درباره‌ی آیدا کیخایی، بازی‌گر

آیدا کیخائی، بازی‌گر، کارگردان، آموزگار تئاتر و یکی از موسسان کمپانی NOWADAYS THEATRE  است.

آیدا کیخائی دانش‌آموخته‌ی رشته‌ی تئاتر از دانش‌کده‌ی هنرهای زیبا  و کارشناسی ارشد کارگردانی تئاتر از دانش‌گاه هنرهای زیبای تهران است. از کارهای برجسته‌ی او در مقام بازی‌گر می‌توان به بازی در تئاترهای «یک دقیقه سکوت»، «زمستان شصت‌وشش»، «برهان»، «خشک‌‌سالی و دروغ»، «بیداری خانه‌ی نسوان»، «تنها راه ممکن»، «ماه در آب» و «نوشتن در تاریکی» و بازی در فیلم‌های سینمایی «ما همه خوبیم» و «خشک‌سالی و دروغ» و سریال‌های تلویزونی «روزگار جوانی»، «ایست‌گاه»، «دختران»، «و خدا عشق را آفرید»، و «سلام زندگی» اشاره کرد. آیدا کیخایی کارگردانی نمایش‌های «خداحافظ»، یک دقیقه سکوت»، «شام با دوستان»، «مرد بالشی» و «خواب در فنجان خالی» را به زبان فارسی و نمایش‌های «تیم شنا» و «رقص کاغذپاره‌ها» را به زبان انگلیسی در کارنامه‌ی کاری خود دارد. او در سال ۲۰۱۵ به کانادا مهاجرت کرده و ساکن تورنتو است. در سال ۲۰۱۶ به‌هم‌راه محمد یعقوبی کمپانی تئاتر این‌روزها (NOWADAYS THEATRE) را تاسیس کرد. 

آیدا کیخایی در سال ۲۰۱۶ در نمایش «برهان» به کارگردانی محمد یعقوبی در سالن تئاتر Fairview ایفای نقش نمود وی همچنین در سال ۲۰۱۶ به کارگردانی مشترک محمد یعقوبی نمایش «مرد بالشی» را در سالن تئاتر  Fairview  در تورنتو به روی صحنه برد. سپس در سال ۲۰۱۸ نمایش «رقص کاغذپاره‌ها» را به کارگردانی مشترک محمد یعقوبی و با حمایت اداره‌ی هنرهای تورنتو و اداره‌ی هنرهای انتاریو به زبان انگلیسی با حضور بازی‌گران چندملیتی به زبان انگلیسی اجرا نمود. وی هم‌چنین در سال ۲۰۱۸ نمایش «تیم شنا» را در فستیوال تئاتر سامرورکس به زبان انگلیسی اجرا کرد و این نمایش کاندیدای به‌ترین کارگردانی توسط کمپانی Canadian Stage و در چهار عنوان کارگردانی، طراحی صحنه، بازی‌گری و به‌ترین نمایش توسط هفته‌نامه‌ی  NOW شناخته شد. آیدا کیخایی در ماه مارچ ۲۰۱۹ در نمایش «تنها راه ممکن» نوشته و کار محمد یعقوبی برای نخستین بار بازی به زبان انگلیسی را در Canadian Stage  تجربه کرد. سپس در سال ۲۰۲۰ با نمایش زمستان شصت و شش به زبان انگلیسی در فستیوال نکست استیج  که نقدهای بسیار مثبتی برای او در پی داشت. سومین بازی‌ آیدا به زبان انگلیسی بازی در نمایش از زیرزمین تا پشت بام نوشته‌ی مهین صدری و به کارگردانی خود آیدا بود که در دوران کرونا به صورت آن‌لاین اجرا شد. آیدا در سال ۲۰۲۲ با نمایش دل سگ به کارگردانی محمد یعقوبی در فستیوال نکست‌استیج به صورت آن‌لاین چهارمین بار به انگلیسی بازی کرد و از نقدهای مثبت بسیار مثبت برای بازی در نقش شاریک برخوردار شد. تازه‌‌ترین کار هنری آیدا کیخایی بازی در نمایش «تیمور لنگ» نوشته و کار محمد یعقوبی بود که در فوریه ۲۰۲۴ در کروز تیاتر به مدت یک ماه به روی صحنه بود. آیدا کیخایی در این نمایش به دو زبان فارسی و انگلیسی ایفای نقش کرد و کاندیدای جایزه‌ی بازی‌گری دورا مور میور (Dora Mavor Moore Awards) شد. 

