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Middle Eastern, North African, and Southwest Asian (MENASA) Theatre

Content in this section focuses on theatre made by practitioners from the Middle East, North Africa, and Southwest Asia (MENASA), or of MENASA descent. Start with essays like “Erasing the Middle East: White Gatekeeping and the Painful Path of Progress,” “Middle Eastern America and the Theatre of Belonging,” or the report on the National Convening for Artists of Middle Eastern, North African, and Southwest Asian Descent. And don’t miss the video series of artists of Middle Eastern and North African heritage discussing their identity, work, and artistic choices.

The Latest

NO SUMMARY: Critiquing the Critics
Video
NO SUMMARY: Critiquing the Critics
The Reception of Southwest Asian and North African (SWANA) Theatre in North America
Friday 4 August 2023
California
NO SUMMARY: MENA Playwrights on Storytelling, with University of Washington and California Polytechnic State University Theatre Students
Video
NO SUMMARY: MENA Playwrights on Storytelling, with University of Washington and California Polytechnic State University Theatre Students
Delving into the Challenges and Opportunities of Bringing Diverse Stories to the Stage
Wednesday 7 June 2023
United States
Muslims in the Margins
Video
Muslims in the Margins
A Joyful Panel on Underrepresented Perspectives
Monday 5 June 2023
United States
event poster for no summary critiquing the critics.
NO SUMMARY: Critiquing the Critics
Video

NO SUMMARY: Critiquing the Critics

The Reception of Southwest Asian and North African (SWANA) Theatre in North America

Friday 4 August 2023
California

In collaboration with the Middle Eastern Theatre focus group at the Association for Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE) annual conference, Golden Thread Productions invited Dr. Sarah Fahmy, a decolonial scholartist and co-founder of the Middle Eastern Theatre group at ATHE, and Marina Johnson, a scholar and director, to moderate a conversation on theatre criticism in the Southwest Asian and North African (SWANA) artistic and academic worlds across the region and the diaspora today. Panelists discussed topics of cultural competency, the multiple forms of criticism, and the ways that SWANA artists and academics seek to change the game.

event poster for Retooling Green Tool for Theatre in Africa.
Retooling Green Tools for Theatre in Africa
Video

Retooling Green Tools for Theatre in Africa

Insights from Practitioners

Wednesday 19 July 2023
Egypt, Ghana

Greening the theatre is crucial to the sustainability of theatre and the planet. Theatre designers such as lighting personnel, set designers, costumers, property designers, and sound engineers are rethinking and retooling for the purpose of creating a more eco-friendly, sustainable, and environmentally just and responsible theatre practice. In this episode, we bring theatre practitioners (such as designers and eco-scenographers) who are advancing sustainable artistic values in their practice.

event poster for MENA Playwrights on Storytelling, with UW & Cal Poly Theatre Students.
NO SUMMARY: MENA Playwrights on Storytelling, with University of Washington and California Polytechnic State University Theatre Students
Video

NO SUMMARY: MENA Playwrights on Storytelling, with University of Washington and California Polytechnic State University Theatre Students

Delving into the Challenges and Opportunities of Bringing Diverse Stories to the Stage

Wednesday 7 June 2023
United States

The panel will be joined by a MENA American theatre class at California Polytechnic State University, designed by professor Hala Baki to imagine how MENA theatre can contribute to a more inclusive American culture, and a plays and styles drama class at the University of Washington, taught by Mona Merhi, who focused the course on topics related to race, ethnicity, and identity representation by examining the works of playwrights from the MENA region alongside modern and contemporary Western texts.

Event poster for muslims in the margins.
Muslims in the Margins
Video

Muslims in the Margins

A Joyful Panel on Underrepresented Perspectives

Monday 5 June 2023
United States

“There are three billion Muslims out there with inherently unique stories and you keep telling the same one. What does that mean?” “It means people want to keep hearing it.” Lines from Rehana Lew Mirza’s play Hatefuck ring truer than ever in a time where Muslim representation is growing yet still predictably homogenous.

