A Dreamer in the Caucasus

A Dreamer in the Caucasus honors the memory and traditions of the Mountain Jews.

Marik, a young Mountain Jew in the Soviet Union, spends his whole life dreaming of America. He is an inspiration & champion for his community. He makes a name for himself against all odds, but tragically never realizes his American Dream. Yet his dream lives on through the presence of his family and his namesake in America today.

The play incorporates supernatural elements that speak to the spiritual power of folk music & tradition. It blurs the lines between fantasy and reality to explore what it means to honor the ones who came before.

Context
The play takes place in Dagestan, considered the mountainous backwaters of the Soviet Union. Yet, it’s home to fierce peoples known as warriors, and rich in cultural diversity.

This is where Mountain Jews made their home for 1,500 years,  after migrating from ancient Persia. A people small in numbers, but rich in culture. Even today, as community numbers dwindle, a sacred desire prevails: Remember who you are and where you come from.

What We've Done
So far, we have drafted and edited the script, hosted a reading, and built out the production and fundraising team. We are building an audience through social media (see @adreamerinkavkaz on instagram), which reached 170,000 views across all videos in the first month.

Where We're Going
By winter 2026/2027, we aim to:

1. Build the creative team, including a director, a composer, and choreographer

2. Evolve the script through additional table readings and rewrites

3. Engage our community through social media and presence in the Mountain Jewish community in Brooklyn

4. Stage a workshop to solicit funding for the full production

What We're Looking For
We are looking for people and organizations who can support the development process as we bring this play to life.

The estimated cost of developing the play is between $71,000 - $125,000.

This will cover costs for:

Thanks to our fiscal sponsor Fractured Atlas, all donations are tax-deductible.

Get in Touch
Email: mbakshiyev [at] gmail.com
Instagram: @ADreamerinKavkaz