Nahal Navidar in conversation with Jamil Khoury

Playwright NAHAL NAVIDAR discusses the world premiere of My Dear Hussein, a new play that portrays the Iran-Iraq War of the 1980’s as understood from the perspective of a young Iranian girl. Enjoy an illuminating excerpt of the play performed by cast members, followed by a lively conversation with Navidar and JAMIL KHOURY, co-founder of Silk Road Rising, on the inspirations for her work and its powerful resonance with the world today. The remainder of the event will be an open discussion with questions from attendees.

About My Dear Hussein:

A child, a toy dog, and a ruthless dictator walk into a war zone and fanciful imagination breaks free. This surrealistic tale of a four-year-old Iranian girl unfolds amidst the carnage of the Iran-Iraq War of the 1980s. The lines between playful fantasy and brutal warfare are gradually blurred as ugly realities become harder to mask. My Dear Hussein is a co-production of Silk Road Rising and Momentary Theatre. It runs from March 17 to April 19th and is directed by Tlaloc Rivas.

NAHAL NAVIDAR is an Iranian-born dramatist raised in upstate New York. Her plays are motivated by the exploration of social issues while employing magical elements to embody the expanse of human emotion. Her work is character driven and often features strong yet vulnerable women protagonists. Nahal’s plays have been developed at Boston Court, Silk Road Rising, Ensemble Studio Theatre LA, The Vagrancy Writer’s Group, Rogue Machine Dramaturge’s Table, Coeurage Theatre CoLab Play Development, Pasadena Playhouse, Playwright’s Arena, Troy Foundry Theatre, The Last Frontier Theatre Conference, Golden Thread Productions, Company of Angels New Play Series, The Kennedy Center, and The University at Albany.

In 2005, Nahal founded the Fabulous Invalid Theatre Company in the Micronesian island Saipan whose mission was to promote the diverse voices of the Marianas. Nahal’s multi-cultured background has had the most profound impact on her writing. As a Middle Eastern artist living in a post 9/11 world, her plays investigate issues of cultural identity and often feature characters who feel misplaced and yearn for a proverbial home. Nahal received her M.F.A. training at U.S.C.’s School of Dramatic Arts. She is a member of the Dramatist’s Guild of America.

JAMIL KHOURY is the Founding Artistic Director of Silk Road Rising. Promoting playwrights of Silk Road backgrounds (Asian and Middle Eastern) is a passion that dovetails well with Khoury’s experiences living in the Middle East and his eleven years as a cross-cultural trainer and international relocations consultant. A theatre producer, playwright, essayist, and filmmaker, Khoury’s work focuses on Middle Eastern themes and questions of Diaspora. He is particularly interested in the intersections of culture, national identity, and citizenship, as well as our nation’s ever-evolving notions of Americanness.