Event poster for no summary Comedy as a Form of Solidarity and Resistance.
NO SUMMARY: Comedy as a Form of Solidarity and Resistance
Video

NO SUMMARY: Comedy as a Form of Solidarity and Resistance

A Conversation with Artists and Students of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and Columbia College Chicago

Friday 14 April 2023
United States

In the first episode of our 2023 season, Golden Thread’s Sahar Assaf, executive artistic director, and Wafaa Bilal, artist-in-residence, will be joined by the classes of associate professor Simon Anderson, a British-born-and-educated cultural historian, and interdisciplinary Syrian artist Sami Hussain Ismat, at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and Columbia College Chicago.

event poster for woman, life, freedom panel.
Woman, Life, Freedom: Theatre and Protest in Iran
Video

Woman, Life, Freedom: Theatre and Protest in Iran

A Virtual Roundtable

Monday 27 March
Maryland, United States

Roshan Institute for Persian Studies at the University of Maryland, College Park and The Theatre Times present Woman, Life, Freedom: Theatre and Protest in Iran, a virtual roundtable in honor of World Theatre Day. Featuring Azadeh Ganjeh, Nassim Soleimanpour, Keyvan Sarreshteh, and moderator Marjan Moosavi, this conversation will explore Iranian theatre artists’ ethical vision and creative practice in response to the Woman, Life, Freedom movement. This event will feature live captioning and ASL interpretation.

event poster for doing it for ourselves with speaker headshots.
SWANA and Queer in the Global Story
Video

SWANA and Queer in the Global Story

Doing It for Ourselves

Sunday 26 March 2023
Chicago, Illinois

Join playwright Martin Yousif Zebari and director Sivan Battat for an online conversation moderated by co–executive artistic director of Silk Road Rising Jamil Khoury about the intersections of SWANA and queer identities. This event will have live, human-written captions.

A still from Things Hidden Since the Foundation of the World.
How Javaad Alipoor’s Fourth World Trilogy Disrupts What We Think We Understand About History, Politics, and the Internet
Essay

How Javaad Alipoor’s Fourth World Trilogy Disrupts What We Think We Understand About History, Politics, and the Internet

14 March 2023

Joseph Dunne-Howrie examines the way that three of Javaad Alipoor’s plays infuse the internet into theatrical performance, creating intersecting narratives that interrogate identity formation in the age of global interconnectivity.

event poster for no summary Critiquing the Critics: The Reception of MENA Productions .
NO SUMMARY: Critiquing the Critics
Video

NO SUMMARY: Critiquing the Critics

The Reception of MENA Productions

Friday 11 November 2022
United States

Golden Thread presented the conversation NO SUMMARY: Critiquing the Critics: The Reception of MENA Productions  livestreaming on the global, commons-based, peer-produced HowlRound TV network on Friday 11 November 2022 at 11 a.m. PST (San Francisco, UTC -8) / 1 p.m. CST (Chicago, UTC -6) / 2 p.m. EST (New York, UTC -5).

Kunafa and Shay Teaser Image.
Buffer Fringe Performing Arts Festival
Podcast

Buffer Fringe Performing Arts Festival

4 October 2022

In this special episode, Marina and Nabra sit down with Lebanese actor, theatremakers, and peacebuilder Raffi Feghali to talk about the Buffer Fringe Festival. Buffer Fringe is an annual festival with a mission for peacebuilding and social justice, organized by Home for Cooperation and situated in the buffer zone in Cyprus. Buffer Fringe runs 7-9 October 2022, presenting three days of international, interdisciplinary, experimental performances under the theme of Pockets (beyond). Join us as we explore improv in Lebanon, experimental theatre in a geographically contentious area, and artistic curation for peacebuilding.

Four actors sit and stare at the ceiling.
The Future Is in Culture
Essay

The Future Is in Culture

A Conversation with Iman Aoun

15 September 2022

Multidisciplinary artist Ash Marinaccio sits down with the co-founder and artistic director of ASHTAR Theatre Iman Aoun to discuss this year’s ASHTAR International Youth Festival in Palestine.

Event poster for No Summary.
NO SUMMARY: Meet the Cast of The Language of Wild Berries by Naghmeh Samini
Video

NO SUMMARY: Meet the Cast of The Language of Wild Berries by Naghmeh Samini

Sheila Devitt Introduces and Interviews Cast Members of The Language of Wild Berries, a United States premiere by Naghmeh Samini

Thursday 1 September 2022
United States

Golden Thread Productions presented NO SUMMARY: Meet the Cast of The Language of Wild Berries by Naghmeh Samini livestreaming on the global, commons-based, peer-produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Thursday 1 September 2022 at 11 a.m. PDT (San Francisco, UTC -7) / 1 p.m. CDT (Chicago, UTC -5) / 2 p.m. EDT (New York, UTC -4).

event poster for NO SUMMARY: What can the wise fool Nasrudin teach us?.
NO SUMMARY: What Can the Wise Fool Nasrudin Teach Us?
Video

NO SUMMARY: What Can the Wise Fool Nasrudin Teach Us?

