Tom Coash

A West Virginia woman is on her way to fame and fortune, but loses the love of her life, cooking very unconventional cuisine.

Intisar, a veiled African-American Muslim student, thought she might finally fit in when she enrolled for a year abroad at the American Egyptian University in Cairo. Samar, her Egyptian, non-veiled roommate, enlists Intisar’s help in creating an internet blog about the controversial practice of wearing veils..or not and hopefully helping to bridge the gap between the West and the Middle-East. They and their project, however, are overtaken and in danger of being overwhelmed by events leading up to and including the beginnings of the recent Egyptian revolution. In struggling with events such as a university ban on wearing burkas, an anti-American protest/riot, and Samar’s arrest and forced virginity test, Intisar and Samar are surprised to find themselves on opposite sides of a bitter cultural divide. Will the violent events and emotions leading up to the revolution salvage their friendship or shatter it?

VEILS is the Winner of the 2015 American Theatre Critics Association's M. Elizabeth Osborn Award, a Finalist for the 2015 Steinberg/ATCA Award, Winner of the 2013 Clauder Competition, and a recipient of an Edgerton Foundation New American Play Award.

Set in present day Cairo, CRY HAVOC explores the troubled relationship between the western world and the Islamic Middle East. Cultural imperialism, religious fundamentalism, political repression, and personal sexuality are deftly unfolded in this tender and shocking play about the dissolution of a loving relationship between a British expatriate writer and his young Egyptian lover. Both men are forced to examine the fine line between conviction and obsession as they confront a repressive government and their own identities.

CRY HAVOC was the Winner of the West Coast Ensemble's National New Play Contest, Winner of the Humboldt State University National New Play Award, and Nominated for a Barrymore Award from the Theatre Alliance of Philadelphia.

During the khamaseen, Egypt's annual sandstorm, when the air is thick with dust and aggravation, Donna moves to Cairo with her husband, Pete, who sees it as an opportunity for career advancement. We quickly learn that life was not peaceful for the couple in America and now in culture shock and feeling isolated in a country she has been warned to fear, Donna tries to cope with an abusive marriage complicated by her new found pregnancy. In a last ditch attempt to dispel her fears and understand the Egyptian culture, Donna befriends her maid, Helwa, and discovers a wonderful, gentle and loving people who ultimately and metaphorically purge her of the curse of her abusive marriage, empowering her to continue on in Egypt as an independent, strong woman. Although dealing with serious subject matter, Khamaseen is shot through with humor, music, belly dancing and hope for the future. The author's four year experience living and teaching in Cairo provides real-life insight for his characters who quickly dispel common stereotypes about the Egyptian people and their culture.

Cairo Stories is a trilogy of one-act plays all set in present day Cairo, written by Tom Coash, an American playwright who spent a number of years teaching at the American University in Cairo, Egypt.

Khalass! (Enough!)
An unlikely romantic rendezvous on top of the great pyramid of Giza between Sara, an outspoken, proudly bohemian Jewish American girl working on location in Cairo with a film crew, and her new Egyptian friend Khalid, is the setting for this light-hearted but revealing examination of the passions stirred by the complicated history of Arab - Israeli relations.
Cast: One man, one woman

Ukimwi
This encounter between an American oil worker and a young Kenyan prostitute in a shabby Cairo bar offers a glimpse into the miasma of ignorance and superstition that haunt Africa's struggle with their devastating HIV/AIDS epidemic.
Cast: one man, one woman

Veils
Intisar, an African-American Muslim girl studying at the American University in Cairo, and Samar, her Egyptian roommate, discover that cross cultural friendships in a post 9/11 world require courage and understanding. Puts human faces on the controversial practice of Islamic veiling. Set in a dorm room at AUC.
Cast: Two women

This encounter between an American oil worker and a young Kenyan prostitute in a Cairo bar offers a glimpse into the miasma of ignorance and superstition that haunt Africa's struggle with their devastating HIV epidemic. Simple set. Runs approx. 20 minutes.

A blind date, a veiled woman, a firefighter. Will sparks fly? Nick, a New York City firefighter, is surprised when Sarah, his blind date shows up wearing an Islamic veil. An ugly incident early in the day has affected Sarah’s outlook on men and veiling, making Nick’s reaction doubly important to their future. Simple set. Approx. 10 minutes.

A tightrope walker faces her moment of truth as she tries to regain her balance on the wire after a tragic accident. A one-woman musical adaptation of Tom Coash's multi-award winning play, Thin Air. Original music and songs by Jon Brielle. Simple set. Runs approx. 15 minutes.

A tightrope walker faces her moment of truth as she tries to regain her balance on the wire after a tragic accident. One woman monologue. Simple set. Approx. 10 minutes.

The question of sex raises it's head when Doris and Harold, a nice older couple from Hackensack, visit the Chandela Temples in India, famous (or infamous) for their erotic carvings celebrating the Kamasutra religious rituals. Amidst the highly suggestive surroundings, Doris and Harold reexamine their love and marriage. Simple set. Runs approx. 10 minutes.

An unlikely romantic rendezvous on top of the Great Pyramid of Egypt between Sara, an outspoken, proudly bohemian Jewish American girl working on location in Cairo with a film crew, and her new Egyptian friend Khalid, is the setting for this light-hearted but revealing examination of the passions stirred by the complicated history of Arab - Israeli relations. Runs approx. 30 minutes.

Bobby, a United States Marine, on home leave from Iraq, asks Quint, a hunting buddy, to help him stage an accidental shooting which would excuse him from returning to the war. Simple set. Runs approx. 10 minutes.

Love, intimacy and the ability to communicate are all at risk in this intensely emotional play. Set in a prison trailer, an overnight conjugal visit turns frightening as husband and wife struggle to hold onto their relationship as they discover how truly separate their lives have become.

Ismael Smith, aka “Mr. Intensity”, a black, college football player, is working out in the team training room. He has a soft cast on his knee, post-knee surgery. He has also been skipping classes and when assistant coach Reed confronts him with it, he says once he’s back playing no one will care about that. Reed says that he will never play football again and unless he gets his grades up, he’ll soon be out of a scholarship, out of college, and back on the street. It’s time for Ismael to make some decisions. Simple Set. Runs approx. 10 minutes.