Valerie David Brings Solo Show BAGGAGE FROM BAGHDAD to NYC’s Episcopal Actors' Guild

Award-winning performer and playwright Valerie David will bring her internationally celebrated solo show, Baggage From BaghDAD: Becoming My Father’s Daughter, to New York City for one night only on Saturday, June 21 at 8 PM, at the Episcopal Actors' Guild (1 East 29th Street). Written and performed by David and directed by award-winning director Karen Carpenter, the powerful autobiographical play will be followed by a post-show talkback.

A gripping exploration of immigration, generational trauma, identity, and family, Baggage From BaghDAD recounts David’s discovery of her family’s harrowing escape from Iraq during the 1941 Farhud pogrom in Baghdad—a two-day spree of brutal anti-Jewish violence where an estimated 1,000 Jews were murdered, and hundreds of Middle Eastern Jews had to flee their homes, including David's family. The play recounts how this painful legacy shaped David’s own life and her evolving relationship with her father, uncovering a story of survival, identity, and ultimately, reconciliation.

With direction by Karen Carpenter (Love, Loss, and What I Wore), the production features sound and projections design by Andy Evan Cohen, technical direction by Eluit Ortiz, videography by Michael Lee Stever, and photography by David Fox. The performance will run approximately 70 minutes, followed by a 25-minute audience talkback. Mature content advisory.

The solo piece has garnered acclaim across the globe, including Best Play honors at Sweden’s BroadwayWorld Regional Awards and Theatre Award at the 2022 Stockholm Fringe Festival. It was also a semi-finalist for the Doric Wilson Independent Playwright Award and a recipient of the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council Grant.

David’s poignant storytelling offers both historical education and emotional resonance. Through vivid characters, humor, and heart, she invites audiences to examine today’s refugee crises, rising prejudice, and the intergenerational impact of war and displacement. Her family's personal narrative mirrors broader global issues, from the struggles of Ukrainian and Gaza refugees to the current resurgence of Anti-Semitism to religious discrimination worldwide.

Valerie David is also known for her critically acclaimed show The Pink Hulk: One Woman’s Journey to Find the Superhero Within, an autobiographical tale chronicling her battle through three separate cancers. She is a three-time cancer survivor and advocate for empowerment through art.

This event is presented as part of the Creative Engagement program, with funding support from LMCC, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, City Council, the Howard Gilman Foundation, and NYSCA.