Back of the Throat

Back of the Throat is a play written by Arab-American playwright Yussef El Guindi. The play reflects the fear of the Arab-American community in the post-9/11 America.[1][2]

It was first performed by San Francisco's Thick Description and Golden Thread Productions in April 2005.[3][4][5]

It was performed in 2005 in Seattle,[2] in 2006 at The Flea Theater in New York City under direction of Jim Simpson,[6][7] and has also been produced in other locations, including Chicago,[8] Pasadena, California (Los Angeles area),[9][10] and London.[11]

The play won the 2004 Northwest Playwrights' Competition held by Theater Schmeater,[2] L.A. Weekly's Excellence in Playwriting Award for 2006, was nominated for the 2006 American Theater Critics Association's Steinberg/New Play Award, and was voted Best New Play of 2005 by the Seattle Times.[3]

Plot

The play is an approximately 75 minute one-act production, about a young Arab-American (Khaled) confined to his home by two government agents.[9] The questioning of Khaled intensifies as the play progresses, with seemingly every item in his apartment a potential source of suspicion. It is revealed that his girlfriend first reported him for seeming suspicious in light of recent "attacks" which have occurred.[9]

The play's title is a reference to the pronunciation of the Arabic “K” in Khaled’s name.[9]

References
  1. Dinitia Smith (February 11, 2006). "For Arab-American Playwrights, a Sense of Purpose". The New York Times. Retrieved May 28, 2010.
  2. Misha Berson (May 27, 2005). "Fear and paranoia electrify resonant Kafkaesque play". The Seattle Times. Retrieved May 28, 2010.
  3. "ACT & Icicle Creek Announces New Play Festival". BroadwayWorld.com. May 18, 2010. Retrieved May 28, 2010.
  4. "Opening this week". Oakland Tribune. April 14, 2005. Retrieved May 28, 2010.
  5. "Playwrights find a fertile ground for exploration". Contra Costa Times. March 19, 2005. Retrieved May 28, 2010.
  6. Neil Genzlinger (February 14, 2006). "Homeland Spies Poking Around a Cluttered Apartment". The New York Times. Retrieved May 28, 2010.
  7. Steven Snyder (June 23–29, 2006). "Nothing subtle about 'Back of the Throat'". Downtown Express. Retrieved May 28, 2010.
  8. Nina Metz (April 12, 2006). "`Back of the Throat' offers taste of civil rights debate". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved May 28, 2010.
  9. Steven Mikulan (July 6, 2006). "My Own Private Gitmo". LA Weekly. Retrieved May 28, 2010.
  10. Charlotte Stoudt (June 30, 2006). "The bitter taste of security". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved May 28, 2010.
  11. Jeremy Austin (September 25, 2008). "Back of the Throat (Review)". The Stage. Retrieved May 28, 2010.
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