A tri-coastal initiative between San Francisco's Golden Thread Productions, New York's Lark Play Development Center, and Chicago's Silk Road Rising, Middle East America creates opportunities for American playwrights of Middle Eastern and North African backgrounds to challenge and expand representation of Middle Eastern peoples, and to better integrate their stories into the canon of American theatre. Playwrights nominated for Middle East America are vetted in a highly-competitive application process, and the winner receives both a cash commission and extensive development support as they write a new play.
2008
Adriana Sevahn Nichols receives the 2008 Middle East America Distinguished Playwright Award. Special Jury Prizes awarded to Leila Buck and Sinan Unel.
2010
Yussef El Guindi receives the 2010 Middle East America Distinguished Playwright Award. Honorable mentions went to playwrights Nastaran Ahmadi, Denmo Ibrahim, Ken Kaissar, Mona Mansour, and Heather Raffo.
2014