Ilkhom Theatre, of Tashkent, Uzbekistan, is led by its founder, Mark Weil. It began as a renegade theater of the USSR in 1976, existing without state censorship or subsidies. Early works were improvisations, street theater, and new-wave plays. In the mid-'80s, Ilkhom specialized in movement/clown theatre. More recently, it has produced adaptations of Western classics, modern classics and even traditional Uzbek comedy. Ilkhom travels widely and occupies a complex in Tashkent with a theater, drama school and exhibition hall.

For the 2007-2008 touring season, Ilkhom has collaborated with celebrated African-American choreographer David Rousséve to create Ecstasy With the Pomegranate, an epic dance theater work inspired by the iconographic paintings (circa 1920-40) of the Bocha Boys by Alexandr V. Nikolayev, who used the pen name of Usto Mumin.  In Uzbekistan, there were no dances for women until the 1920s.  The Bocha Boys, whose dances were a part of court life from ancient times, played a unique part in the evolution of the country's historical culture.  Their dances in the '20s, when Mumin painted them, were copied from dances that had been passed down through history.  There is a commissioned score by Artyom Kim.  Ilkhom and Mr. Rousséve developed the piece in Tashkent and Seattle.  Ecstasy With the Pomegranate premiered in Tashkent in October 2006.

Other works touring this season are:
White White Black Stork, from the novel by Abdullah Kadyri (an Uzbek novelist who was repressed after World War II) takes place in the beginning of the 20th Century.  It is the story of a boy and a girl, adolescents growing up and deprived of the most important right – the right to be themselves.

Flights of Mashrab, a production about a mad “bare assed” mystical Suphi, and as it seems, the best poet of the 18th century in Central Asia.  Dervish Mashrab is a historical figure, a man, who lived approximately at the same time as Mozart.  He was a man, who had many God given talents, including poetic gifts, philosophic gifts and foresight.  Some considered him a mad man, others a genius.  The creative ensemble of the Ilkhom Theatre will try to unwind the secret of this person, through the playing of myths about him, and through the poetry of Mashrab himself.

Imitations of the Koran, a synthesis of drama, choreography and video art based on Pushkin. (Their motto is "Pushkin-Is-Everything-To-Us!").  Imitations of the Koran brings together Pushkin's Prophet and suras from the Koran. The show comprises stories and meditations about love, temptation, sin, life, and death. Intense and ambiguous human dialogues take place between a young prophet Mohammad and Allah. The production synthesizes drama, music, dance, and video to create an image of the world of the Koran and a window on the unique genius of Pushkin.