Description
Book SynopsisMiddle Eastern American Theatre explores the burgeoning Middle Eastern American theatre movement with a focus on Arab American, Jewish American, Armenian American, Iranian American, and Turkish American theatres, playwrights, directors, and actors. By exploring the rich religious and cultural heritage of this diverse group - which includes Arabs, Armenians, Iranians, Jews, and Turks - and religions that include the Baha''i faith, Christianity, Chaldean, Druze, Ishik Alevism, Judaism, Islam, Mandaeism, Samaratin, Shabakism, Yazidi, and Zoroastrianism - the rich and paradoxical nature of the term ''Middle Eastern'' is interrogated through the dramas written and performed by those in the Diaspora. Featuring a clear introduction and examination of the context and the various push and pull factors that have contributed to the mass migrations to North America - including the so-called Great Migration of 1890-1915, the Armenian Genocide, the European Holocaust, the two world wars, the
Trade ReviewProfessor Najjar’s comprehensive examination is an inspiring reminder of how far the Middle Eastern Theatre community has advanced, and is a call to all theatre artists who identify as Middle Eastern American to make their voices heard. His book is a much-needed illumination of the diversity of the US American theatre—and of the Middle Eastern American theatre community itself, composed as it is of writers, directors, actors, designers, educators and producers of many national origins and religions, whose stories are an essential part of the American landscape. It will hopefully serve as a point of departure for many such writings and conversations and expand the perception of people of Middle Eastern origin and our relationship to our heritage. -- Catherine Coray, Tisch School of the Arts; Director, The Lark Middle East/US Playwright Exchange, USA
Najjar’s thoughtful analysis captures the stylistic and thematic diversity of the theatre practice of Americans of Middle Eastern descent. The region is home to dozens of ethnicities, religions, and national traditions, and—as Najjar demonstrates—the theatre’s grappling with the past and present of the region and its diasporas has produced gripping art. Najjar provides a clear and engaging overview of a remarkably vast, varied, and compelling theatre. -- Edward Ziter, Professor, Department of Drama, Tisch School of the Arts, New York University, USA
Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Acknowledgements Preface Introduction: Polyculturalism, Transnationalism, and Diaspora
1 Major Middle Eastern American Companies 2 Return to the Homeland Plays 3 Persecution Plays Governmental Persecution:
Back of the Throat; Truth Serum Blues; Zafira and the Resistance Societal Persecution:
Autobiography of a Terrorist; Me No Terrorist; Roar; Mosque Alert; Lubbock or Leave It! 4 Diaspora Plays Middle Easterners in the Entertainment Industry:
It’s Not About Pomegranates! and
Browntown Living Between “Here” and “There”:
444 Days;
This Time;
Twice, Thrice, Frice…;
Reading Hebron;
Noura;
Dragonflies;
Suitcase;
Living in the Hyphen-Nation Keeping Tradition Alive:
TRAF; A People: A Mosaic Play;
Detour Guide Searching for Roots:
Baba and
(dis)Place[d] Diaspora and Its Discontents:
Stunning, Deep Cut, and
The Man in the Sukkah 5 Plays Set in the Homeland Plays Exploring the Refugee Crisis:
Urge for Going, Not My Revolution Holocaust Plays and Plays Set in Israel and Palestine:
The Zionists, Abraham’s Daughters, and
Food and Fadwa Plays and Musicals About the Troubled Homeland:
Pera Palas, The Band’s Visit, and
We Live in Cairo 6 Conflict Plays The Palestinian-Israeli Conflict:
The River and the Sea; Abraham’s Daughters, Facts, Martyr’s Street, Wrestling Jerusalem Plays of the Armenian Genocide:
March!; Night Over Erzinga Civil War Plays:
Scorched; Game of Patience; Smail 7 The Current State of Middle Eastern American Theatre 8 Critical Perspectives “Theatre that Disrupts Our Unconscious Bias with Humor and Joy”: An Interview with Maia Directors Kareem Fahmy, Evren Odcikin, Megan Sandberg-Zakian, and Pirronne Yousefzadeh “Be a Part of Changing the American Narrative About the Middle East”: An interview with Golden Thread Productions Artistic Director Torange Yeghiazarian and Silk Road Rising Artistic Director Jamil Khoury. References and Further Reading Notes on Contributors Index
