Our Programs
Golden Thread has been a pioneer in the field of Middle Eastern American theatre and has a long track record of producing world premieres and collaboratively developing original plays. Our programming consists of productions of new full-length plays; the ReOrient Festival of short plays; special community outreach events such as What Do the Women Say?; and the Fairytale Players, a dynamic touring ensemble that performs family shows at schools, libraries and festivals.
Golden Thread helped launch the careers of nationally recognized playwrights such as Yussef el Guindi, Betty Shamieh, Denmo Ibrahim and Adriana Sevahn Nichols. We have premiered over 30 full length plays investing in highly individualized development processes increasingly supported through significant contribution from community leaders. Golden Thread accepts submissions of full length plays.
Golden Thread receives play submissions from around the globe through a growing network of international artists and artistic associates. To increase the impact of our vitally important work, Golden Thread initiates and commissions play development projects. Currently, we support four New Play Initiatives: Middle East America, Kimia, Islam 101, and the New Threads staged reading series.
Our work creates unique opportunities for partnership with other arts and community organizations. Golden Thread provides a link between Middle Eastern and non-Middle Eastern communities, as well as an environment in which different Middle Eastern communities may interact. Our programs expose our substantial non-Middle Eastern audience members to the genuine voices and alternative perspectives of the region, while simultaneously serving Middle Eastern audiences who rarely encounter meaningful reflections of their own culture and experience in popular media and the performing arts.
ReOrient Festival
The ReOrient Festival of Short Plays was inaugurated in 1999 to present alternative perspectives of the Middle East and to showcase the multiplicity of stories, voices and styles from the region, and has since become Golden Thread’s most recognized and celebrated program.
→ Learn moreWhat Do the Women Say?
Each year, Golden Thread celebrates International Women’s Day by showcasing the work of leading Middle Eastern women artists. Previous programs have focused on solo performance, activism, explorations of sexuality, and the intersection of tradition and innovation in art forms.
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Fairytale Players
Golden Thread Fairytale Players offer a dynamic repertoire of performances for young audiences, with plays based on traditions and folklore from the Middle East.
→ Learn moreNew Threads Reading Series
New Threads is Golden Thread’s annual staged reading series that engages its audience in the process of playmaking and allows writers of Middle Eastern and non-Middle Eastern descent an authentic and supportive space to develop work about the Middle East. Since its launch in 2011, many New Threads plays and playwrights have continued on to receive mainstage productions.
→ Learn moreNo Summary
These curated digital discussions invite artists of Middle Eastern and North African heritage to discuss the many layers of their identity and how it impacts their work and artistic choices. We invite you to take pause with us and immerse yourself in these compelling topics and histories that defy a snappy summation.
New Play Development
Golden Thread ensures the discovery and development of new playwrights and plays through four distinct programs: Middle East America, Kimia, Islam 101, and New Threads Staged Reading Series.
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