Directed by Joel Sass, performances of the Iraq-themed play, which examines the lives of nine women, will begin March 1 with an official opening March 5. Kate Eifrig will star in the solo work, which will run through March 23. 9 Parts of Desire, according to the Guthrie, "delves into the lives of nine women – eight Iraqi, one American – as each struggles to attain her own definition of liberation. A portrait of the extraordinary (and ordinary) lives of these women, this heartbreaking and astonishingly topical work is an unusually timely meditation on the ancient, the modern and the feminine in a country overshadowed by war. While the women's professions differ greatly, the ultimate impact of their testimony is the same: a vivid understanding of what it means to be a woman in Iraq, enduring unimaginable savagery and maintaining a belief in love and the possibility of finding peace."

Director Sass is also the set designer for the production, which will feature costumes by Amelia Cheever, lights by Marcus Dilliard, sound by C. Andrew Mayer and music penned by Gregory Brosofske.

Actress Eifrig has also appeared at the Guthrie in Pericles. Her other credits include local productions of Little Shop of Horrors; Love, Janis; and Recent Tragic Events.

Tickets, priced $18-$34 and are available by calling (877) 44-STAGE or by visiting www.guthrietheater.org. The Guthrie is located at 818 South 2nd Street (at Chicago Avenue) in downtown Minneapolis.