Kunafa and Shay focuses on Middle Eastern and North African (MENA)/Southwest Asian and North African (SWANA) theatre—highlighting classic and contemporary plays and theatremakers, spotlighting community-engaged work in the region and diaspora, and analyzing the past, present, and future of MENA/SWANA theatre in the United States. Theatre artists and scholars Nabra Nelson and Marina Johnson bring their own perspectives, research, and special guests in order to start a dialogue and encourage further learning and discussion.
The name, Kunafa and Shay, invites you into the discussion in the best way we know how: with complex and delicious sweets like kunafa, and perfectly warm tea (or, in Arabic, shay). Kunafa and Shay is a place to share experiences, discuss ideas, and sometimes engage with our differences.
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This episode is a deep dive into Golden Thread’s evolution. Sahar Assaf reflects on leadership, hybridity, and making Middle Eastern, North African, and Southwest Asian theatre beyond stereotypes—centering community, complexity, and art as resistance in moments of crisis. Kunafa and Shay is a podcast produced for HowlRound Theatre Commons by
co-hosts Nabra Nelson and Marina Johnson. Kunafa and Shay discusses and
analyzes contemporary and historical Middle Eastern and North African
(MENA) and Southwest Asian and North African (SWANA) theatre from across
the region.
Kunafa and Shay highlights MENA/SWANA plays and theatremakers,
spotlights community-engaged work in the region and diaspora, and
analyzes the past, present, and future of MENA/SWANA theatre in the
United States and beyond. Theatre artists and scholars Nabra Nelson and
Marina Johnson bring their own perspectives, research, and special
guests in order to start a dialogue and encourage further learning and
discussion.
The name, Kunafa and Shay, invites you into the discussion in the best
way we know how: with complex and delicious sweets like kunafa, and
perfectly warm tea (or, in Arabic, shay). Kunafa and Shay is a place to
share experiences, discuss ideas, and sometimes engage with our
differences. In each country in the region, you’ll find kunafa made
differently. In that way, we also lean into the diversity, complexity,
and robust flavors of MENA/SWANA theatre.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com
for information about our collection and use of personal data for
advertising.
Golden Thread’s Second Decade
Season 6 · Episode 3
Thursday, April 9, 2026 • Duration 42:25
Playwright Yussef El Guindi reflects on Golden Thread’s pivotal second decade; writing in the post-9/11 landscape; and how Middle Eastern, North African, and Southwest Asian theatre carved space for nuance, resistance, and community in the US. Kunafa and Shay is a podcast produced for HowlRound Theatre Commons by
co-hosts Nabra Nelson and Marina Johnson. Kunafa and Shay discusses and
analyzes contemporary and historical Middle Eastern and North African
(MENA) and Southwest Asian and North African (SWANA) theatre from across
the region.
Kunafa and Shay highlights MENA/SWANA plays and theatremakers,
spotlights community-engaged work in the region and diaspora, and
analyzes the past, present, and future of MENA/SWANA theatre in the
United States and beyond. Theatre artists and scholars Nabra Nelson and
Marina Johnson bring their own perspectives, research, and special
guests in order to start a dialogue and encourage further learning and
discussion.
The name, Kunafa and Shay, invites you into the discussion in the best
way we know how: with complex and delicious sweets like kunafa, and
perfectly warm tea (or, in Arabic, shay). Kunafa and Shay is a place to
share experiences, discuss ideas, and sometimes engage with our
differences. In each country in the region, you’ll find kunafa made
differently. In that way, we also lean into the diversity, complexity,
and robust flavors of MENA/SWANA theatre.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com
for information about our collection and use of personal data for
advertising.
Golden Thread's First Decade
Season 6 · Episode 2
Thursday, April 2, 2026 • Duration 58:55
This episode is a deep dive into the founding of Golden Thread Productions with founding artistic director Torange Yeghiazarian—tracing how one artist’s vision grew into a movement that reshaped Middle Eastern theatre in the US. Kunafa and Shay is a podcast produced for HowlRound Theatre Commons by
co-hosts Nabra Nelson and Marina Johnson. Kunafa and Shay discusses and
analyzes contemporary and historical Middle Eastern and North African
(MENA) and Southwest Asian and North African (SWANA) theatre from across
the region.
