Ismail Khalidi (writer)
Encyclopedia
Ismail Khalidi is a Palestinian American
playwright, poet, and actor, best known for the plays Tennis in Nablus (2010) and Truth Serum Blues (2005). Tennis in Nablus received two graduate student Kennedy Center Honors
in 2008 while he was still at NYU, the Mark Twain Comedy Playwriting Award and the Quest for Peace Playwriting Award.
and the grandson of Ismail Khalidi
. Khalidi received his B.A. from Macalester College
in 2005 and his M.F.A. in Dramatic Writing from Tisch School of the Arts
, New York University
in 2009. Khalidi's MFA thesis play is titled, "Final Status."
Khalidi has published works of poetry in Mizna:Prose, Poetry, and Art Exploring Arab America, and has written for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
, The Nation
, Times Union (Albany), The Daily Beast
, and the The Electronic Intifada.
Palestinian American
Palestinian Americans are Americans of Palestinian ancestry. It is difficult to say when the first Palestinian immigrants arrived at the United States; however, many of the first immigrants to arrive were Christians escaping persecution from the Ottoman Empire in the late 19th century...
playwright, poet, and actor, best known for the plays Tennis in Nablus (2010) and Truth Serum Blues (2005). Tennis in Nablus received two graduate student Kennedy Center Honors
Kennedy Center Honors
The Kennedy Center Honors is an annual honor given to those in the performing arts for their lifetime of contributions to American culture. The Honors have been presented annually since 1978 in Washington, D.C., during gala weekend-long events which culminate in a performance for—and...
in 2008 while he was still at NYU, the Mark Twain Comedy Playwriting Award and the Quest for Peace Playwriting Award.
Background
Khalidi was born in Beirut, Lebanon and grew up in Chicago, Illinois. He is the son of Rashid KhalidiRashid Khalidi
Rashid Ismail Khalidi , born 1948, a Palestinian-American historian of the Middle East, is the Edward Said Professor of Modern Arab Studies at Columbia University, and director of the Middle East Institute of Columbia's School of International and Public Affairs.-Family, education and...
and the grandson of Ismail Khalidi
Ismail Khalidi
Ismail Ragib Khalidi was a senior political affairs officer for the United Nations Department of Political Affairs.Khalidi was born in Jerusalem, Palestine, on November 13, 1916. He was the brother of Husayin al-Khalidi, father of Rashid Khalidi and the grandfather of the American playwright,...
. Khalidi received his B.A. from Macalester College
Macalester College
Macalester College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college located in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It was founded in 1874 as a Presbyterian-affiliated but nonsectarian college. Its first class entered September 15, 1885. The college is located on a campus in a historic residential neighborhood...
in 2005 and his M.F.A. in Dramatic Writing from Tisch School of the Arts
Tisch School of the Arts
Tisch School of the Arts is one of the 15 schools that make up New York University ....
, New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
in 2009. Khalidi's MFA thesis play is titled, "Final Status."
Career
His first production (co-created with Bassam Jarbawi) Truth Serum Blues, debuted in 2005 at the Pangea World Theater in Minneapolis where he was also an actor and writer in residence. His award winning play Tennis in Nablus had its theatrical debut at the Alliance Theatre in 2010.Khalidi has published works of poetry in Mizna:Prose, Poetry, and Art Exploring Arab America, and has written for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is the only major daily newspaper in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, and its suburbs. The AJC, as it is called, is the flagship publication of Cox Enterprises. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is the result of the merger between The Atlanta Journal and The Atlanta...
, The Nation
The Nation
The Nation is the oldest continuously published weekly magazine in the United States. The periodical, devoted to politics and culture, is self-described as "the flagship of the left." Founded on July 6, 1865, It is published by The Nation Company, L.P., at 33 Irving Place, New York City.The Nation...
, Times Union (Albany), The Daily Beast
The Daily Beast
The Daily Beast is an American news reporting and opinion website founded and published by Tina Brown, former editor of Vanity Fair and The New Yorker as well as the short-lived Talk Magazine. The Daily Beast was launched on October 6, 2008, and is owned by IAC...
, and the The Electronic Intifada.
Tennis in Nablus
- 2008 Kennedy Center HonorsKennedy Center HonorsThe Kennedy Center Honors is an annual honor given to those in the performing arts for their lifetime of contributions to American culture. The Honors have been presented annually since 1978 in Washington, D.C., during gala weekend-long events which culminate in a performance for—and...
(Graduate Student Award) - Mark Twain Comedy Playwriting Award - 2008 Kennedy Center HonorsKennedy Center HonorsThe Kennedy Center Honors is an annual honor given to those in the performing arts for their lifetime of contributions to American culture. The Honors have been presented annually since 1978 in Washington, D.C., during gala weekend-long events which culminate in a performance for—and...
(Graduate Student Award) - Quest for Peace Playwriting Award - National Endowment for the ArtsNational Endowment for the ArtsThe National Endowment for the Arts is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created by an act of the U.S. Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government. Its current...
Grant - Robert W. Woodruff Arts Center, Inc. (on behalf of Alliance Theatre)
General
- 2009-2010 New York Theater Workshop Artist Fellows
- 2009-2010 The Alliance Theater's Kendeda Graduate Playwriting Competition
Poetry
- Foot (2007)
- Routine Procedure(s) 2: Prayer Beads of Cold Sweat or Driving While Izlaamic (2006)
- Routine Procedure(s) (2004)
Writing (general)
- "The showdown at the U.N.." Times Union (Albany), September 23, 2011.
- "The Case for Palestine." The Daily Beast The Daily BeastThe Daily Beast is an American news reporting and opinion website founded and published by Tina Brown, former editor of Vanity Fair and The New Yorker as well as the short-lived Talk Magazine. The Daily Beast was launched on October 6, 2008, and is owned by IAC...
, Sep 19, 2011. - "Remembering Juliano Mer-Khamis." The NationThe NationThe Nation is the oldest continuously published weekly magazine in the United States. The periodical, devoted to politics and culture, is self-described as "the flagship of the left." Founded on July 6, 1865, It is published by The Nation Company, L.P., at 33 Irving Place, New York City.The Nation...
, April 11, 2011 (with Jen Marlowe) - "Debunking the Palestinian stereotype." The Atlanta Journal-ConstitutionThe Atlanta Journal-ConstitutionThe Atlanta Journal-Constitution is the only major daily newspaper in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, and its suburbs. The AJC, as it is called, is the flagship publication of Cox Enterprises. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is the result of the merger between The Atlanta Journal and The Atlanta...
, February 9, 2010. - "Ismail Khalidi" @ The Electronic Intifada (2003, 2004, 2007)
Further Reading
- Mullenneaux, Lisa. "Ismail Khalidi seeks to rewrite the American understanding of Palestinian identity." MondoweissMondoweissMondoweiss is a news website devoted to covering American foreign policy in the Middle East, chiefly from a progressive Jewish perspective. It was founded in 2006 by journalist and author Philip Weiss and is currently co-edited by Weiss and author/activist Adam Horowitz...
", September 17, 2011.