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?
TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE
“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