Michael Najjar, Theatre Arts, OHC/CAS subvention recipient and 2019-20 OHC Faculty Research Fellow

Middle Eastern American Theatre explores the burgeoning Middle Eastern American theatre movement with a focus on Arab American, Jewish American, Armenian American, Iranian American, and Turkish American theatres, playwrights, directors, and actors. By exploring the rich religious and cultural heritage of this diverse group—which includes Arabs, Armenians, Iranians, Jews, and Turks—and religions that include the Baha’i faith, Christianity, Chaldean, Druze, Ishik Alevism, Judaism, Islam, Mandaeism, Samaratin, Shabakism, Yazidi, and Zoroastrianism—the rich and paradoxical nature of the term ‘Middle Eastern’ is interrogated through the dramas written and performed by those in the Diaspora.