9 Parts of Desire by Heather Raffo portrays the lives of various Iraqi women across the decades from the Gulf War to the occupation. They all share an abaya that they use or wear in various ways. The following designs are meant for a cast of 3-6.
Mullaya is a woman who calls and responds to other women at funerals. In the play, she mourns for all of Iraq.
Educated in the UK, The Doctor returned to help in the fallout of war and uranium weapons.
Mullaya and The Doctor are designed to be played by the same actor. Mullaya wears the abaya traditionally. The Doctor holds the abaya.
Layal was based on the artist Layla Attar. She was the only artist in Iraq allowed to paint people naked.
Layal is designed to be played by one actor. She may share an actor with Huda and The American. She wears the abaya as a shawl.
Amal is a Bedouin woman who discusses her romantic life and how it brought her across continents.
The Iraqi Girl is young and a big fan of American culture, especially the band 'N Sync. Her mother took her out of school after American soldiers visited their home.
Amal and The Iraqi Girl are designed to be played by the same actor. Amal wears the abaya as a headscarf. The Iraqi Girl holds the abaya like a baby swaddle.
Huda is a 70-year-old leftist living in the UK after being exiled from Iraq.
Huda is designed to be played by one actor. She may share an actor with Layal and The American. She holds the abaya.
Umm Ghada is the caretaker of the site of the Amiriyah shelter bombing, where she lost her family and community. She is a very old woman trapped in a place and time.
Nanna is a homeless elderly woman who has lived through so much of her country's turmoil.
Umm Ghada and Nanna are designed to be played by the same actor. Umm Ghada places the abaya on the ground. Nanna wears it traditionally.
The American is based on the playwright, Heather Raffo. She is an Iraqi American living in Manhattan.
The American is designed to be played by one actor. She may share this actor with Layal and Huda. She holds the abaya.