Refugee Rhapsody By Yussef El Guindi

About The Play

A chance encounter between Emily, a wealthy socialite heiress, and a young Arab American couple—Sakinah and Fouad—children of refugees working at a Goodwill - unfolds as a darkly comic and unsettling exploration of race, class, and privilege in modern America.

As their lives intersect, tensions escalate, culminating in a violent crime driven by jealousy and desire. As the investigation deepens, questions of culpability and motive take center stage with sharp humor, unexpected surprises, and a bit of magic. As the truth unravels one question remains: Why?

Performances are at the Carnegie Stage 25 W Main St. Carnegie, PA. 15106

October 9th—25th 2026

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‍ Friday October 9 (Opening Night)‍ ‍

Thursdays; October 15 (PWYC), and October 22 at 7:30pm.‍

Fridays: October 16, 23 at 7:30 pm‍

Saturdays: October 10, 17, 24 at 7:30 pm‍

Sundays: October 11, 18, 25 at 2:00 pm

‍Special Event ‍PICT cultural night Tuesday Oct 20 @ 7:30pm

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Originally produced as a rolling world premiere in the 2026-2027 season by the Contemporary American Theatre Festival (WV), Peggy McKowen, Artistic Director, Amy Wratchford, Managing Director, PICT Classic Theatre (PA), Elizabeth Elias Huffman, Artistic Director, and Sound Theatre (WA), Teresa Thuman and Shermona Mitchell, Artistic Directors.

ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT: YUSSEF EL GUINDI

YUSSEF EL GUINDI was born in Egypt, raised in London, and is now based in Seattle. His work frequently examines the collision of ethnicities, cultures, and the politics that face immigrants. El Guindi holds an MFA in playwriting from Carnegie-Mellon University. He is the recipient of many honors, including the Laurents / Hatcher Foundation Citation of Excellence Award, the Steinberg/ATCA New Play Award, American Blues Theater’s Blue Ink Playwriting Award, Seattle’s Stranger’s Genius Award, and the 2010 Middle East America Distinguished Playwright Award. El Guindi's past productions include "Hotter Than Egypt" at Marin Theatre Company, ACT in Seattle, and the Denver Center for the Performing Arts (Henry Award winner); "People of the Book" at Urban Stages (NYC) and ACT; "Language Rooms" at the Wilma Theatre, Pony World Theatre in Seattle, and Broken Nose Theatre in Chicago; "Hostages" at Radial Theater Project in Seattle; "The Talented Ones" at UCSB’s LAUNCH PAD and Artists Repertory Theatre in Portland (Santa Barbara Independent Indy Awards); "Threesome" at Portland Center Stage, ACT, and at 59E59 (winner of a Portland Drammy for Best Original Script); "Pilgrims Musa and Sheri in the New World" (2011 Gregory Award) at ACT, Center Repertory Company at Walnut Creek, CA, and Mosaic Theater Company (DC). "Our Enemies: Lively Scenes of Love and Combat" was produced by Silk Road Rising and won the M. Elizabeth Osborn award. His plays "Back of the Throat" (winner of L.A. Weekly's Excellence in Playwriting Award for 2006), "Pilgrims Musa and Sheri in the New World", "Jihad Jones and the Kalashnikov Babes", "Such a Beautiful Voice is Sayeda, and Karima’s City" have been published by Dramatists Play Service. "Hotter Than Egypt", "People of the Book", "Ten Acrobats in an Amazing Leap of Faith", "Collaborator", "Threesome", "The Talented Ones", "Hostages", "Language Rooms", and "In A Clear Concise Arabic Tongue" have been published by Broadway Play Publishing Inc. Bloomsbury/Methuen Drama published "The Selected Works of Yussef El Guindi". In 2023, he was selected by the Royal Society of Literature as an International Writer.