Nora el Samahy News

Golden Thread Productions, the first American theatre company devoted to the Middle East will celebrate the 20th anniversary of its prestigious ReOrient 2019 Festival of Short Plays with seven fully produced short plays, two panel discussions, and a national convening of Middle Eastern theatre artists.

PlayGround concludes the 25th season of its celebrated Monday Night PlayGround staged reading series with a special evening of environmental-inspired plays as part of the 5th annual PLANET EARTH ARTS NEW PLAY FESTIVAL on Monday, April 1, 8 PM at Berkeley Repertory Theatre. The topic for the April 1 program (rescheduled from the previously announced March 18 date) is "BORDERS, ISLANDS & WALLS". Members of the 2018-19 PlayGround Writers Company have just five days to generate their original ten-minute plays inspired by the topic. The top six scripts will each receive an hour-and-a-half rehearsal and a professional script-in-hand staged reading at Berkeley Rep on April 1.

Golden Thread Productions, the first American theatre company devoted to the Middle East, presents What Do the Women Say?: Roots & Reflections, its annual celebration of International Women's Day. Rarely do audiences have access to such a rich collection of creative expression by Middle Eastern women, whose portrayal in mainstream media remains one of victimhood and silence. This year's program showcases the work of leading Middle Eastern women artists at the crossroads of tradition and experimentation. With a lineup of acclaimed artists surveying their Middle Eastern cultures, the singular evening celebrates women who reject narrowly-defined stereotypes to take ownership of their creative processes and carve out their own innovative identities.

Golden Thread Productions, the first American theatre company devoted to the Middle East, presents a season of new work highlighting rarely seen perspectives. The 2019 mainstage season begins with the U.S. premiere of Palestinian-Irish playwright Hannah's Khalil's critically acclaimed Scenes from 71* Years (April 5 May 5, 2019). An epic snapshot of Palestinian life since 1948, Scenes is directed by celebrated Arab-American scholar Michael Malek Najjar and features Bay Area Palestinian actors in the nine-member cast.

PlayGround continues its 25th season of its celebrated Monday Night PlayGround staged reading series with the first 2019 Monday readings on Monday, January 21, 8 PM at Berkeley Repertory Theatre's Roda Theatre. The topic for January's round, announced last Friday, is "ADAPT A FAIRY TALE". Members of the 2018-19 PlayGround Writers Company have just four-and-a-half days to generate their original ten-minute plays inspired by the topic. The top six scripts will each receive an hour-and-a-half rehearsal and a professional script-in-hand staged reading at Berkeley Rep on January 21. PlayGround writers in Los Angeles are working simultaneously on the same prompt and their finalists will be presented at Hollywood's Broadwater Mainstage (home of Sacred Fools Theatre Company) on January 14. Tickets are $15-$30 and 3-admission flex subscriptions are just $60 ($45 for 25-and-Unders). For tickets or more information, visit http://playground-sf.org/monday.

PlayGround continues its 25th season of its celebrated Monday Night PlayGround staged reading series on Monday, November 26, 8 PM at Berkeley Repertory Theatre's Roda Theatre. The topic for November's round, announced this morning, is "FALL DOWN, GET UP". Members of the 2018-19 PlayGround Writers Company have just four-and-a-half days to generate their original ten-minute plays inspired by the topic. The top six scripts will each receive an hour-and-a-half rehearsal and a professional script-in-hand staged reading at Berkeley Rep on November 26. PlayGround writers in Los Angeles are working simultaneously on the same prompt and their finalists will be presented at Hollywood's Broadwater Mainstage (home of Sacred Fools Theatre Company) on November 12.  Tickets are $15-$30 and 5-admission series subscriptions are just $75 ($50 for 25-and-Unders). For tickets or more information, visit http://playground-sf.org/monday.

Golden Thread Productions, the first American theatre company devoted to the Middle East, is proud to announce the seven plays for its prestigious ReOrient 2019 Festival of Short Plays celebrating its 20th anniversary.

"A man may see how this world goes with no eyes. Look with thine ears see how yond justice rails upon yon simple thief. Hark, in thine ear change places and, handy-dandy, which is the justice, which is the thief." - William Shakespeare

Golden Thread Productions, the first American theatre company devoted to the Middle East, presents What Do the Women Say?: Dismantling Patriarchy, its annual celebration of International Women's Day. This year's program showcases the work of leading Middle Eastern women artists that are working to expose and eradicate toxic masculinity at home, at work, and on the national stage. The event features a presentation by Yemeni-American visual artist Yasmine Diaz about her collage series, One Way or Another; a dramatic reading by Golden Thread Resident Artist Atosa Melody Babaoff of the short story "White Torture" by Iranian author Farnoosh Moshiri; a performance by Lebanese-American singer Naima Shalhoub featuring music from her debut album Live in San Francisco County Jail; and an excerpt from the documentary film The Judge by Erika Cohn and Sara Maamouri about the Arab world's first woman Sharia judge. After the presentations, Founding Artistic Director Torange Yeghiazarian will facilitate a conversation with the participating artists and the audience. Reem's California will sell food in the lobby starting at 6pm. The full program is 100 minutes without intermission.

Golden Thread Productions, the first American theatre company devoted to the Middle East, launches its 2018 season with the return of Amir Nizar Zuabi's Oh My Sweet Land, a tour-de-force solo show based on interviews with Syrian refugees in Jordan, for an extended run. Instead of staging the play in a theater, Golden Thread presents the show in home and community kitchens around the Bay Area with performances followed by food-sharing and community conversations.