About Aida Keykaii

Aida Keykhaii is a Canadian-Iranian Dora Award nominee actor and director, producer, theatre instructor with over a decade’s experience in the Industry. She holds an M.A. in Theatre Directing and a B.A. in Acting from the University of Tehran. She is the co-founder of NOWADAYS THEATRE, the 2018-19 Company in Residency at Canadian Stage, where she made her Canadian acting debut in ‘The Only Possible Way’. During the Pandemic in 2021, Aida directed the English premiere of ‘From The Basement To The Roof’ on Zoom and had a main role in the project. Then she performed in the English premier of ‘Mother’ at the Toronto Fringe Festival 2021. Aida received excellent feedback from audiences and critics for her performances in the English premiere of “Winter of 88” at the Next Stage Theatre Festival 2020 and “Heart of a Dog” at the Next Stage Theatre Festival 2022. Her most recent stage appearance was in “Earworm,” presented by Nowadays Theatre in association with Crow’s Theatre in February 2024. For her outstanding performance in “Earworm,” Aida was nominated for a Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding Performance by an Individual. 

Select Theatre and Film Credits: ‘What we do in the Shadows’ (F.X.), ‘Coroner’ (CBC), ‘Children of Fire’, ‘Harbour House’, ‘Persimmon’, ‘Heart of a Dog’, ‘Children of Fire’, ’Drought and Lies’, ‘Heart of a Dog’, ‘Mother’, ‘From The Basement To The Roof’, ‘Winter of 88’, ‘The Only Possible Way’, ‘Swim Team’, ‘Proof’, ‘Dinner with Friends’, ‘Sleeping in an Empty Cup’, ‘The Pillowman’, ‘Iceland’ and ‘we are All fine’.

Select Awards and Honours: The Iran Festival of University Theatre for Outstanding acting, Olive; The International Iran Festival of University Theatre award for Outstanding directing, Goodbye; Honourable Mention from Canadian Stage in Direction and the NOW’s annual list of the “Best of the Fest” for Outstanding Production, Ensemble, and Direction, Swim Team.

Reviews on Aida Keykhaii’s Acting

– “Keykhaii as Homa is simply magnificent, and she acts rings around her colleagues in what is a Dora nomination-worthy performance.” • paulapitron.ca: Paula Citron, review on “Earworm” directed by Mohammad Yaghoubi and performed by Aida Keykhaii as Homa, Crow’s Theatre, February & March 2024

– “The mother, Nasrin, played by Aida Keykhaii (in the theatre stage Winter of 88), steals the show as she is able to encompass the perfect mix of wit and worry of a mother.” • From review by Deanne Kearney (Mooney on Theatre) on ‘Winter of 88’ performed by Aida Keykhaii as Nasrin (Mother) and directed by Mohammad Yaghoubi at the Next Stage Theatre Festival, 2020.

-Keykhaii delivers a bravura performance as Sharikov, growling, whining and twitching impulsively, always finding the canine aspects of her character.” • From review by Glen Sumi (NOW Magazine) on ‘Heart of a Dog’ performed by Aida Keykhaii as Sharik and directed by Mohammad Yaghoubi at the Next Stage Theatre Festival, 2022.

-“Aida Keykhaii is extraordinary as Sharik, acting basically as if she were possessed by the spirit of a dog. It’s a no-holds-barred performance that seems as if it might veer out of control, but, in fact, Keykhaii carefully details Sharik’s step-by-step transformation from dog to human, while revealing Sharik’s painful internal battle between her imposed humanity and essential caninity at every stage.” • From review by Christopher Hoile (Stage Door Review) on ‘Heart of a Dog’ performed by Aida Keykhaii as Sharik and directed by Mohammad Yaghoubi at the Next Stage Theatre Festival, 2022.

