Omer Abbas Salem- the brown Julia Roberts...
Actor and Playwright- Chicago, IL
news:
Abbas Salem was named one of the Top Theater 50 Performers in Chicago by New City Magazine for 2025. Photo by Joe Mazza:
Chris Jones in the Chicago Tribune named Salem's new play Happy Days Are Here (Again) as one of his Top 10 plays for 2024:
Chris Jones gave Happy Days Are Here (Again), a World Premiere at Steep Theatre, 3.5/4 stars in the Chicago Tribune.
upcoming:
Abbas is writing an Edgerton Commission for Steppenwolf to be developed in 2025. It is a play based on American cult ideology and human grief.
Abbas was selected as one of The Goodman Theater's 2025 New Stages commissions. He is writing a new play as part of their Playwrights Unit. There will be New Stages readings scheduled in August, 2025.
DePaul Theater School will produce Abbas' Cunningham Commission children's play: The Chronicles of the Kaleidoscope Visitors. Directed by Katrina Dion in the Merle Reskin, it's part of the Playworks series.
Abbas' play Pretty Shahid will be developed for a staged reading through Red Orchid's Incubator Program. The project is fundraising at the moment and partnering artists will be hired soon. Readings are scheduled for 6/29 and 6/30 at 7:00 PM. Tickets available soon.
Abbas is writing a new audio play for Audible Theater as part of their Emerging Playwright cohort. It's a play about the mundane parts about a blossoming queer relationship and how we get in our own way.
