update : 10.03.2009

Performance | The Last 15 Seconds

Extended Run Following IMPACT 09

Performances in Kitchener, Ontario:

October 8, 9, 10, 2009 / 8:00pm | The Registry Theatre, Kitchener directions

Tickets / $20 - Available through Centre in the Square Box Office 1-800-265-8977.

Performances in Burlington, Ontario:

October 16, 17 2009 / 8:00pm | Burlington Student Theatre, directions

For more information about Burlington performances, check www.totteringbiped.ca.

About The Last 15 Seconds:

This project explores the topic of terrorism starting with the tragic death of Syrian-American filmmaker Mustapha Akkad and his daughter Rima during a series of co-ordinated attacks that hit three prominent hotels in the Jordanian capital Amman in 2005. Akkad is the director of two major films both starring Anthony Quinn, The message: the Story of Islam (1976) and Lion of the Desert (1982). Akkad saw these films as a way to bridge the gap between the Western and Islamic world. He was also the producer of the Halloween film series.

The work constructs an imagined physical and verbal dialogue between Mustapha Akkad and Rawad Jassem Mohammad Abed, the suicide bomber who carried the explosion that killed Akkad. The work also looks at the imagined lives and memories of both the victim and his killer at the time of the explosion.

Official Media Release:

Open or Download in PDF format. PDF

Video Preview:

Original Letter sent out to Community Members:

To Whom It May Concern:

My name is Majdi Bou-Matar and I am the Artistic Director of The Multicultural Theatre Space (The MT Space) – a non profit theatre group located in the Waterloo Region. The mission of our company is to work with different communities to build a community of difference. Since 2004, we have been creating relevant theatre projects that speak to, draw upon and help to constitute Canadian contemporary community.  We participated in festivals across the nation and garnered several distinguished awards and rave reviews.

I am writing to you today to request your creative contribution to the development of our upcoming play titled The Last 15 Seconds.

The Last 15 Seconds will examine the issue of terrorism by looking at the final moments in the lives of Syrian-American filmmaker Mustafa Akkad and his Killer.  Akkad is the creator of The Message: the Story of Islam, and Lion of the Desert, two of the most prominent films that depict the greatness of both Islamic faith and Arab culture.  Akkad saw these films as a way to bridge the gap between the Western and Islamic worlds, stating in a 1976 interview:

“…being Muslim myself who lived in the west I felt that it was my obligation my duty to tell the truth about Islam.  It is a religion that has a 700 million following, yet there’s so little known about it which surprised me.  I thought I should tell the story that will bring this bridge ... to the west.” 

Akkad was tragically killed with his daughter Rima in the Jordan suicide bombings on November 9, 2005 before he realized his third film Saladin about the Crusade war.  It is a story of a man who spent his life promoting Islam to the West and was killed by a Muslim extremist.

As part of this project’s development process, we intend to gather insight from the community on this critical issue. Therefore, we are contacting artists, celebrities, community leaders, politicians, academics and other prominent individuals like you, to ask for your input. 

We would like to invite you to compose a one page letter addressing Rawad Jassem Muhammad Abed – the suicide bomber who carried out the attack that killed Akkad and his daughter. If you put yourself in Akkad’s shoes and had the opportunity to address the suicide bomber, moments before the explosion, what would you say?

It is our intention to use these submissions to construct an imagined dialogue and relationship between Akkad and his Killer during the moments that preceded the explosion.  This exercise is to encourage individuals who are concerned with the current spread of terrorism or with its unjust association with Arab and Islamic cultures, to contribute their thoughts to the creation of our play.  This will also help us understand the many different perspectives that exist in our nation around this critical issue.

We appreciate the sensitivity of the topic being discussed and should you be interested in submitting a letter, we will respect your choice of remaining anonymous.  We are also accepting email, and video or voice recorded submissions in any language.

For more information regarding The Last 15 Seconds, please read the attached document detailing our project, and for more about our organization, please visit our website (www.mtspace.ca).  Please feel free to contact us should you have any further questions.

I thank you for your time and I hope that you will contribute to what we feel will be a powerful and worthwhile project.

Yours Sincerely,

Majdi Bou-Matar
Artistic Director
The MT Space