Writer
This is the page description.
Latest Play: BLACK metamorphosis
Currently an O’Neill 2020 Semi-finalist ! Synopsis: This black adaptation of Kafka’s novella starts with a lovable bunch of Illuminati members trying to figure out what to do after the influx of immigrants results in the fall of Rome. Once they figure out are set to try and put their differences aside and ethnically cleanse the world, but once they kill off everyone they realize they miss their free black labor. So they decide to make one from scratch
ethiopianamerica
Produced by definition theater company at the tony award-winning Victory Gardens Theater in Chicago
O’Neill 2019 Semifinalist, Jeff Recommended! Synopsis: From the outside in, the american dream is not something that's given but rather something that is earned. And Girma and Elizabeth Kifle earned it. They immigrated from Ethiopia, had two kids, and even have a white picket fence outside their apartment. But all it takes is one bad day for everything to change. In this unnervingly charming family tragedy, the heart of the first generation african experience is exposed and the blood of abuse rushes to every vein.
Reviews:
Review from The Root:
https://www.theroot.com/behind-picket-fences-in-sam-kebede-s-ethiopianamerica-1834791096
"EthiopianAmerica is a gripping work from the talented Kebede [...]. His deftness with his subject matter is striking; from the pervasive shade of sibling rivalry, to the outsized ambitions America represents, to the nuances of navigating language barriers, the Kifles ring true, making their shortcomings all the more tragic to witness."
Review from The Chicago Tribune: https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/theater/ct-ent-ethiopian-america-definition-review-0516-story.html
"Kebede writes about domestic life (in California, but if could be anywhere in America) with real veracity. Anyone who has teenage kids (I have two myself), or tough parents, can relate to the inter-generational struggle that fills this play. Kebede really gets the clash of the authority figure and the young person, striving to find a place in a changed world, and he does so with real understanding"
New City Stage: https://www.newcitystage.com/2019/05/16/paradox-pain-paradise-a-review-of-ethiopianamerica-at-definition-theatre-company/
"'ETHIOPIANAMERICA' walks this fine line of misery and love, Ethiopia and America, understanding and illegibility. The work never explicates and always makes the liminal felt, holding multiple realities in hand without sacrificing specificity or dimensionality. Daniel’s softness exists in tandem with his masculinity. Elizabeth’s gentle adaptability lives right next to her demands for respect. Johnathan’s bravery sits next to his childishness and cowardice. All three carry sadness alongside dreams on their backs."
Misogynoir
ARS nova ant fest 2018
Coming soon: JERICHO.
JERICHO. synopsis: The average criminal trial takes 7 days. This play revolves around the 7 days it takes for the audience to decide if Jeremiah Haile should go to prison for his latest work
