      White
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • INGRID
    A classical German linguist and teacher in 1930
    50s
    White/German
    She/her
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      40s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • JAHANARA
    Disciplined and bold, she is a famous Kathak dance instructor and performer in contemporary Lahore.
    40s
    MENASA
    (she/her)
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      40s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      South Asian or South Asian American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • THE WOMAN IN THE VEIL
    A woman left behind in the ruin of her home town after an unnamed war in Rafi's play.
    40s
    MENASA
    (she/her)
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      40s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      South Asian or South Asian American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • KASHAF
    Bubbly and passionate, she is a stay-at-home mother, now an empty nester. She is the keeper of family lore and secrets in 2012. Rafi's Daughter.
    MENASA
    (she/her)
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      50s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      South Asian or South Asian American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • ISMAT
    Bright and soft-spoken. Mother of Imran and Kashaf. She is the trunk of their
    family. Rafi's wife.
    20s
    MENASA
    (she/her)
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      South Asian or South Asian American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female

Development History