| This study aims to examine the life, artistic vision, and the individual and social themes addressed in the theatrical works of İsmet Hürmüzlü, one of the founding and pioneering figures of Iraqi Turkmen theatre. Born and raised in Kirkuk, Hürmüzlü’s artistic career was shaped by political instability in Iraq, the oppression experienced by the Turkmen community, and forced migration. The study discusses the author’s turn toward theatre, his education both domestically and abroad, the theatre groups he founded, and his contributions to Turkmen theatre. In addition, recurring themes in his playssuch as love, loneliness, war, homeland, belonging, otherization, protest, massacre, and tradition are analyzed through selected examples from his texts. The findings reveal that İsmet Hürmüzlü viewed theatre not merely as an aesth etic art form, but also as a means of preserving the historical memory of the Turkmen community, protecting national identity, and strengthening social consciousness. In this respect, Hürmüzlü’s works hold both artistic and ideological significance for Turkmen theatre. |