2020 Season
Celebrating the Centennial of U.S. Women’s Right to Vote: With a women-led lineup of international playwrights, Golden Thread extends the multifaceted discourse and unique stories of the evolving agency of Middle East women.
Productions
On the Periphery
February 23, 2020 - April 4, 2020
A magical tale of hope and home against all odds.
In the first co-production between Golden Thread Productions and Crowded Fire Theater, Sedef Ecer’s On the Periphery paints a tender portrayal of the lives of social outcasts in Istanbul’s urban slums mirroring the displacement, migration, and gentrification in the Bay Area.
Jogging
May 2, 2020
Hanane Hajj Ali, a fifty-something Lebanese actress and citizen, exercises daily to avoid osteoporosis, obesity, and depression. As her story intertwines with the city’s tumultuous history, Hajj Ali jogs through Beirut revisiting dreams, desires, hopes, and disillusionments.
The Language of Wild Berries
October 16, 2020 - November 15, 2020
The past, present, and future collide in the touching story of a couple’s annual road trips to the Caspian Sea and the mysterious stranger following them. Naghmeh Samini’s play is a rare glimpse into the lives of contemporary Iranians, as well as her first English production in the United States.
What Do the Women Say? 2020
March 8, 2020
Each year, Golden Thread celebrates International Women’s Day with What Do the Women Say?, a curated evening showcasing the work of leading Middle Eastern women artists. The year 2020’s theme is Power, Privilege, and Agency: an artistic exploration of the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment, guaranteeing and protecting [white] women’s constitutional right to vote in the U.S.
New Threads Reading Series 2020
August 4, 2020 - August 25, 2020
Golden Thread’s annual staged reading series 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.
Leila’s Quest For Flight
When the optometrist shatters little Leila’s dream of becoming a pilot, a menagerie of mythic birds gather to help her accomplish her goal. Drawn from beloved Palestinian folktales, Leila’s Quest for Flight incorporates music, dance, and physical comedy. These dynamic shows are entertaining for all ages, connecting diverse cultural traditions to contemporary themes.