Kunafa and Shay highlights MENA/SWANA plays and theatremakers,
spotlights community-engaged work in the region and diaspora, and
analyzes the past, present, and future of MENA/SWANA theatre in the
United States and beyond. Theatre artists and scholars Nabra Nelson and
Marina Johnson bring their own perspectives, research, and special
guests in order to start a dialogue and encourage further learning and
discussion.
The name, Kunafa and Shay, invites you into the discussion in the best
way we know how: with complex and delicious sweets like kunafa, and
perfectly warm tea (or, in Arabic, shay). Kunafa and Shay is a place to
share experiences, discuss ideas, and sometimes engage with our
differences. In each country in the region, you’ll find kunafa made
differently. In that way, we also lean into the diversity, complexity,
and robust flavors of MENA/SWANA theatre.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com
for information about our collection and use of personal data for
advertising.
Thirty Years of MENA Theatre
Season 6 · Episode 1
Thursday, March 26, 2026 • Duration 36:55
Marina and Nabra take a sweeping look at thirty years of Middle Eastern, North African, and Southwest Asian theatre in the United States—from Golden Thread’s founding in 1996 to a growing ecosystem of bold, community-rooted companies shaping the American stage through urgency, artistry, and refusal. Kunafa and Shay is a podcast produced for HowlRound Theatre Commons by
co-hosts Nabra Nelson and Marina Johnson. Kunafa and Shay discusses and
analyzes contemporary and historical Middle Eastern and North African
(MENA) and Southwest Asian and North African (SWANA) theatre from across
the region.
Kunafa and Shay highlights MENA/SWANA plays and theatremakers,
spotlights community-engaged work in the region and diaspora, and
analyzes the past, present, and future of MENA/SWANA theatre in the
United States and beyond. Theatre artists and scholars Nabra Nelson and
Marina Johnson bring their own perspectives, research, and special
guests in order to start a dialogue and encourage further learning and
discussion.
The name, Kunafa and Shay, invites you into the discussion in the best
way we know how: with complex and delicious sweets like kunafa, and
perfectly warm tea (or, in Arabic, shay). Kunafa and Shay is a place to
share experiences, discuss ideas, and sometimes engage with our
differences. In each country in the region, you’ll find kunafa made
differently. In that way, we also lean into the diversity, complexity,
and robust flavors of MENA/SWANA theatre.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com
for information about our collection and use of personal data for
advertising.
How Many SWANA Performance Artists Can We Talk About in One Episode?
Season 5 · Episode 10
Tuesday, December 17, 2024 • Duration 57:39
There are so many cool Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) and Southwest Asian and North African (SWANA) performance artists out there! Since this performance art season only had ten episodes to talk to artists directly, this last episode wraps up the season and goes through a whole bunch of other contemporary artists that hosts Marina Johnson and Nabra Nelson are excited about. Kunafa and Shay is a podcast produced for HowlRound Theatre Commons by
co-hosts Nabra Nelson and Marina Johnson. Kunafa and Shay discusses and
analyzes contemporary and historical Middle Eastern and North African
(MENA) and Southwest Asian and North African (SWANA) theatre from across
the region.
Kunafa and Shay highlights MENA/SWANA plays and theatremakers,
spotlights community-engaged work in the region and diaspora, and
analyzes the past, present, and future of MENA/SWANA theatre in the
United States and beyond. Theatre artists and scholars Nabra Nelson and
Marina Johnson bring their own perspectives, research, and special
guests in order to start a dialogue and encourage further learning and
discussion.
