CASTING NOTICE: CQF 2026

Seeking Actors for National Queer Theater’s 2026 Criminal Queerness Festival

at HERE Arts Center

CONTRACT: AEA Transition

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: March 27, 2026

Producer: National Queer Theater (Adam Odsess-Rubin and Rose Oser)

Location: HERE (NYC)

Directors:  Shadi Ghaheri, Osh Ashruf

Playwrights: Bazeed, Lour

Casting Director: Peter Dunn

National Queer Theater’s

Criminal Queerness Festival

June 9th - June 27, 2026 

HERE Arts Center

Faggy Faafi Cairo Boy

First rehearsal: May 18

Tech: June 15-16

Performances: June 17-20

Area D

First rehearsal: May 11

Tech: June 6-7

Performances: June 9-13

National Queer Theater’s Criminal Queerness Festival (CQF) showcases groundbreaking new works written by artists from countries where queerness is criminalized or censored. At a time when authoritarianism is on the rise globally, CQF elevates refugee, asylee, and immigrant queer voices and enriches the cultural fabric of New York City by introducing audiences to bold, original works that challenge Western norms and inspire global change. 

Since the inception of the festival in 2019, National Queer Theater has showcased 19 new works by visionary artists from Syria, Venezuela, Uganda, Iraq, China, Pakistan, Kenya, Ukraine, Cuba, Lebanon, and Poland. The festival is the official theater event of NYC Pride and recipient of a 2020 NYC Mayor's Grant for Cultural Impact Award and a 2025 Obie Award. It has been featured in The New York Times, The Advocate, and NBC News. NQT partners with community groups such as Artistic Freedom Initiative and venues such as HERE Arts Center, Lincoln Center, and PAC NYC to amplify the festival's impact, recruiting audiences into the fight for LGBTQ+ decriminalization.

Considering both Equity and Non-Equity actors. All genders, all bodies, with a love of storytelling encouraged to submit! Actors should be open to dialect work.

faggy faafi Cairo boy

Written by Bazeed

Directed by Shadi Ghaheri

In the space between living and whatever the hell comes next, between daddy issues and Daddy issues, between the city that never sleeps and the city that never even blinks… Mohammad, the prodigal, closeted son returns to Cairo, and to his father's rapidly failing, irrevocable body. Distanced from his NYC boyfriend, Mohammad reunites with an old Cairo flame who now has a life of his own. And who’s to judge him, besides that angry little angel in the corner of the hospital room?

ROLES

MOHAMMAD ADAM IBRAHIM / MOH’D ADAM IBRAHIM / MO / MONKEY

He/Him, early 30s, Arab/Egyptian, cis, gay bear, of comforting, could-crush-you stature and swarthiness. Might speak English with a faint Egyptian accent. Might not. Easy smile. Easier laugh. Though straight-acting, something about him always gives away the rainbow.

YASSER MOHAMMAD DARWISH

He/Him, Arab/Egyptian otter, early 30s, rice and rabbit stew paunch coming right along. Possibly the least serious, most charismatic of his friend group. Has a hard time not turning everything into a joke. Loyal to his friends. Loyal to his optimism about life.

MOHAMMAD’S FATHER aka BABA aka ADAM IBRAHIM

He/Him, straight Arab/Egyptian man in his late sixties, enormous Egyptian-dad mustache. Clearly where his son gets his stature and large frame. His body, once robust, retains some shadow of its past vigor, though we meet him ravaged by long illness. Easy smile, easier laugh. Though generally a jolly, warm figure, BABA can be very very scary when upset.

Area D

Written by LOUR

Directed by Osh Ashruf

A scrappy Palestinian band lands an unexpected shot on the Eurovision stage. What starts as a lucky break spirals into a glitter-drenched spectacle, forcing the band to wrestle with whether visibility is worth compromising their identity. AREA D is a bold, genre-smashing musical fusing Arab-pop, punk, and electronic sounds.

ROLES

LARA

Early 20s. Arab (Jerusalemite). She/Her.Frontwoman of the band. A Jerusalemite with a protest in her throat and a pop anthem in her bloodstream.

Vocal Range: E3–D5 (Pop Soprano / Mezzo)Instruments: Electric/acoustic guitar preferred Language: Conversational Arabic preferred

DINA

Early 20s. Arab (West Bank). She/Her.The bassist. West-Banker. Dry wit. The calm eye in the political hurricane. Feels everything deeply but reveals it selectively. 

Vocal Range: D3–C#5 (Mezzo-Alto)Instruments: N/A. Language: Conversational Arabic preferred

RAMI

18+ to play Teen. Arab (Gaza). He/Him.Dana’s cousin. DIY keyboardist raised on YouTube tutorials and bad WiFi. He’s honestly just happy to be here!

Vocal Range: C3–Ab4 (Tenor/Bari-Tenor)Instruments: N/A.  Language: Conversational Arabic preferred

SAMIR

Mid 20s. Arab (Haifa). He/Him.Drummer. A proud Hifawi with hips like Shakira. Magnetic, playful, rhythm incarnate. The band’s heartbeat and resident flirt. He can be too much…

Vocal Range: G2–G4 (Bari-Tenor with strong low extension) Instruments: Darbuka preferred Language: Conversational Arabic preferred

INSTRUCTIONS: Please submit a one minute contemporary monologue. Actors auditioning for Area D should also share a one minute cut of a contemporary Arab and/or pop song.

SUBMIT: https://airtable.com/apprngXAbjOVz6bib/shrQTHPowLO5MWBa4.

 If you have any questions, feel free to email info@nationalqueertheater.org. 

SALARY: $572.60 per week

UNION: AEA or Non-AEA