Wife of Headless Man

Investigates Her Own Disappearance

Written by Yussef El Guindi

Directed by Lucien Oberleitner

March 27 – April 11, 2026

Preview: March 26

A reporter experiences a chunk of missing time after interviewing a tech billionaire who hasn’t taken kindly to her negative articles about him. Was she drugged during the meal? How did she end up in a hotel room after meeting him in a restaurant? And if she was drugged, is that why, when she returns home, her husband appears as fully alive and functioning and headless?

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“Fans of local playwright Yussef El Guindi (of which I am one) should mark their calendars for ‘Wife of Headless Man Investigates Her Own Disappearance’”

— Gemma Wilson, Seattle Times arts and culture writer
'Seattle-area shows our theater writer is looking forward to in 2026'

Performances

Thursday, March 26 at 7:30 p.m. (Preview)

Friday, March 27 at 7:30 p.m. (Opening)

Saturday, March 28 at 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, March 29 at 2:00 p.m. (Matinee)

Thursday, April 2 at 7:30 p.m.

Friday, April 3 at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, April 4 at 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, April 5 at 2:00 p.m. (Matinee)

Monday, April 6 at 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, April 9 at 7:30 p.m.

Friday, April 10 at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, April 11 at 7:30 p.m (Closing)

Playwright

Yussef El Guindi

Born in Egypt, raised in London, and now based in Seattle, playwright Yussef El Guindi frequently examines the collision of ethnicities, cultures, and politics facing immigrants, Arab-Americans, and Muslim Americans. His recent productions include Hotter Than Egypt at Marin Theatre Company, ACT Theatre, and the Denver Center, and People of the Book at Urban Stages in New York City and ACT Theatre. Bloomsbury/Methuen Drama has published The Selected Works of Yussef El Guindi. In 2023, he was selected by the Royal Society of Literature as an International Writer. Among numerous honors, he has received the Laurents/Hatcher Foundation Citation of Excellence Award, the Steinberg/ATCA New Play Award, the Henry Award, American Blues Theater’s Blue Ink Playwriting Award, L.A. Weekly’s Excellence in Playwriting Award, The Stranger’s Genius Award, a Gregory Award, and the Middle East America Distinguished Playwright Award.


Director

Lucien Oberleitner

Directing this piece is Annex Theatre’s current Artistic Director, Lucien Oberleitner. Lucien has been developing new work in Seattle for twelve years. Outside of being a Staff & Company member of Annex, they are a Teaching Artist with Freehold's Engaged Theatre Residency at WCCW and a proud alum of Parley Productions. They have had the pleasure of working in many capacities; as a performer, director, choreographer, dancer, writer, and producer. Lucien is a political artist, focusing on original work that undermines systems of oppression.


Cast

Production Team

Cast

Salwa — Coco Justino

Aisha — Hannah Wang

Owen Allen / Hotel Waiter — Brandon Tourino Collinsworth

Bassem — Yousif Abouzgaya

Firdous — Justin Tran

Alien — Dylan Smith

Production Team

Playwright— Yussef El Guindi

Director — Lucien Oberleitner

Stage Manager — Meaghan Darling

Rehearsal Stage Manager — Amity H Blight & Sarah Ross

Scenic Designer — Bella Rivera

Costume Designer — Nour Afifi

Sound Designer — Joseph Swartz

Lighting Designer — Jacob Viramontes

Intimacy Choreographer — E. Pike

Fight Choreographer — Dylan Smith

Props Designer — Makena Inghram

Production Manager — Meaghan Darling

Vision Mixer — Ben Laurance