New Arab American Theatre Works Festival

New Arab American Theatre Works is a new collective of Minnesota-based Arab American theatre artists founded by Taous Claire Khazem, Kathryn Haddad, and Mohammed Yabdri. The collective was created to present new works by Arab Americans, filling a void in the local and national theatre scene where Arab American artists lack opportunities to present their own stories. This summer's festival is a first-of-its-kind for the Twin Cities. 

THE PLAYS

"Road to the City of Apples"
By Kathryn Haddad. Directed by Dipankar Mukherjee.
Road to the City of Apples tells the story of Ahmed and Khairy — two undocumented Palestinians on a road trip from New Jersey to Wisconsin. Their individual stories intertwine as they discover the meaning of friendship and cope with changing cultural norms — both American and Arab on their winding road to an American dream. The Israeli occupation, gay rights, American treatment of Arabs and Muslims, and the plight of undocumented immigrants are explored in this show.

"In Algeria They Know My Name" 
By Taous Claire Khazem. Directed and dramaturged by Zaraawar Mistry. 
In Algeria, they say you don’t marry one finger, you marry all ten. In this heartfelt and humorous one woman play, Minnesota raised Taous Khazem travels to her father’s homeland to work as a theater artist, and unexpectedly falls in love with an Algerian clown. Caught in between traditions, religions and misconceptions, Taous struggles to find a sense of belonging in a foreign land, but ultimately discovers a fresh meaning of home, family, art and bicycle rides.

"A Clown in Exile" 
By Mohammed Yabdri with Noah Bremer.
Mohamed Yabdri's tragic clown goes on a journey to overcome his sense of cultural inferiority. After searching the world for a place to call home, he discovers that his dreams sit on the wings of a paper plane. A Clown in Exile premiered at the Alliance Française in Minneapolis, MN and went on to perform in Paris at the Algerian Cultural Center, at the National Theatre of Algiers, at the French Cultural Institutes of Oran, Tlemcen and Constantine, Algeria, and at the 2013 Minnesota Fringe Festival.

SCHEDULE

Friday 6/26 
7pm Road to the City of Apples
9pm In Algeria They Know My Name 

Saturday 6/27 
5pm In Algeria They Know My Name
7pm A Clown In Exile
9pm Road to the City of Apples 

Sunday 6/28 
3pm In Algeria They Know My Name
5pm Road to the City of Apples
7pm A Clown In Exile

Wednesday 7/1 
7pm In Algeria They Know My Name

Thursday 7/2 
7pm A Clown In Exile 

Friday 7/3 
7pm A Clown in Exile
9pm Road to the City of Apples 

Sunday 7/5
3pm Road to the City of Apples
5pm A Clown In Exile
7pm In Algeria They Know My Name 

Thursday 7/9 
7pm Road to the City of Apples 

Friday 7/10 
7pm A Clown In Exile
9pm In Algeria They Know My Name

Saturday 7/11 
5pm A Clown In Exile
7pm Road to the City of Apples
9pm In Algeria They Know My Name

Sunday 7/12 
3pm Road to the City of Apples
5pm In Algeria They Know My Name
7pm A Clown In Exile

Each weekend will include all three productions with audience talkbacks after performances. 

TICKETS

$15 per show
FREE if you live in 55454
$35 3-show pass
$25 2-show pass