Bringing Middle Eastern Storytelling to Young Audiences

Friday 24 June 2022
United States

Golden Thread Productions presented NO SUMMARY: What Can the Wise Fool Nasrudin Teach Us? livestreamed on the global, commons-based, peer-produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Friday 24 June 2022 at 11 a.m. PDT (San Francisco, UTC -7) / 1 p.m. CDT (Chicago, UTC -5) / 2 p.m. EDT (New York, UTC -4).

Kunafa and Shay Teaser Image.
Season Debrief
Podcast

Season Debrief

8 June 2022

To end the season, this episode will have Marina and Nabra sitting down to tea to talk about highlights from this season and what is to come in the future.

Kunafa and Shay Teaser Image.
Balancing Comedy and Drama as a MENA Playwright
Podcast

Balancing Comedy and Drama as a MENA Playwright

With Yussef El-Guindi & Leila Buck

1 June 2022

As politicized ethnic groups, playwriting comes with a sense of responsibility and history for many MENA and SWANA writers. Balancing drama and comedy in plays that deal with MENA politics, identity, and history can be difficult, but is also crucial for inviting audiences into our stories and addressing stereotypes and historical harm. Join two prominent playwrights and pillars of the MENA community, Yussef El-Guindi and Leila Buck, as we have an open conversation about how they approach their writing and reflect on what their work means in a greater societal context.

Kunafa and Shay Teaser Image.
Multihyphenate Artists
Podcast

Multihyphenate Artists

With Denmo Ibrahim and Sarah Fahmy

25 May 2022

Artistic identities can be complicated, and many theatremakers work equally within two or more disciplines simultaneously. The most interesting work is rarely created in a vacuum. These multidisciplinary artists create diverse projects in all senses of the word, broadening our idea of what theatre can and should be. Today, two such multihyphenate artists, Denmo Ibrahim and Sarah Fahmy, converse about their multiple identities, how they reconcile and manage their myriad expertise, and the role of multihyphenate artists in today’s theatre landscape.

Kunafa and Shay Teaser Image.
Creating the Change: Featuring Masrah Cleveland Al-Arabi
Podcast

Creating the Change: Featuring Masrah Cleveland Al-Arabi

With Raymond Bobgan and Omar Kurdi

18 May 2022

MENA artists continue to work hard to create representation in large theatrical arenas by pushing for their work to be produced on contemporary stages. However, since some major theatres only allot 1 or 2 slots a year for plays by BIPOC artists, and MENA artists have frequently been ignored. They have found other ways to create thriving artistic spaces for actors, directors, and playwrights alike. Masrah Cleveland Al Arabi has created a space for MENA artists to thrive. This artist-led organizational infrastructure serves as an example of how change can be made within existing theatrical structures. Today we are joined by Raymond Bobgan and Omar Kurdi.

Kunafa and Shay Teaser Image.
Iranian Theatre Companies
Podcast

Iranian Theatre Companies

With Parmida Ziaei (Seda, Seattle) & Shadi Ghaheri (Peydah, NYC)

11 May 2022

In the greater conversation about MENA or SWANA identity, many national and ethnic groups do not neatly fit into that category or are in between geographic areas. One of the largest groups that are both within and without what is considered the “Middle East” is Iran. So many Iranian leaders are making intentional space for the diversity and specificity of their culture by creating companies for Iranian artists. In this episode, we highlight two Iranian theatre companies: Seda Iranian Theatre Ensemble in Seattle, WA, and Peydah Theatre Company in NYC.

