Criminal Queerness Festival 2026 Equity Principal Actors - National Queer Theater Auditions

REVISED

LOCATION

National Queer Theater's Criminal Queerness Festival 2026 - NYC EPA Revised
National Queer Theater | Brooklyn, NY

AUDITION DATE

A.R.T./New York Studios, 520 8th Ave, New York, NY 10018
Wednesday, March 25, 2026 — Holding room: Studio C
9:30 AM – 5:30 PM (E)

PERSONNEL

Lunch: 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM

Casting Director: Peter Dunn

Producers: Adam Odsess-Rubin and Rose Oser

CONTRACT

Writer of Area D: Lour
Transition Writer of Faggy Faafi Cairo Boy: Mariam Bazeed
$572.60 weekly minimum (Year 1)

Expected to attend:
Rose Oser — Producing Director
Adam Odsess-Rubin — Producer / Founding Artistic Director

Director for Area D: Osh Ashruf
Director for Faggy Faafi Cairo Boy: Shadi Ghaheri

SEEKING

Equity actors for roles in National Queer Theater's Criminal Queerness Festival 2026 (see breakdown). Actors of Arab heritage are encouraged to audition.

OTHER DATES

PREPARATION

Please prepare a brief contemporary monologue (under 2 minutes).

First Rehearsal: May 11
Tech: June 6–7
Performances: June 9–13

FAGGY FAAFI CAIRO BOY

First Rehearsal: May 18
Tech: June 15–16
Performances: June 17–20

OTHER

Website:
www.nationalqueertheater.org

Venue: HERE Arts Center

EPA Procedures are in effect for this audition. An Equity Monitor will be provided.

Equity’s contracts prohibit discrimination. Equity is committed to diversity and encourages all its employers to engage in a policy of equal employment opportunity designed to promote a positive model of inclusion. As such, Equity encourages performers of all ethnicities, gender identities, and ages, as well as performers with disabilities, to attend every audition.

Always bring your Equity Membership card to auditions.

AREA D

Written by Lour

SYNOPSIS

A scrappy Palestinian band lands an unexpected shot on the Eurovision stage. What starts as a lucky break spirals into a glitter-drenched spectacle, forcing the band to wrestle with whether visibility is worth compromising their identity. AREA D is a bold, genre-smashing musical fusing Arab-pop, punk, and electronic sounds.

SEEKING

LARA

Early 20s. Arab (Jerusalemite). She/Her. Frontwoman of the band. A Jerusalemite with a protest in her throat and a pop anthem in her bloodstream.
Vocal Range: E3–D5 (Pop Soprano / Mezzo). Instruments: Electric/acoustic guitar preferred. Language: Conversational Arabic preferred.

DINA

Early 20s. Arab (West Bank). She/Her. The bassist. West-Banker. Dry wit. The calm eye in the political hurricane. Feels everything deeply but reveals it selectively.
Vocal Range: D3–C#5 (Mezzo-Alto). Instruments: N/A. Language: Conversational Arabic preferred.

RAMI

18+ to play Teen. Arab (Gaza). He/Him. Dana’s cousin. DIY keyboardist raised on YouTube tutorials and bad WiFi. He’s honestly just happy to be here!
Vocal Range: C3–Ab4 (Tenor/Bari-Tenor). Instruments: N/A. Language: Conversational Arabic preferred.

SAMIR

Mid 20s. Arab (Haifa). He/Him. Drummer. A proud Hifawi with hips like Shakira. Magnetic, playful, rhythm incarnate. The band’s heartbeat and resident flirt. He can be too much…
Vocal Range: G2–G4 (Bari-Tenor with strong low extension). Instruments: Darbuka preferred. Language: Conversational Arabic preferred.

FAGGY FAAFI CAIRO BOY

Written by Mariam Bazeed

SYNOPSIS

In the space between living and whatever the hell comes next, between daddy issues and Daddy issues, between the city that never sleeps and the city that never even blinks… Mohammad, the prodigal, closeted son returns to Cairo, and to his father's rapidly failing, irrevocable body. Distanced from his NYC boyfriend, Mohammad reunites with an old Cairo flame who now has a life of his own. And who’s to judge him, besides that angry little angel in the corner of the hospital room?

SEEKING

MOHAMMAD ADAM IBRAHIM / MOH’D ADAM IBRAHIM / MO / MONKEY

He/Him, early 30s, Arab/Egyptian, cis, gay bear, of comforting, could-crush-you stature and swarthiness. Might speak English with a faint Egyptian accent. Might not. Easy smile. Easier laugh. Though straight-acting, something about him always gives away the rainbow.

YASSER MOHAMMAD DARWISH

He/Him, Arab/Egyptian otter, early 30s, rice and rabbit stew paunch coming right along. Possibly the least serious, most charismatic of his friend group. Has a hard time not turning everything into a joke. Loyal to his friends. Loyal to his optimism about life.

MOHAMMAD’S FATHER aka BABA aka ADAM IBRAHIM

He/Him, straight Arab/Egyptian man in his late sixties, enormous Egyptian-dad mustache. Clearly where his son gets his stature and large frame. His body, once robust, retains some shadow of its past vigor, though we meet him ravaged by long illness. Easy smile, easier laugh. Though generally a jolly, warm figure, BABA can be very very scary when upset.