Golden Thread Announces New International Commission with Playwright Abhishek Majumdar
Golden Thread Productions, in collaboration with Humanitas Media, is proud to announce a new international commission with acclaimed playwright Abhishek Majumdar. The commission will develop a groundbreaking new play inspired by the real-life story of a man imprisoned for eight years at Guantánamo Bay, adapted from detailed accounts originally written by his lawyer, Joshua Colangelo-Bryan.
Drawing on interviews with a wide range of voices connected to Guantánamo, The 11 Lives of Jaber Mohammad (working title) based on Joshua Colangelo-Bryan’s book, Through the Gates of Hell: American Injustice at Guantánamo Bay, will weave together a mosaic of perspectives spanning Cuba, the United States, Bahrain, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Saudi Arabia. Through this lens, Majumdar seeks to illuminate the human, political, and moral dimensions of one of the most complex and haunting sites of contemporary history.
Reflecting on the story and inspiration, playwright Majumdar writes, “In 2004, attorney Joshua Colangelo-Bryan arrived at Guantanamo Bay to meet Jaber Mohammed (a pseudonym), one of six Bahraini detainees his firm had agreed to represent. Colangelo-Bryan had heard these men were “among the most dangerous, best-trained, vicious killers on the face of the earth,” as Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld put it. Colangelo-Bryan didn’t buy the rhetoric, but did find himself wondering if he was about to meet a killer. Far from being threatening, though, Mohammed welcomed Colangelo-Bryan, even as his ankle was shackled to the floor. Why was Mohammed there? Was he guilty of a crime? These were among the questions Colangelo-Bryan had to answer. Surprisingly, the two spoke for hours about their lives. Mohammed also detailed the inhumane conditions at the prison, including abuse by guards and solitary confinement. What developed was a friendship that has stood the test of time, leading to Jaber being freed from Guantanamo and Joshua discovering greater purpose in life. The play is based on this book and interviews of detainees, prison guards, lawyers, judges, doctors, soldiers, philosophers of law, Islamic scholars and historians, asking questions about the rights of the human body in the era of the American Superpower and the ethics of the ‘war on terror’.”
This new commission is made possible through the generous gift from Tracy Aanenson, founder of Humanitas Media, a new nonprofit organization dedicated to amplifying stories that illuminate human rights and social justice. Humanitas Media published Colangelo-Bryan’s book, Through the Gates of Hell: American Injustice at Guantánamo Bay, on which this project is based.
“Humanitas Media exists to champion stories that stir empathy and challenge injustice,” states Humanitas Media founder Tracy Aanenson. “We are proud to partner with Abhishek Majumdar and Golden Thread Productions on a work that conveys the profound power of art and advocacy to inspire change.”
“This commission represents exactly what Golden Thread stands for: courageous storytelling that crosses borders, interrogates systems of power, and centers our shared humanity,” said Sahar Assaf, outgoing Artistic Director of Golden Thread on her final commission for the company. She added, “We are deeply grateful to Tracy Aanenson and Humanitas Media for recognizing the urgency of this work and helping us bring it to life.”
“I’m honored to steward this impactful commission forward in collaboration with our artists and partners,” said Nabra Nelson, newly appointed Artistic Director of Golden Thread. She added, “Golden Thread is committed to ensuring it reaches audiences with the care, ambition, and integrity it deserves.”
Golden Thread plans to develop the play through a multi-year process leading toward a world premiere. The play’s development will be guided by dramaturg Jocelyn Clarke, with a residency at Field Arts & Events Hall in Port Angeles, Washington. This partnership will offer the creative team space and resources to experiment, exchange ideas, and shape the work through an intensive collaborative process across disciplines and geographies.
About the Playwright, Abhishek Majumdar
Abhishek Majumdar is a playwright, essayist, scenographer, and director working in India and internationally. His work has been produced and commissioned in leading theaters of the world, including Royal Court Theatre London, Prithvi Theatre Mumbai, Ranga Shankara Bangalore, Deutsch Shauspielhaus Hamburg, Ruhrfest Recklinghausen, Théâtre du Soleil Paris, National Theatre London, San Francisco Opera, PEN World Voices, Internacionale Dramaturgie Festival Buenos Aires, San Francisco Opera, and PlayCo New York, amongst others. He is a recipient of multiple awards including the META Award for Best Play and Best Script, International Theatremakers Award New York, The Shankar Nag Rangakarmi Award Bangalore, the Toto Funds the Arts Award, Segal Center Award for Civic Engagement in the Arts, B.V.Karanth Fellowship of Ninasam, Best Director in London Movie Awards, Best Director 8 and Half Film Festival (Rome) Awards, Best Scenographer Sofia International Film Festival amongst others. He works in Theater, Film, and Opera in different languages and cultures. His book of essays, Theater Across Borders is published by Bloomsbury International as part of the Theatermakers series and he has been published, performed, and translated in Hindi, English, French, German, Czech, Kannada, Bengali, Marathi, Kashmiri, and Spanish. He is the Artistic Director of Nalanda Arts Studio Bangalore and creative producer at New Voices Arts Project based in Bangalore. His plays and essays have been published by Penguin India, Bloomsbury International, Routledge, Duke University, Vaam Prakashan and Rajkamal Prakashan. He is Arts Professor of Theater and Program Head of Theater at NYU Abu Dhabi. He is also a Global Network Fellow of NYU, Worldwide and Artist in Residence at Segal Center of Arts, New York.
About the book author, Joshua Colangelo-Bryan
Joshua Colangelo-Bryan is Special Counsel at Human Rights First, where he spearheads impact litigation and advocacy efforts to uphold democratic principles and support defenders of human rights. Beyond representing Guantanamo detainees, he has sued Turkey for assaulting protestors in Washington, D.C., the Trump administration for attempting to deport a college student based on protest activity, and a U.S. pastor who fomented legislation in Uganda criminalizing the LGBTQI community. Josh has conducted human-rights investigations in countries such as Yemen, Syria, and Bahrain. He also served with the United Nations Mission in Kosovo.
About Golden Thread Productions
Golden Thread Productions, founded in 1996, is the first American theatre company devoted to the Middle East. We produce passionate and provocative plays from or about the Middle East that celebrate the multiplicity of its perspectives and identities. We are a developmental catalyst and vibrant artistic home to artists at various stages of their career. We bring the Middle East to the American stage, creating treasured cultural experiences for audiences of all ages and backgrounds. goldenthread.org
About Humanitas Media
Humanitas Media was born from a belief in storytelling as a force for human rights. We amplify personal narratives that expose injustice, affirm dignity, and empower survivors to reclaim their voices. By confronting systems of oppression and lifting marginalized perspectives, our mission is to connect powerful human stories with a global audience. We are committed to making these narratives accessible and emotionally resonant, building empathy and deepening awareness. Through these deeply human stories, Humanitas Media will inspire a global community embracing understanding and solidarity. https://humanitasmedia.org/about/