Noor Theatre's 2014-15 Season to Include Annual Reading Series, 48-Hour Forum & More

Troubled by the news here at home and coming out of the Middle East, Noor Theatre's leadership grappled with how to engage artistically and meaningfully with the world around them. Their programming is a direct response to these questions - questions that they look to their community of artists and audience to help answer.

Fall 2014 Lineup

5th Annual Highlight Reading Series

Highlight, a play reading series that sheds light on the talents of playwrights of Middle-Eastern descent, will begin its fifth season on Monday, September 15th with Threesome by Yussef El Guindi (Back of the Throat), directed by Johanna McKeon (Tokio Confidential, Atlantic Stage 2). Leila and Rashid attempt to solve their relationship issues by inviting a relative stranger into their bedroom. What begins as a hilariously awkward evening soon becomes an experience fraught with secrets and tension, raising issues of sexism, possession, and independence. With Amir Arison ("The Blacklist," "Girls)" Lameece Issaq (Food and Fadwa, Stuff Happens) and Erik Jensen (Disgraced, "The Americans").

The series continues on October 7th What Happened to Noura? written by Nine Courageous Women at Queens College (as yet anonymous) edited by Heather Raffo (Nine Parts of Desire) and directed by Maha Chehlaoui (Sajjil). When Noura reveals her true feelings about her faith, her family and girl friends are suddenly thrust into vivid relief. One woman's truth opens the door for another, until even the most haunting of cultural taboos demands to be given a voice. Created out of theatrical writing workshop Heather conducted at Queens College, this play is a startling and frank look at the life altering journeys these young Middle Eastern women have taken, and the bravery it takes to talk about them. And most importantly, it lets them tell us in their own words.

Highlight's November 18th reading features Vagrant by Mona Mansour (Urge for Going) and directed by Mark Wing-Davey (Passion Play). Set in London in 1982, this is part three of a trilogy. As Arab émigré Adham faces his last hurdle to secure a coveted permanent position at university, a wave of "domestic terrorism" hits his chosen city, while at the same time, the family he left behind in Palestine faces their own escalating horrors. The life Adham has created threatens to unravel, destroying the political and personal equilibrium he's spent 15 years perfecting. Commissioned by the Public Theater.

The Highlight season concludes on December 9th with American Dreams and Arabian Nights by Leila Buck (In the Crossing), directed by Tamilla Woodard (La Ruta). Sheherezade (Sherry to her friends), comes home for the holidays from the Holy Land with big plans: have a baby; introduce its father, Jihad, to her family; get him a green card; and record the process for their unborn child. But when her grandmother's mind begins to deteriorate - and Sherry learns that Jihad has been detained at the border - the lines between here and there, past and present, reality and dreams become blurred. An exploration of how we draw the lines between us, and what happens when we choose to cross them.

All Highlight readings will take place in New York Theatre Workshop's 3rd Floor Rehearsal Studio: 83 East 4th Street, New York, NY, 10003. Audience members are invited to stay for refreshments after each reading. Seating is limited; reservations are suggested. RSVP@noortheatre.org.

Spring 2015 Lineup

The 48-Hour Forum

Noor is taking on the headlines. How to respond the barrage of news coming out of the Middle East? By getting some of Noor's favorite New York artists in a room and asking them to make a play in 48 hours out of the news of the day. A quick and dirty forum for the fun and the serious.

The Myth Project 2.0

After a successful run of the first round of The Myth Project plays last spring, Noor is gearing up for round two. Street Theatre. Dates and casting information to be announced.

Noor Theatre is dedicated to supporting, developing and producing the work of theatre artists of Middle-Eastern descent. Led by Artistic Director Lameece Issaq and Executive Director Maha Chehlaoui , Noor Theatre is a Company-in-Residence at New York Theatre Workshop.

For more information on Noor Theatre visit www.noortheatre.org.