The name, Kunafa and Shay, invites you into the discussion in the best
way we know how: with complex and delicious sweets like kunafa, and
perfectly warm tea (or, in Arabic, shay). Kunafa and Shay is a place to
share experiences, discuss ideas, and sometimes engage with our
differences. In each country in the region, you’ll find kunafa made
differently. In that way, we also lean into the diversity, complexity,
and robust flavors of MENA/SWANA theatre.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com
for information about our collection and use of personal data for
advertising.
Experimental Film with Basma al-Sharif
Season 5 · Episode 9
Tuesday, December 10, 2024 • Duration 52:20
Palestinian filmmaker Basma al-Sharif dives into her award-winning pieces to discuss film as performance art. This discussion leads into the role of activism in the arts and the ways film responds to and comments on current events. Kunafa and Shay is a podcast produced for HowlRound Theatre Commons by
co-hosts Nabra Nelson and Marina Johnson. Kunafa and Shay discusses and
analyzes contemporary and historical Middle Eastern and North African
(MENA) and Southwest Asian and North African (SWANA) theatre from across
the region.
Kunafa and Shay highlights MENA/SWANA plays and theatremakers,
spotlights community-engaged work in the region and diaspora, and
analyzes the past, present, and future of MENA/SWANA theatre in the
United States and beyond. Theatre artists and scholars Nabra Nelson and
Marina Johnson bring their own perspectives, research, and special
guests in order to start a dialogue and encourage further learning and
discussion.
The name, Kunafa and Shay, invites you into the discussion in the best
way we know how: with complex and delicious sweets like kunafa, and
perfectly warm tea (or, in Arabic, shay). Kunafa and Shay is a place to
share experiences, discuss ideas, and sometimes engage with our
differences. In each country in the region, you’ll find kunafa made
differently. In that way, we also lean into the diversity, complexity,
and robust flavors of MENA/SWANA theatre.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com
for information about our collection and use of personal data for
advertising.
Narrative Podcasts with Laila Abdo
Season 5 · Episode 8
Tuesday, December 3, 2024 • Duration 49:17
This episode analyzes narrative podcasts as a form of performance. Hosts Nabra Nelson and Marina Johnson and guest multi-hyphenate artist Laila Abdo utilize Laila’s latest project The Great Pyramid Scheme to discuss how comedy can be used as a powerful form of representation. Kunafa and Shay is a podcast produced for HowlRound Theatre Commons by
co-hosts Nabra Nelson and Marina Johnson. Kunafa and Shay discusses and
analyzes contemporary and historical Middle Eastern and North African
(MENA) and Southwest Asian and North African (SWANA) theatre from across
the region.
Kunafa and Shay highlights MENA/SWANA plays and theatremakers,
spotlights community-engaged work in the region and diaspora, and
analyzes the past, present, and future of MENA/SWANA theatre in the
United States and beyond. Theatre artists and scholars Nabra Nelson and
Marina Johnson bring their own perspectives, research, and special
guests in order to start a dialogue and encourage further learning and
discussion.
The name, Kunafa and Shay, invites you into the discussion in the best
way we know how: with complex and delicious sweets like kunafa, and
perfectly warm tea (or, in Arabic, shay). Kunafa and Shay is a place to
share experiences, discuss ideas, and sometimes engage with our
differences. In each country in the region, you’ll find kunafa made
differently. In that way, we also lean into the diversity, complexity,
and robust flavors of MENA/SWANA theatre.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com
for information about our collection and use of personal data for
advertising.
Site-Specific Performance Art with Riham Isaac
Season 5 · Episode 7
Tuesday, November 26, 2024 • Duration 58:47
Palestinian performance artist Riham Isaac discusses her site-specific performances, which understand performance as a medium for change. She shares insights into her pieces like Stone on Road and the profound symbolism of resistance in Palestinian art. Kunafa and Shay is a podcast produced for HowlRound Theatre Commons by
co-hosts Nabra Nelson and Marina Johnson. Kunafa and Shay discusses and
analyzes contemporary and historical Middle Eastern and North African
(MENA) and Southwest Asian and North African (SWANA) theatre from across
the region.
