In a city known for its glitz and spectacle, sometimes the quietest stories make the loudest echoes. This spring, The Little Prince, the timeless tale by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, found new life on a Los Angeles stage — and Eraser Studio was there to document every intimate, inspired moment from behind the scenes. With photographers Ali Hoss and Sanaz Mahdi at the helm, the studio delivered a hauntingly beautiful visual narrative that captured the emotional undercurrents, creative process, and humanity behind the production.
The Production: A Poetic Reimagining
Under the direction of Mostafa Ghorbanpour, who also served as dramaturge and played a central role in the cast, The Little Prince was adapted with a sensitivity to both its poetic roots and its philosophical depth. The play unfolded as more than a retelling — it became an experience. Ghorbanpour’s vision brought out the story’s essence: a reflection on childhood, loneliness, love, and the strange, often confounding world of grown-ups.
Shahrad Fredotti, serving as assistant director while also performing, helped shape the rhythm and energy of the piece. The production was further enhanced by evocative vocal performances from Neda Patra, whose voice served as both a narrative thread and an emotional bridge between scenes. Patra’s vocals were less an accompaniment and more a character in their own right — ethereal, grounding, and deeply affecting.
The cast, a dynamic blend of voices and interpretations, featured Darya Falaki, Shahrad Fredotti, Bethany Violett, and Mostafa Ghorbanpour. Each performer embraced the story’s spiritual resonance, breathing life into its characters and giving the audience permission to reflect on their own inner child.
The Photographic Lens: Documenting the Invisible
As the actors rehearsed, costumers adjusted final touches, and lights were calibrated for emotional effect, Eraser Studio quietly became part of the atmosphere. Photographers Ali Hoss and Sanaz Mahdi were not merely observers — they were storytellers with a camera.
Their behind-the-scenes photography did more than document; it revealed. Through their lens, viewers see the unspoken glances between castmates during a difficult scene run, the stillness of a performer gathering focus before stepping into character, and the subtle alchemy of creativity in motion.
Eraser Studio’s images captured the theater’s duality — the tension and tenderness of the process. Shots of dusty rehearsal floors, scribbled notes in worn scripts, and mirrors filled with reflection (both literal and figurative) gave shape to the journey from page to stage.
In one striking series, the photographers captured the interplay between light and shadow — a fitting metaphor for the story of The Little Prince, which explores what is seen and unseen, what is essential, and what is often missed by the eyes.
More Than a Play: A Tribute to Collaboration
This production was not only a tribute to literature, but to collaboration. From the director’s vision to the actors’ transformations, from the haunting vocals to the technical choreography of stagehands, it was a reminder that theater is a deeply collective artform.
Eraser Studio’s behind-the-scenes work is a celebration of that collaboration. It honors not just the finished performance, but the vulnerability, tension, and joy of making something together. Their photography allows audiences to bear witness to the raw, unfiltered beauty that precedes every polished moment on stage.
A Lasting Legacy
In capturing the backstage spirit of The Little Prince, Eraser Studio has created a lasting visual archive of a unique artistic moment in the Los Angeles theater scene. Their work is more than promotional imagery — it’s visual storytelling that carries the same weight and wonder as the play itself.
As the curtain closes on this chapter of The Little Prince, these behind-the-scenes photographs remain: a testament to the passion of the performers, the clarity of the director’s vision, and the quiet, essential magic that only live theater — and a sensitive photographer — can truly reveal.
