




Directed, produced, and filmed by Academy Award–nominated and Emmy–winning filmmaker Matthew Heineman, City of Ghosts is a singularly powerful cinematic experience that is sure to shake audiences to their core as it elevates the canon of one of the most talented documentary filmmakers working today. Captivating in its immediacy, City of Ghosts follows the journey of “Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently” – a handful of anonymous activists who banded together after their homeland was taken over by ISIS in 2014. With astonishing, deeply personal access, this is the story of a brave group of citizen journalists as they face the realities of life undercover, on the run, and in exile, risking their lives to stand up against one of the greatest evils in the world today.
To learn more about Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently (RBSS), click here:www.raqqa-sl.com/en/
If you are a theatre artist, a student of modern drama, or a survivor seeking narrative validation, seeking out a is a worthwhile pursuit—provided you do it legally. The play is a short read (60-70 pages) but a long digest.
, which speaks to a universal longing for a safe home free from pain. Stylistic Features and Structure Harrower's "Blackbird' revisited - Broad Street Review
Studying the script text directly allows actors to analyze Harrower's precise punctuation—the dashes, ellipses, and line breaks—which serve as a rhythmic roadmap for executing this highly demanding theatrical piece.
Una tracks Ray down after seeing his photograph in a trade magazine. Under a new identity, Ray has attempted to rebuild his life, while Una remains frozen in the trauma of her past.
A central pillar of the play is how Ray and Una remember their time together. Una remembers a profound, consuming bond but is simultaneously shattered by the realization of her exploitation. Ray attempts to frame the relationship not as predatory, but as an anomalous, overwhelming romantic connection that ruined his life as well. The audience is left to navigate these conflicting subjective realities. 2. Trauma and Arrested Development
If you are a student, actor, director, or theater enthusiast searching for a , it is essential to understand the context of the work, its thematic depth, and the legal channels available to access the text. The Plot: An Unresolved Past Reopened
Do you need help breaking down a specific ? Share public link
The single-location setting places the focus squarely on the text and subtext.
Marianne, on the other hand, is a more enigmatic figure. Her character serves as a catalyst for Ray's introspection, forcing him to confront the atrocities of his past. Through Marianne's interactions with Ray, Harrower skillfully exposes the long-term effects of trauma on individuals and their loved ones.
Blackbird is a masterclass in minimalist playwriting and acts as a standard text in acting showcases and directing courses for several reasons:
Over the course of ninety unbroken minutes, the two engage in a fierce, emotional excavation of their past, challenging each other's memories of love, guilt, abandonment, and survival. Key Thematic Core
Ray was arrested, convicted, and imprisoned. Una was left to deal with the devastating social, emotional, and psychological wreckage in her small community.
7/7/17 – NEW YORK, NY
7/14/17 – Berkeley, CA
7/14/17 – Hollywood, CA
7/14/17 – LOS ANGELES, CA
7/14/17 – SAN FRANCISCO, CA
7/14/17 – WASHINGTON, DC
7/21/17 – CHICAGO, IL
7/21/17 – DENVER, CO
7/21/17 – Encino, CA
7/21/17 – Evanston, IL
7/21/17 – Irvine, CA
7/21/17 – LOS ANGELES, CA
7/21/17 – ORANGE COUNTY, CA
7/21/17 – Pasadena, CA
7/21/17 – PHILADELPHA, PA
7/21/17 – SEATTLE, WA
7/28/17 – ALBANY, NY
7/28/17 – ALBUQUERQUE, NM
7/28/17 – AUSTIN, TX
7/28/17 – CLEVELAND, OH
7/28/17 – DALLAS, TX
7/28/17 – Edina, MN
7/28/17 – INDIANAPOLIS, IN
7/28/17 – Kansas City, MO
7/28/17 – LONG BEACH, CA
7/28/17 – MINNEAPOLIS, MN
7/28/17 – NASHVILLE, TN
7/28/17 – PHOENIX, AZ
7/28/17 – Portland, OR
7/28/17 – Salt Lake City, UT
7/28/17 – Santa Rosa, CA
7/28/17 – Scottsdale, AZ
7/28/17 – Waterville, ME
8/4/17 – Charlotte, NC
8/4/17 – Knoxville, TN
8/4/17 – Louisville, KY
8/18/17 – BURLINGTON, VT
8/18/17 – St. Johnsbury, VT
8/25/17 – Lincoln, NE

Sundance Film Festival 2017
CPH:DOX 2017
DOCVILLE International Documentary Film Festival 2017
Dallas Film Festival 2017
Sarasota Film Festival 2017
Full Frame Documentary Film Festival 2017
San Francisco International Film Festival 2017
Tribeca Film Festival 2017
Hot Docs 2017
Independent Film Festival Boston 2017
Montclair Film Festival 2017
Seattle International Film Festival 2017
Telluride Mountainfilm 2017
Berkshire International Film Festival 2017
Greenwich Film Festival 2017
Sheffield Doc/Fest 2017
Human Rights Watch Film Festival 2017
AFIDOCS 2017
Nantucket Film Festival 2017
Frontline Club 2017
If you are a theatre artist, a student of modern drama, or a survivor seeking narrative validation, seeking out a is a worthwhile pursuit—provided you do it legally. The play is a short read (60-70 pages) but a long digest.
, which speaks to a universal longing for a safe home free from pain. Stylistic Features and Structure Harrower's "Blackbird' revisited - Broad Street Review
Studying the script text directly allows actors to analyze Harrower's precise punctuation—the dashes, ellipses, and line breaks—which serve as a rhythmic roadmap for executing this highly demanding theatrical piece.
Una tracks Ray down after seeing his photograph in a trade magazine. Under a new identity, Ray has attempted to rebuild his life, while Una remains frozen in the trauma of her past.
A central pillar of the play is how Ray and Una remember their time together. Una remembers a profound, consuming bond but is simultaneously shattered by the realization of her exploitation. Ray attempts to frame the relationship not as predatory, but as an anomalous, overwhelming romantic connection that ruined his life as well. The audience is left to navigate these conflicting subjective realities. 2. Trauma and Arrested Development
If you are a student, actor, director, or theater enthusiast searching for a , it is essential to understand the context of the work, its thematic depth, and the legal channels available to access the text. The Plot: An Unresolved Past Reopened
Do you need help breaking down a specific ? Share public link
The single-location setting places the focus squarely on the text and subtext.
Marianne, on the other hand, is a more enigmatic figure. Her character serves as a catalyst for Ray's introspection, forcing him to confront the atrocities of his past. Through Marianne's interactions with Ray, Harrower skillfully exposes the long-term effects of trauma on individuals and their loved ones.
Blackbird is a masterclass in minimalist playwriting and acts as a standard text in acting showcases and directing courses for several reasons:
Over the course of ninety unbroken minutes, the two engage in a fierce, emotional excavation of their past, challenging each other's memories of love, guilt, abandonment, and survival. Key Thematic Core
Ray was arrested, convicted, and imprisoned. Una was left to deal with the devastating social, emotional, and psychological wreckage in her small community.





