The Butterfly, a modern masterpiece of children's theatre by Iran's best-loved playwright, Bijan Mofid, returns to Berkeley after sold-out performances last fall at the Randall Museum in San Francisco.

This bilingual production mixes Farsi and English to unlock the charm of the original play for American audiences. The story can be easily understood by a child who speaks no Farsi at all, but magical doors are opened to the direct experience of another culture. With fantasy and humor woven into the web of a profound moral dilemma, exquisite dance and traditional music performed live, the performance is a delight for audiences of all ages.

The play is presented by Darvag Theatre, an Iranian-American theatre group active in Berkeley since 1985, and very well known to the local Iranian community. Directed by Zara Houshmand, the show features dancer Shahrzad Khorsandi in the role of the Butterfly, ensemble members Ali Reza Dadgar, Mansour Ta'eed, Bernadette Rad, Behzad Golmohammadi, Hossein Khosroja, and Farid Nabavi, and music from Koorosh Taghavi and Nina Sharif.

Two weekends only: May 15-16-17, 29-30-31 Friday and Saturday 8pm; matinees Saturday and Sunday at 3pm At: Darvag Theatre 3280 Adeline (at Alcatraz) in Berkeley Reservations: 510-466-5299 Tickets: $7 children / $12 adults