ReOrient 2019: National Convening of Middle East and North African Theatre Artists

Golden Thread presents ReOrient 2019: National Convening of Middle East and North African Theatre Artists livestreaming from San Francisco, California on the commons-based peer produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv Saturday 9 November and Sunday 10 November 2019.

Building on years of community organizing, the convening, hosted by Golden Thread, will launch a national coalition of Middle Eastern, North African and Muslim theatre artists.

Golden Thread is part of a 14-member steering committee that has been working to increase MENA visibility, amplify our voices, and deepen the impact of our work. This gathering is made up of work sessions as well as public panels, roundtables, and coalition-building opportunities in conjunction with Golden Thread’s ReOrient Festival.

Come be part of our conversation on leading and fostering Middle Eastern and North African narratives on the American stage.

Please note that we define “Middle East” and “Middle Eastern” broadly and inclusively, and embrace the multiplicity of ethnic and religious identities that span Southwest Asia, North Africa, Central Asia, the Caucasus, parts of Mediterranean Europe, and our Diaspora communities. We understand our respective backgrounds in terms of rich pluralism and interconnectedness. We also define “America” and “American” in the broadest possible ways to include the continents of North and South America. Furthermore, at this time in history, it’s important that we include American Muslims, of all cultural, ethnic, and racial backgrounds, as members of our Middle Eastern American communities.

MENA Coalition Steering Committee Members:
Shoresh Alaudini, Andrea Assaf (Art2Action, Inc.), Leila Buck, Deborah Ben-Eliezer, Catherine Coray (NYU/The Lark), Tracy Francis, Yussef El Guindi, Kathryn Haddad, Pia Haddad, Taous Khazem, Kate Moore Heaney (Noor Theater), Denmo Ibrahim, Jamil Khoury (Silk Road Rising), Michael Malek Najjar (University of Oregon), Evren Odcikin, Nora El Samahy, Torange Yeghiazarian (Golden Thread Productions).

Livestream Schedule

Saturday 9 November 2019

Artistic and Administrative Mentorship in the MENA Community.
Organized by Catherine Coray, The Lark/NYU Tisch, facilitated by Roberta Levitow, Theatre Without Borders.
12:30 p.m. - 2 p.m. PST (San Francisco, UTC -8) / 3:30 p.m. EST (New York, UTC -5) / 20:30 GMT (London, UTC +0) 

Public Opening & Overview of Our Efforts to Build a MENA Theatre Artists National Coalition.
Torange Yeghiazarian and the MENA Theatre Artists Steering Committee.
2:30 p.m. - 4 p.m. PST (San Francisco, UTC -8) / 5:30 p.m EST (New York, UTC -5) / 22:30 GMT (London, UTC +0)

MENA in the Academy: How Can Academics and Practitioners Partner to Increase MENA Productions and Publications in Academia?
Organized by Malek Michael Najjar, University of Oregon, and Catherine Coray, The Lark/NYU Tisch. Facilitated by Roberto Varea, University of San Francisco.
4:30 p.m. - 6 p.m. PST (San Francisco, UTC -8) / 7:30 p.m. EST (New York, UTC -5) / 00:30 GMT Sunday 10 November (London, UTC +0).

Sunday 10 November 2019

Coalition-building & Networks.
Organized and facilitated by Andrea Assaf, Art2Action.
12 p.m. - 2 p.m. PST (San Francisco, UTC -8) / 3 p.m. EST (New York, UTC -5) / 20:00 GMT (London, UTC +0).

About HowlRound TV

HowlRound TV is a global, commons-based peer produced, open access livestreaming and video archive project stewarded by the nonprofit HowlRound. HowlRound TV is a free and shared resource for live conversations and performances relevant to the world's performing arts and cultural fields. Its mission is to break geographic isolation, promote resource sharing, and to develop our knowledge commons collectively. Participate in a community of peer organizations revolutionizing the flow of information, knowledge, and access in our field by becoming a producer and co-producing with us. Learn more by going to our participate page. For any other queries, email [email protected], or call Vijay Mathew at +1 917.686.3185 Signal/WhatsApp. View the video archive of past events.