Golden Thread Productions, the first American theatre company devoted to the Middle East, presents What Do the Women Say? Power, Privilege, and Agency: an artistic exploration of the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment, guaranteeing and protecting [white] women's constitutional right to vote in the U.S. This year's program showcases the work of leading Middle Eastern women artists and examines the ways in which artists express political agency in cultural production.
With a lineup of acclaimed artists surveying their diverse Middle Eastern cultures, the singular evening celebrates women who reject narrowly defined stereotypes to take ownership of their creative processes and carve out their own innovative identities. The event includes an excerpt from animated series Marvel Rising featuring Kathreen Khavari as the voice of Ms Marvel, the first Muslim super hero and. The program also features accomplished Egyptian violinist Basma Edrees and Iranian dancer, Aisan Hoss performing Nuance, An Immigration Story, a collaboration that also includes Ava Nazar on piano and Susu Pampanin on percussion. The last artist in the lineup is award-winning Iranian playwright, Naghmeh Samini, whose play The Language of Wild Berries, will premiere at Golden Thread in fall 2020. Atosa Babaof, Damien Seperi, and Ali-Moosa Mirza will perform an excerpt of the play as a staged reading. After the presentations, Founding Artistic Director Torange Yeghiazarian will facilitate a conversation with the participating artists and special guest, Sabina Zafar, the vice-mayor of San Ramon.
Golden Thread is thankful for the support of our sponsors WomenArts, Brava For Women in the Arts, and the Center for Iranian Diaspora Studies at San Francisco State University.