SPF 12: 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.
Development
Workshopped at Artists Repertory Theater in Portland, 2021 American Blues Theater in Chicago awarded the play its “Blue Ink Playwriting” award
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 immigrants, Arab-Americans and Muslim Americans in particular. Productions include “People of the Book” at ACT in Seattle, “The Talented Ones” at Artists Repertory Theatre in Portland, and “Threesome” at Portland Center Stage. Bloomsbury/ Methuen Drama recently published “ The Selected Works of Yussef El Guindi.” He is the recipient of many honors, including the “Steinberg/ATCA New Play Award”, American Blues Theater’s “Blue Ink Playwriting Award”, “L.A. Weekly’s Excellence in Playwriting Award”, “Seattle’s Gregory Award” and the “Middle East America Distinguished Playwright Award”.
Risa Brainin (she/her) is delighted to be making her Road Theater Company debut! Her productions have been seen at dozens of theatres across the country from Denver Center Theatre Company to Alabama Shakespeare Festival to Syracuse Stage and points in between. She served as Resident Director at the Guthrie Theater, Associate Artistic Director at both Indiana Repertory Theatre and Kansas City Repertory Theatre, and Artistic Director at Shakespeare Santa Cruz. She is Founder/ Artistic Director of LAUNCH PAD, a groundbreaking new play development program now in its 16th year at UC Santa Barbara, where she directed and developed another Yussef El Guindi play, The Talented Ones. A graduate of the Carnegie-Mellon Drama Program, Brainin is a member of the National Theatre Conference and College of Fellows of the American Theatre. www.risabrainin.com
“Refugee Rhapsody”
Sakinah – Jenna Bosco
Jenny – Dolann Adams*
Fouad – Joey Vahedi
Richard/Waleed – Bruce A. Lemon Jr.
Emily – Liz Fenning*
Stage Directions – Grace Wilken
Assistant Director – Grace Wilken
*Road Company Member