Playwright Makram Ayache joins Chris Tolley to talk about growing up queer in rural Alberta. Hear about how the loss of Ayache's father influenced his acclaimed play The Green Line, and what it means to write from a place of “in-betweenness."

The Green Line, nominated for a Governor General’s Award, is a lyrical journey through love, loss, and the legacy of queer identity across generations.

A poetic and heartbreaking story of intergenerational queer history in Lebanon begins. In present-day Beirut, Rami, a twentysomething queer Lebanese Canadian, returns to bury his father. Grieving and searching for meaning, he finds himself drawn to a queer nightclub—where a drag queen named Fifi, dressed as a phoenix, awakens a sense of connection. At the same time, we flash back to 1978, when a young man named Naseeb tries to flee Beirut’s civil war with his sister, Mona. But Mona is in love—and refuses to leave.

Featuring: Makram Ayache, Filsan Dualeh, Bahareh Yaraghi, Waseem Alzer, and Antoine Yared

“Ayache’s dialogue is decidedly lyrical . . . There are some truly beautiful images not just in the monologues but in simple exchanges.”- Louis B. Hobson, Calgary Herald

“An affecting, well-written piece by Edmonton playwright Makram Ayache . . . that travels to a surprisingly wide variety of places . . . a universal, first-class [play] more than worthy of your attention.”- Alan Kellogg, 12thnight

The Green Line by Makram Ayache.

As Beirut descends into chaos in 1978, Naseeb is swept up in the war’s political tides, fracturing his bond with Mona. In the present, Rami follows a trail of memories—including a phoenix-shaped necklace left by his father—to uncover the truth about his family's past. The Green Line, nominated for a Governor General’s Award, is a lyrical journey through love, loss, and the legacy of queer identity across generations.

The Green Line by Makram Ayache