BIO
ORIGINALS
Playbill from Atra's original dark comedy and three-time Jeff Award-winning play
Iraq, But Funny
Iraq, But Funny follows five generations of Assyrian women reclaiming their story
...as narrated by a British Colonizer
(played by Asdou).
Filled with history, family, and dysfunction, Iraq, But Funny jauntily marches through time and space, starting at World War I and The Ottoman Empire to modern-day U.S.A.
Debuted at Lookingglass Theatre 2025
Written by Atra Asdou
Directed by Dalia Ashurina
Poster Image by Sandro Miller
Production Photos by Ricardo Adame
Photo Overlays by Allie DiSanto
Awards: MAPFund 2024, Venturous Grant 2025,
Joseph Jefferson "Jeff" Awards 2025 Wins:
Best Actor (Atra Asdou)
Best New Work (Atra Asdou)
Best Projection Design (Michael Commandatore)
Nominations: Best Production - Large
SELECT PRESS:
"Asdou is both the creator and star of the show. She zings punch lines, improvs with the audience and delivers a badass Jennifer Coolidge impression. Asdou is nonstop comedic relief from the atrocious facts she is presenting."
- Block Club Chicago
“Iraq, But Funny” will join “The Arabian Nights” and “Metamorphoses” at the top of the Lookingglass canon. It is not to be missed."
- New City Stage
"Asdou, a vet of Second City and iO, knows the craft of creating shorthand routes to big satirical laughs."
- The Chicago Reader
Speech Writing for
L.A. Mayor Karen Bass
I had the honor of writing Mayor Bass a speech for the 24th Annual Los Angeles Political Roast. The evening's honoree was Mayor Bass' longtime friend and colleague, Marqueece Harris-Dawson.
The dinner supported the American Diabetes Association.
Awards & Notes: Writing this required extensive research and translating political facts and stats into a digestible, fun, and engaging speech. See image for an excerpt that had dinner attendees laughing.
Speech Writing for Brian Greene
NYC World Science Festival 2025
"
When a world-renowned theoretical physicist and string theory expert laughs at your jokes, you know you've made it.
...At least in this dimension.
I wrote jokes for Brian Greene's presentation titled "Speaking Truth to Power." It was presented at NYC World Science Festival in October 2025. The event took place at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.
Awards & Notes: In writing jokes for a serious presentation about scientists risking their lives to speak truth to power, I had to consider the bigger piece, joke timing, and audience experience. See excerpt in image for one of the audience's favorite lines of the night.
Renee`(Short Film)
A short dark comedy about a daughter caretaking her ailing and abusive parents at the expense of living her own life.
Written by Atra Asdou
Directed by Demitrius Barry
Awards & Notes: Official Selection L.A. Indie Fest (2019), Official Selection Women of The Lens Festival (2019), Lululemon Wellness Symposium Public Screening (2019).
This film premiered on Open TV.
Fever (Short film)
A short horror comedy about the pressures of settling down and having a baby.
Written and directed by Atra Asdou
Awards & Notes: Nominated for Best Female Director (Comedy) at the 2017 My Rode Reels Festival