Golden Thread Productions, the first American theatre company devoted to the Middle East, presents a season that fosters real conversations about issues that matter. The 2018 mainstage season begins with the return of the West Coast premiere of Amir Nizar Zuabi's Oh My Sweet Land in an extended tour of Bay Area kitchens (March 1-30, 2018). Inspired by interviews with Syrian refugees, the production, which was called extraordinary by the San Francisco Chronicle, is directed by Torange Yeghiazarian and features Nora el Samahy. Each performance will be followed by food sharing and a community conversation. The second show of the 2018 season is the critically-acclaimed production of Hassan Abdulrazzak's Love, Bombs, and Apples, which will make its U.S. debut after two sold-out runs in London (April 19-May 6, 2018). The tour-de-force solo show features Asif Khan, who brings to life four men of Middle Eastern descent, each from different parts of the globe, all experiencing a moment of revelation. Directed by Rosemunde Hutt and presented in association with Turtle Key Arts, the comedy was heralded as a quartet of monologues with a profound ability to find bubbling humor in the most over-trodden tragedies by The Stage. The mainstage season culminates in the world premiere of award winning playwright Mona Mansour's We Swim, We Talk, We Go to War, directed by Evren Odcikin (November 16-December 16, 2018). A Middle East America National New Plays Initiative commission, the play is a literal conversation between an American woman of Arab descent and her nephew, who has enlisted in the American military. Structurally adventurous with a third of the play taking place in the Pacific Ocean, We Swim welcomes Mansour for her fourth and most ambitious production with Golden Thread. Love, Bombs, and Apples and We Swim, We Talk, We Go to War will both be presented at San Francisco's Potrero Stage (1695 18th Street), where Golden Thread is a resident company. The 3 Show Pass ($87) offers the best value and priority access to our 2018 Season. Each pass includes one ticket to each of the three mainstage productions at a 20% discount: goldenthread.org.

Golden Thread Productions, the first American theatre company devoted to the Middle East, presents the West Coast premiere of Amir Nizar Zuabi's Oh My Sweet Land, a tour-de-force solo show based on interviews with Syrian refugees in Jordan. Instead of staging the play in a theater, Golden Thread will present the show in kitchens around the Bay Area with performances followed by food sharing and community conversations.

Golden Thread Productions, the first American theatre company devoted to the Middle East, presents the West Coast premiere of Amir Nizar Zuabi's Oh My Sweet Land, a tour-de-force solo show based on interviews with Syrian refugees in Jordan. Instead of staging the play in a theater, Golden Thread will present the show in kitchens around the Bay Area with performances followed by food sharing and community conversations. Directed by Founding Artistic Director Torange Yeghiazarian and starring Golden Thread favorite Nora el Samahy. Oh My Sweet Land performs on October 12 22, 2017 at venues including private homes and restaurants like Reem's and Birba with most venues having as little as 20 seats.

Crowded Fire Theater (CFT) In his inaugural commission as Crowded Fire's Playwright-in-Residence, Christopher Chen tackles the power structures inherent in large corporations. Set in a parallel world, A TALE OF AUTUMN is a psychological rise-to-power fable.

Golden Thread Productions, the first American theatre company devoted to the Middle East, presents Syria Mon Amour: Food, Home, and Healing, this year's edition of What Do the Women Say?, its annual celebration of International Women's Day. Featuring women artists of Middle Eastern descent, the event is dedicated to Syria and the Syrian people. Two extraordinary works of art created by Middle Eastern artists responding to the Syrian refugee crisis anchor the event: an excerpt reading of Oh My Sweet Land, a tour-de-force solo show based on interviews with Syrian refugees in Jordan, and an excerpt from the documentary film We Are Not Princesses, which centers on Antigone of Syria, a 2014 drama workshop and performance featuring 35 Syrian women refugees in Lebanon.

Golden Thread Productions, the first American theatre company devoted to the Middle East, continues the celebration of its 20th anniversary with an ambitious and truly international season of new work featuring artists and stories from or about Iran, Syria, Afghanistan, Palestine, Turkey, Iraq, Armenia, Japan, England, and the U.S.

Intersection for the Arts and the California Shakespeare Theater come together this fall to co-produce the Califas Festival, a six week-long immersive, story-filled play yard of music, visual art, performance, and more in the area in and around Intersection's headquarters. The Festival is the culminating event of the Califas Project, a year of multimedia creative exploration in communities around the state including productions of Richard Montoya's The River at Campo Santo this past March, and American Night at Cal Shakes in June.

Golden Thread Productions is proud to present the world premiere of ECSTASY | a waterfable, a new play commissioned to Bay Area theatre artist Denmo Ibrahim and directed by Evren Odcikin. In ECSTASY, stories are written in water, spells are cast through washing, and to drink either creates your life or rips it from you.

Golden Thread Productions is proud to present the world premiere of ECSTASY | a waterfable, a new play commissioned to Bay Area theatre artist Denmo Ibrahim and directed by Evren Odcikin. In ECSTASY, stories are written in water, spells are cast through washing, and to drink either creates your life or rips it from you.

Golden Thread Productions is proud to present the world premiere of ECSTASY | a waterfable, a new play commissioned to Bay Area theatre artist Denmo Ibrahim and directed by Evren Odcikin. In ECSTASY, stories are written in water, spells are cast through washing, and to drink either creates your life or rips it from you.