American Blues Theater Names Yussef El Guindi 2021 Blue Ink Playwriting Award Winner

American Blues Theater has announced the winner of the 2021 Blue Ink Playwriting Award is Refugee Rhapsody by Yussef El Guindi. A staged reading of his play will be presented as part of the virtual 2021 Blue Ink Playwriting Festival, along with an online library of new work by finalists Juan Alfonso (An Educated Guess), Matthew Libby (The Machine), Wendy MacLeod (The Good Samaritan), and Chandra Thomas (The Buzzer). Details for the virtual reading and library, including dates and tickets, will be announced at a later date.

"We're so excited to announce Yussef El Guindi's script Refugee Rhapsody as the 2021 winner," notes Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside. "Yussef is an important voice in theater. We are honored to share this powerful and unforgettable story."

About Refugee Rhapsody

Sakinah, an Arab American woman, undergoes a mental health evaluation to determine what led to the violent crime she committed against Emily, a rich heiress. The play explores race, class, privilege, and how those factors collide and play out in today's culture.

About Yussef El Guindi

Born in Egypt, raised in London and now based in Seattle, Yussef El Guindi's work frequently examines the collision of ethnicities, cultures, and politics that face Arab-Americans and Muslim Americans. El Guindi holds an MFA in playwriting from Carnegie-Mellon University, and has worked as a playwright at Silk Road Rising; literary manager for Golden Thread Productions; and playwright-in-residence at Duke University.

He is the recipient of many honors, including the Steinberg/ATCA New Play Award and the 2010 Middle East America Distinguished Playwright Award. El Guindi's most recent productions include People of the Book at ACT in Seattle; Language Rooms (Edgerton Foundation New American Play Award) at Pony World Theatre in Seattle, and Broken Nose Theatre in Chicago; Hostages at Radial Theater Project in Seattle; The Talented Ones at Artists Repertory Theatre in Portland ( Santa Barbara Independent Indy Awards); Threesome at Portland Center Stage, ACT, and at 59E59 (winner of a Portland Drammy for Best Original Script); Pilgrims Musa and Sheri in the New World (winner of the Steinberg/ American Theater Critics Association's New Play Award in 2012; and the 2011 Gregory Award) also at ACT, Center Repertory Company (Walnut Creek, CA), and at Mosaic Theater Company (DC). Other productions: Our Enemies: Lively Scenes of Love and Combat was produced by Silk Road Rising and won the M. Elizabeth Osborn award. His play Back of the Throat (winner of L.A. Weekly's Excellence in Playwriting Award for 2006), Pilgrims Musa and Sheri in the New World; Jihad Jones and the Kalashnikov Babes; Such a Beautiful Voice is Sayeda and Karima's City have been published by Dramatists Play Service. Ten Acrobats in an Amazing Leap of Faith; Collaborator; Threesome; The Talented Ones and Hostages have been published by Broadway Play Publishing Inc. In January, 2019, Bloomsbury/ Methuen Drama published Selected Works by Yussef El Guindi. Currently a Core Company playwright member at ACT in Seattle, and a Resident Artist at Golden Thread Production.

About the Blue Ink Playwriting Award

The nationally-renown Blue Ink Playwriting Award was created in 2010 to support new work. Since inception, we've named 11 Award winners, 95 finalists, and 139 semi-finalists. Over $9,000 in cash and prizes will be distributed to playwrights in 2021.

Each year American Blues Theater accepts worldwide submissions of original, unpublished full-length plays. The winning play will be selected by Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside and the theater's Ensemble. The 2021 winning playwright receives a monetary prize of $2,000. Cash prizes are awarded to finalists and semi-finalists too. All proceeds of the administrative fee are distributed for playwrights' cash prizes.

Submissions for the 2022 Blue Ink Playwriting Award open July 1, 2021. All submissions must be received by American Blues Theater by August 31, 2021 at 11:59pm. Playwrights may only submit one (1) manuscript each year for consideration.

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