Mahin Oskouei
Mahin Oskouei (1929–2006) was an Iranian theater director, playwright, teacher, and translator. She was a pioneering female theatre arts figure in Iran, being the first actress to appear on stage, and the first to direct a stage play.
Early life and education
Mahin Oskouei was born in Tehran in 1929 into a wealthy and conservative Muslim family. Her sister was singer, pop star and actress Pouran Shapoori (1934-1990; née Taghany, Farhdokht Abbasi), a singer, who moved to the United States after the Iranian Revolution. Their aunt was a famous classic Iranian singer called Ezat Rohbakhsh (1908-1989).[1]
She studied in Russia alongside Jerzy Grotowski.
Career
In 1946 Oskouei began her acting career, becoming the first Iranian actress on stage.[2][3]
She later became the first female theatre director in Iran.[3] Her career included all aspects of Iranian theatre, including writing plays and translating major plays by such writers as Gorki and Chekhov.[4]
She was also a teacher, instructing, among others, Parsa Pirouzfar in the Stanislavsky's acting method. Pirouzfar became an actor, theatre director, acting instructor, playwright, translator, and painter.[5]
Death and legacy
References
- ^ a b "Pouran Shapoori". British Museum. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
- ^ "Women's milestones: pre-revolution". Foundation for Iranian Studies. 2 November 2022. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
1946: Mahin Oskouei begins her career as Iran's first female actress to enter the performance stage. She would become Iran's first female theater director.
- ^ a b c Ansary, Nina (1 September 2014). "A pioneering figure in theatre arts, Mahin Oskouei (1929-2006) was Iran's first stage actress and first female theatre director". Facebook. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
- ^ "Iran Looses Mahin Oskouei..." AIC Update. American-Iranian Council. January 2006. Archived from the original on 24 November 2009. Retrieved 10 December 2010.
- ^ "Most Known and Best Iranian Actors You Should Know". TAP Persia. 5 June 2023. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
See also