Playwright NAHAL NAVIDAR discusses the world premiere of My Dear
Hussein, a new play that portrays the Iran-Iraq War of the 1980’s as
understood from the perspective of a young Iranian girl. Enjoy an
illuminating excerpt of the play performed by cast members, followed
by a lively conversation with Navidar and JAMIL KHOURY, co-founder of
Silk Road Rising, on the inspirations for her work and its powerful
resonance with the world today. The remainder of the event will be an
open discussion with questions from attendees. About My Dear Hussein:
A child, a toy dog, and a ruthless dictator walk into a war zone and
fanciful imagination breaks free. This surrealistic tale of a
four-year-old Iranian girl unfolds amidst the carnage of the Iran-Iraq
War of the 1980s. The lines between playful fantasy and brutal warfare
are gradually blurred as ugly realities become harder to mask. My Dear
Hussein is a co-production of Silk Road Rising and Momentary Theatre.
It runs from March 17 to April 19th and is directed by Tlaloc Rivas.
NAHAL NAVIDAR is an Iranian-born dramatist raised in upstate New York.
Her plays are motivated by the exploration of social issues while
employing magical elements to embody the expanse of human emotion. Her
work is character driven and often features strong yet vulnerable
women protagonists. Nahal’s plays have been developed at Boston
Court, Silk Road Rising, Ensemble Studio Theatre LA, The Vagrancy
Writer’s Group, Rogue Machine Dramaturge’s Table, Coeurage Theatre
CoLab Play Development, Pasadena Playhouse, Playwright’s Arena, Troy
Foundry Theatre, The Last Frontier Theatre Conference, Golden Thread
Productions, Company of Angels New Play Series, The Kennedy Center,
and The University at Albany. In 2005, Nahal founded the Fabulous
Invalid Theatre Company in the Micronesian island Saipan whose mission
was to promote the diverse voices of the Marianas. Nahal’s
multi-cultured background has had the most profound impact on her
writing. As a Middle Eastern artist living in a post 9/11 world, her
plays investigate issues of cultural identity and often feature
characters who feel misplaced and yearn for a proverbial home. Nahal
received her M.F.A. training at U.S.C.’s School of Dramatic Arts.
She is a member of the Dramatist’s Guild of America. JAMIL KHOURY is
the Founding Artistic Director of Silk Road Rising. Promoting
playwrights of Silk Road backgrounds (Asian and Middle Eastern) is a
passion that dovetails well with Khoury’s experiences living in the
Middle East and his eleven years as a cross-cultural trainer and
international relocations consultant. A theatre producer, playwright,
essayist, and filmmaker, Khoury’s work focuses on Middle Eastern
themes and questions of Diaspora. He is particularly interested in the
intersections of culture, national identity, and citizenship, as well
as our nation’s ever-evolving notions of Americanness.
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31/03/2020 Last update
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