Baggage From BaghDAD: Becoming My Father’s Daughter

Written and Performed by Valerie David

Directed by Karen Carpenter

Sound & Projections Design by Andy Evan Cohen

Award-winning performer/playwright Valerie David’s internationally celebrated solo show, Baggage From BaghDAD: Becoming My Father’s Daughter, is a gripping exploration of immigration, generational trauma, identity, and family. It recounts Valerie’s discovery of her family’s harrowing escape from Iraq during the 1941 Farhud pogrom in Baghdad—a two-day spree of anti-Jewish violence. Her autobiographical play illustrates how this painful legacy shaped Valerie’s own life and her evolving relationship with her father, uncovering a story of survival, identity, and ultimately, reconciliation. Love and the importance of family triumph.

Baggage From BaghDAD is not just a Jewish tale, but a relatable narrative about having to emigrate to another country, being forced to evacuate during wartime, suffering bullying, and the ramifications of having to adapt to a foreign culture that’s not so welcoming. This play mirrors today’s rise of prejudice and discrimination worldwide, finding humor and hope even in the darkest of times—with a universal message of inspiration and resilience.

Runs approx. 65 minutes; Mature content

Accolades include:

• Received The Spoken Word and Theatre Award—2022 Stockholm Fringe Festival

• Nominated for the Grand Prix Award—2022 Stockholm Fringe Festival

• Winner-Best Play by the 2022 Sweden Broadway World Regional Awards

• Semi-finalist for the 2021 Doric Wilson Independent Playwright Award

• Awarded the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council 2024 Creative Engagement Grant

Links to Valerie David’s work:

https://pinkhulkplay.com/baggage-from-baghdad-solo-show/

https://pinkhulkplay.com/