Kunafa and Shay highlights MENA/SWANA plays and theatremakers,
spotlights community-engaged work in the region and diaspora, and
analyzes the past, present, and future of MENA/SWANA theatre in the
United States and beyond. Theatre artists and scholars Nabra Nelson and
Marina Johnson bring their own perspectives, research, and special
guests in order to start a dialogue and encourage further learning and
discussion.
The name, Kunafa and Shay, invites you into the discussion in the best
way we know how: with complex and delicious sweets like kunafa, and
perfectly warm tea (or, in Arabic, shay). Kunafa and Shay is a place to
share experiences, discuss ideas, and sometimes engage with our
differences. In each country in the region, you’ll find kunafa made
differently. In that way, we also lean into the diversity, complexity,
and robust flavors of MENA/SWANA theatre.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com
for information about our collection and use of personal data for
advertising.
Arab Experimentalism and Futurism with Leyya Mona Tawil
Season 5 · Episode 6
Tuesday, November 19, 2024 • Duration 01:03:55
This episode explores Arab experimentalism and futurism with artist Leyya Mona Tawil, also known as Lime Rickey International. Leyya discusses her dynamic body of work and the power of art as a tool for exploring diasporic experiences and envisioning complex futures. Kunafa and Shay is a podcast produced for HowlRound Theatre Commons by
co-hosts Nabra Nelson and Marina Johnson. Kunafa and Shay discusses and
analyzes contemporary and historical Middle Eastern and North African
(MENA) and Southwest Asian and North African (SWANA) theatre from across
the region.
Kunafa and Shay highlights MENA/SWANA plays and theatremakers,
spotlights community-engaged work in the region and diaspora, and
analyzes the past, present, and future of MENA/SWANA theatre in the
United States and beyond. Theatre artists and scholars Nabra Nelson and
Marina Johnson bring their own perspectives, research, and special
guests in order to start a dialogue and encourage further learning and
discussion.
The name, Kunafa and Shay, invites you into the discussion in the best
way we know how: with complex and delicious sweets like kunafa, and
perfectly warm tea (or, in Arabic, shay). Kunafa and Shay is a place to
share experiences, discuss ideas, and sometimes engage with our
differences. In each country in the region, you’ll find kunafa made
differently. In that way, we also lean into the diversity, complexity,
and robust flavors of MENA/SWANA theatre.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com
for information about our collection and use of personal data for
advertising.
Poetry Performance with George Abraham and Fargo Tbakhi
Season 5 · Episode 5
Tuesday, November 12, 2024 • Duration 01:01:30
Hosts Marina Johnson and Nabra Nelson are joined by poets Fargo Tbakhi and George Abraham to explore the intersection of poetry and performance art. They discuss live expression, their collaborative process, and how performance can challenge norms and spark conversations about identity, diaspora, and revolution. Kunafa and Shay is a podcast produced for HowlRound Theatre Commons by
co-hosts Nabra Nelson and Marina Johnson. Kunafa and Shay discusses and
analyzes contemporary and historical Middle Eastern and North African
(MENA) and Southwest Asian and North African (SWANA) theatre from across
the region.
Kunafa and Shay highlights MENA/SWANA plays and theatremakers,
spotlights community-engaged work in the region and diaspora, and
analyzes the past, present, and future of MENA/SWANA theatre in the
United States and beyond. Theatre artists and scholars Nabra Nelson and
Marina Johnson bring their own perspectives, research, and special
guests in order to start a dialogue and encourage further learning and
discussion.
The name, Kunafa and Shay, invites you into the discussion in the best
way we know how: with complex and delicious sweets like kunafa, and
perfectly warm tea (or, in Arabic, shay). Kunafa and Shay is a place to
share experiences, discuss ideas, and sometimes engage with our
differences. In each country in the region, you’ll find kunafa made
differently. In that way, we also lean into the diversity, complexity,
and robust flavors of MENA/SWANA theatre.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com
for information about our collection and use of personal data for
advertising.
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