2018
As Harun and his friend's finalize preparations for a protest against a white supremacist uprising, Harun is struck with a prophecy. A dystopian future awaits him, and a masked Angel says "listen to the answer from the highest of holies...should you fail, this is the future you inherit." Reality blurs with spiritual revelation in this tale of an immigrant Arab-Canadian navigating his sexuality in Canada.
Winner of the Playwrights' Guild of Canada Emerging Playwright Tom Henry Award 2020!
After being selected as one of the plays for the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity's 2018 Playwrights' Lab, a revised and expanded Harun made its premier at the 2018 Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival.
DIRECTOR: Mieko Ouchi
ROLE: Harun
CAST: Makram Ayache, Jacob Holloway, Sarah J, Culkin, Hillary Warden, Griffin Cork, and Amena Shehab
STAGE MANAGER: Jessica Haggeman
PRODUCTION DESIGN: Reza Basirzadeh
LIGHT DESIGN: Caro Vanrensberg
SOUND DESIGN: Chris Periera
POSTER DESIGN: Skye Oleson-Cormack
5 Stars "Harun is masterful in its artistry" - Ryan Hook, Vue Weekly
4.5/5 Stars "Harun is refreshingly political. It unapologetically slams a ghastly mirror to our faces, reflecting back racism, sexism, homophobia, white supremacy, pernicious stereotypes about Muslims, white fragility, and mistreatment of Indigenous peoples." - Janet French, The Edmonton Journal
"Ayache showcases his virtuosity with exquisite writing in narration sequences. With engaging delivery and captivating design, he avoids miring the action in dense prose — a common pitfall of audience address." - Jonah Dunch, The Gateway
"Ayache is a talent to watch. He's going places" - Liz Nichols, 12thNight.ca
2017
DIRECTOR: Alexander Dononvan
MOVEMENT DIRECTOR: Alyssa Bartlet
ROLE: Harun
CAST: Makram Ayache, Leila Raye-Crofton, Marc Rico Ludwig, Hala Nasr, Sareeta Lopez, and Jacob Holloway
STAGE MANAGER: Roxanne Cote
VIDEO/SET/COSTUME/LIGHT DESIGN: Kelsi Kalmer
SOUND DESIGN: Connor Suart
POSTER DESIGN: Kelsi Kalmer
"From beginning to end, this was a surreal project to be working on. Writing complex queer narratives has been a goal of mine for some time - realizing that reality on stage is nothing short of a dream. And this was just the first step. I'm excited to continue to grow my voice as a writer and theatre creator; I can certainly say this project has helped fuel that aspect of my career as an artist."
