April 19, 2018

Written by Jamil Khoury
Directed by Michael Menendian

Set in Naperville, Illinois, Obstacle Course explores reactions to a proposed Islamic Community Center on the site of a beloved landmark. Allyship, municipal politics, and Islamophobia all intersect in this head-on collision between Not in My Backyard fear mongering, well-intentioned liberalism, and the peaceful practice of faith.

Performed as part of RIOTCon 2018

September 9–10, 2017

Written by Mona Mansour
Directed by Anna C. Bahow

Should an Arab American enlist in the U.S. military? A progressive woman and her conservative nephew dip into the treacherous waters of identity, family, and militarism. Co-commissioned with San Francisco’s Golden Thread Productions and New York’s Lark Play Development Center as part of the Middle East America New Plays Initiative, We Swim, We Talk, We Go to War blurs the lines between “us” and “them” presenting a provocative exploration of the tragic and indelible ripples of war.

Performed as part of Silk Road Rising's Crescent and Star Staged Reading Series: Arab and Muslim Journeys

August 19–20, 2017

Written by Fawzia Afzal-Khan
Directed by George Potter

A Muslim feminist responds to the hijacking of Islam by patriarchal extremists. Her unfiltered, stream-of-consciousness reflections deliver a potent indictment of the surreal and sardonic world we now inhabit, and a welcome reminder that sisterhood is powerful.

Performed as part of Silk Road Rising's Crescent and Star Staged Reading Series: Arab and Muslim Journeys

August 5–6, 2017

Written by Fouad Teymour
Directed by Kareem Fahmy

When an affair involving one of their husbands comes to light, long-held secrets begin to emerge in the lives of three Muslim women, threatening the friendship that binds them together. With humor and mischief, Twice, Thrice, Frice… unleashes a debate about polygamy and fidelity, as each woman struggles with her sexuality and faith.

Performed as part of Silk Road Rising's Crescent and Star Staged Reading Series: Arab and Muslim Journeys

May 30, 2017

Written by Driss Ksikes
Directed by Katy Walsh

The Match is a contemporary retelling of the Oedipus story told through solitude, revolution, and soccer.

Moussa is a disillusioned ex-trade unionist, returning from prison. His son Ali spends all of his time on the Internet. A battle of words, and silence, ensues while the national soccer team plays a historic match.

April 18, 2017

Written by Jamil Khoury
Directed by Carin Silkaitis

Inspired by the Ground Zero Mosque controversy in New York City, Mosque Alert tells the story of three fictional families living in Naperville, Illinois, whose lives are interrupted by a proposed Islamic Center on the site of a beloved local landmark. Mosque Alert explores the intersections of zoning and Islamophobia with humor, family drama, and refreshingly blunt honesty.

March 11–12, 2017

Written by Maxi Obexer
Translated from German by Neil Blackadder
Directed by Kaiser Ahmed

This documentary play by playwright Maxi Obexer addresses the plight of the "illegal helpers" who seek to provide aid and shelter to migrants—even though it is against the law. A powerful insight into a contemporary tragedy that threatens to engulf Western Europe, it provides a sharp look at those who help, and those who callously sit by doing nothing.

February 25–26, 2017

Written by Ken Kaissar
Directed by Michael Malek Najjar

Jadi and Bassee live peacefully in an idyllic garden, except that the garden’s alleged owner comes to beat them every day. Jewish American writer David travels to Israel to better understand the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and is soon mired in the cycles of violence and compassion that haunt everyday life. The Victims weaves together disparate styles and stories to dig into the parallel and often contradictory narratives of Palestinian and Israeli histories.

Performed as part of Semitic Commonwealth

February 24–25, 2017

Written by Mona Mansour
Directed by Anna C. Bahow

What do you do when the only way to live is to leave?

Jamila, a studious 17-year-old Palestinian growing up in a refugee camp in southern Lebanon, feverishly prepares for the university exam that is her only way out of the impoverished world she calls home. Urge for Going offers a variety of personalities and perspectives in a searing and funny family story.

Performed as part of Semitic Commonwealth

February 18–19, 2017

Written by Ismail Khalidi
Directed by Michael Malek Najjar

Set in Nablus in the spring of 1939, Tennis in Nablus brings to life the last days of the Arab Revolt as the people of Palestine make one final attempt to drive out the British. With deep passion and bold humor, it is a genre-bending look at Palestine's embattled status through the eyes of an unflagging rebel, a tireless polemicist, and an ambitious entrepreneur. With their world igniting around them, this divided family faces their own demons as they seek to achieve peace, freedom, and dignity.

Performed as part of Semitic Commonwealth