The Last 15 Seconds

This play was inspired by the tragic death of Syrian-American filmmaker Mustapha Akkad and his daughter Rima during a series of coordinated terrorist 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 worlds. 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 out 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.

Original Cast & Creative Team

Created by Gary Kirkham, Nada Humsi, Anne-Marie Donovan, Pam Patel, Trevor Copp, Alan K. Sapp, and Majdi Bou-Matar

Directed by Majdi Bou-Matar

Music by Nick Storring

Lighting Design by Jennifer Jimenez

Costume Design by Sheree Tams
Set Design by William Chesney
Video Design by Rob Ring

Cast & Creative Team (2022)

Performed by Bó Bárdos, Trevor Copp, Nada Humsi, Nada Abusaleh / Pam Patel, and Majdi Bou-Matar / Badih Abou Chakra

The Last 15 Seconds Returns Home for a Final Performance

The Last 15 Seconds was inspired by the life and death of Moustapha Akkad, a great artist that Majdi looked up to, and in return, this piece continues to inspire audiences worldwide with a new meaning of commemorating the life and death of a great artist and trailblazer in Majdi Bou-Matar. We are finding a way forward by using this performance at The Registry Theatre on December 1st to raise funds to continue the work that Majdi started in this community.

This month, MT Space is launching a Giving Tuesday campaign to raise funds to establish a bursary in Majdi Bou-Matar’s name. This bursary will be dedicated to offering financial support as well as mentorship from MT Space to a newcomer, immigrant, and emerging artist each year. Details of the bursary will roll out in the new year with the goal of naming the first recipient at MT Space’s biennial international festival, IMPACT 23. In the short term, MT Space is focused on seeking potential partners, ongoing fundraising efforts, and establishing an endowment fund to secure the longevity of the bursary.

We invite you to join us in continuing Majdi’s impact and making a contribution to the bursary fund in his honour. Gather with us to experience The Last 15 Seconds and be with the community as we share a meal following the performance. Help us to keep filling the empty space.

The Last 15 Seconds Fundraiser Performance & Dinner

The Registry Theatre, 122 Frederick Street, Kitchener
Thursday, December 1st, 2022 at 7 pm (performance)

Tickets are NOW AVAILABLE through Ticketscene for $100 each or 2 for $175. Tax receipts will be provided for a portion of the ticket.

For anyone interested in making an additional contribution to the bursary fund, MT Space is accepting larger contributions through CanadaHelps.

**COVID Note: Audience members are asked to wear masks during the performance.**