ناجي المندلق

Naji El Mendelek is a Lebanese-American actor and playwright, best known for presenting and producing comedic plays that highlight the Arab experience in the diaspora. He is the founder of the Ajyal Theater Troupe, which was launched in 1988 and achieved widespread success among the Arab communities in the United States and Canada. Naji El-Mendelek is known for his character Em Hussein, who has become a symbol of social comedy among expatriate Arabs, through which he embodies issues of identity, cultural differences, and conflicts between generations in a comic style. Among his most prominent theatrical works are: “Arabs with Our Heads Raised”, “Smile, Your in America”, “Look Where is the Wawa”, and “I Am Not a Terrorist”. His works contributed to enhancing cultural understanding between Arab and Western societies, and attracted the attention of Arab and international media. Naji El-Mendelek continues to present theatrical works that reflect the Arab experience in expatriate countries, using comedy as a tool for communication and expression.