Kunafa and Shay Teaser Image.
Centering Perspectives of Color in Theatre Criticism
Podcast

Centering Perspectives of Color in Theatre Criticism

With Arti Ishak and Yasmin Zacaria Mikhaiel

4 May 2022

For artists, getting a quality review of their show is often critical to continued success. It can make or break new plays and emerging artists. However, works by BIPOC artists have often been subjected to the white critical gaze in reviews, which has frequently not made any attempt to account for the complexity of culture outside of the reviewer’s own understanding. There has been a major push by BIPOC artists to counter the white supremacy of reviews, including who writes the critiques and what they write about. In this episode, Arti Ishak and Yasmin Zacaria Mikhaiel talk about their experiences as MENA artists and critics, how they negotiate the field of criticism, and what changes can and must be made to the landscape.

event poster for no summary: Tap In, Tap Out: On Dangerous Storytelling.
NO SUMMARY: Tap In, Tap Out: On Dangerous Storytelling
Video

NO SUMMARY: Tap In, Tap Out: On Dangerous Storytelling

Kholoud Nasser, theatre artist and trauma-informed therapist, hosts a conversation with intimacy coordinator Maya Herbsman and fight director Carla Pantoja

Thursday 28 April 2022
United States

Golden Thread Productions presented NO SUMMARY: Tap In, Tap Out: On Dangerous Storytelling livestreamed on the global, commons-based, peer produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Thursday 18 April 2022 at 11 a.m. PDT (San Francisco, UTC -7) / 1 p.m. CDT (Chicago, UTC -5) / 2 p.m. EDT (New York, UTC -4).

Kunafa and Shay Teaser Image.
Community Engagement through Art and Programs
Podcast

Community Engagement through Art and Programs

With Pirronne Yousefzadeh & Lia Fakhouri

27 April 2022

Community engagement is more than a post-show talk or touring production. These two directors and administrative leaders are community engagement practitioners in everything that they do, including their artmaking and program curation. They work both as independent artists and through organizations. We will discuss the nature of community engagement as an artistic practice, how their MENA backgrounds influence their practice, and how the theatre atmosphere is or should shift to be community engaged in an authentic and equitable way.

Kunafa and Shay Teaser Image.
Site-Specific and Devised Theatre in Lebanon
Podcast

Site-Specific and Devised Theatre in Lebanon

With Sahar Assaf & Zeina Daccache

20 April 2022

Site-specific performances have the possibility to truly make all the world a stage. To produce site-specific and devised theatre performances in the United States and abroad, artists must engage with the questions of the politics of any space, what communities inhabit or use it, and who is invited into it. Sahar Assaf, a Lebanese theatremaker and the new artistic director of Golden Thread Productions, and Zeina Daccache, an actor, director, and the founder of Catharsis: Lebanese Center for Drama Therapy come together to talk about site-specific and devised theatre pieces in Lebanon, the rest of the MENA world, and the United States.

Kunafa and Shay Teaser Image.
Theatre as Advocacy/Palestinian Theatre
Podcast

Theatre as Advocacy/Palestinian Theatre

With Ahmed Masoud and Hanna Eady

13 April 2022

Theatre is a powerful tool for political and community advocacy efforts. From the stage to the streets, theatre can illuminate underheard narratives, reveal different perspectives on political events, and humanize the struggles of groups. There is a long history of theatre as a tool for advocacy in the Palestinian community in the US and abroad. In this episode, we talk to two Palestinian writers and theatremakers who have been using the art form as a way to bring awareness to the conflict in Palestine, give audiences with concrete tools for change, and provide direct relief to Palestinians internationally.

Kunafa and Shay Teaser Image.
Representation Behind the Scenes
Podcast

Representation Behind the Scenes

With Betty Shamieh & Tracy Francis

6 April 2022

Last season we talked about on-stage representation in contemporary theatre. But what does representation look like behind the scenes and why is it important? How does the process change when there are MENA creative team members, production staff, directors, and playwrights involved from the inception of a project to its closing night? What role does this representation play in new work development? We will discuss all of this and more with playwright Betty Shamieh and artistic director of Boom Arts Tracy Francis as they share their past experiences, insight, and ideas for the future.

event poster for a conversation about drowing in cairo.
Meet the Cast of Drowning in Cairo by Adam Ashraf Elsayigh
Video

Meet the Cast of Drowning in Cairo by Adam Ashraf Elsayigh

A world premiere centered on three Arab gay men trying to rebuild their lives after their arrest on a gay nightclub in 2001

Friday 25 February 2022
United States

Golden Thread presented a conversation with the cast of Drowning in Cairo by Adam Ashraf Elsayigh livestreaming on the global, commons-based, peer produced HowlRound TV network on Friday 25 February 2022 at 11 a.m. PST (San Francisco, UTC -8) / 1 p.m. CST (Chicago, UTC -6) / 2 p.m. EST (New York, UTC -5).