– “I was most impressed by the body contortions of Aida Keykhaii’s in her performance as the stray dog.” • From a review by Joe Szekeres on ‘Heart of a Dog’ performed by Aida Keykhaii as Sharik and directed by Mohammad Yaghoubi at the Next Stage Theatre Festival, 2022.

-“Keykhaii is such a fierce presence. She manages to sustain the character’s acute suffering without it ever feeling histrionic.” • From review by Istvan Dugalin (Istvan Reviews) on MOTHER, performed by Aida Keykhaii and directed by Mohammad Yaghoubi, an online performance at Toronto Fringe, 2021. “Heart of a Dog,”

– “Here, the performances are stunning, moving the lead female’s story from chaos to a relatable unsteady relief.” • From a review by Rachel Ganz (My Entertainment World on MOTHER, performed by Aida Keykhaii and directed by Mohammad Yaghoubi, an online performance at Toronto Fringe, 2021.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

• Please ensure that you have read, understood and accepted the following Terms and Conditions before you complete a registration for the workshop. By completing a registration, you will be deemed to have read, understood and accepted the Terms and Conditions outlined below:

Conditions of Registration

• All registrations must be completed before the start of the course or workshop.
• Fees are due in full at the time of registration.
• NOWADAYS THEATRE company reserves the right to cancel the workshop as a result of insufficient enrolment, unforeseen absence of an instructor, or inclement weather conditions.
• The Company reserves the right to ask disruptive individuals to leave a course or workshop.

Methods of Payment

• The preferred method of payment is via online registration with a credit card via PayPal. We also accept electronic bank transfers (e-transfer) to nowadaystheatre@gmail.com.

Cancellation/Refund Policy

• The registration fee is non-refundable (unless cancelled by NOWADAYS THEATRE, but can be considered as a credit for the registrant to attend the class within one year from the submission date.
• The credit to attend the future class is valid at most one year and to attend the future workshop, you must submit the registration from again and mention your credit. 
• NOWADAYS THEATRE company can cancel the workshop when there are not sufficient numbers of persons registered or an emergency situation prevents the workshop from being held.
• If the company cancel the workshop for any reason, all registration fees will be fully refunded.

Privacy Practices

• All personal information we collect is held in confidence. Our Executive and Management board members are authorized to access personal information only as needed to deal with such information for the reason for which it was obtained. The Company utilizes a secure website and database to ensure the necessary safeguards and firewalls are in place to protect member information. Our website collects personal information during the registration process. We also learn users’ e-mail addresses and other attached information when they send us an e-mail. We do not sell or exchange personally identifiable information with any third parties.
• Respect for others: The company reserves the right to terminate your participation at the discretion of the instructor if you are deemed to have been ‘disruptive’. Under these circumstances, any fees paid that remain uncommitted will be refunded.

Website and Commerce

• We use appropriate security measures, including encryption software, to protect personal and other information that we received when a product or service is purchased and paid online. We use only those online payment services that offer the highest levels of security and protection.

Student Declaration:

• By signing up the registration form, I agree to the following:
• I accept the terms and conditions of NOWADAYS THEATRE company for the workshop. I understand that these may change from time to time without invalidating my acceptance and that the current terms and conditions will be available to me via the NOWADAYS THEATRE’s website.
• I am granting the permission to film my picture to be shared publicly via our website, social media, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Vimeo, etc.
• I am satisfied that appropriate information about the classes has been available to me prior to enrolment. I confirm my intention to attend the workshop on which I have been enrolled and I am aware of the commitment required.
• I understand that there will be a briefing on health and safety issues during the sessions of the workshop and that I also have a duty to bring relevant health and safety issues to the attention of the company.
• I understand that I must respect the privacy and needs of others.
• I accept that if I withdraw from any session for which I am registered, I will remain liable for the cost and not be able to transfer, hold in a credit or receive a refund for fees paid.

Contact Information

• Questions and concerns relating to our terms and conditions can be emailed to nowadaystheatre@gmail.com.