Award winning The Simon Studio brings playwright and screenwriter, Omar Bakry’s new play to 59E59 Theaters which opened August 17 and runs through August 31, 2025. Set in rural Ohio, the story centers around three individuals from different backgrounds who struggle to understand the events of their pasts and search for love and happiness in their future.

Nabil and Ava hope for a relationship

In the Shadow of Her Father is a family drama about a Middle Eastern woman named Ava (Inji El Gammal) in rural Ohio who leads a mundane life, working at a pet store by day and caring for her possessive alcoholic adoptive father, Walter (Roger Hendricks Simon), at night as he suffers severe PTSD from his time in the Vietnam War.

Ava’s father, Walter, is haunted by memories

When an Egyptian stranger named Nabil (Khaled Abol Naga aka: Kal El Naga)knocks on her door, he sparks a passion and rebellion in her that changes everything, inspiring Ava to discover her true identity and confront her father’s secrets.

Nabil tries to bond with Ava’s father

Starring Roger Hendricks Simon, Inji El Gammal, and Khaled Abol Naga the show is directed by Vincent Scott. It is produced by The Simon Studio. The studio, established in 1978 is a theatre/film/tv and audio training, development and production center. Founding Artistic Director Roger Hendricks Simon’s unique Professional Lab class combines actors, directors, writers and industry guests, enabling projects to emerge for showcase and production.

For tickets visit Shows | www.59e59.org

Roger Hendricks Simon (Walter) is a graduate of Yale School of Drama and founding member of Robert Brustein’s Yale Rep; he was elected to Notable Names in American Theatre and has directed, produced and acted for theater companies throughout the world including Yale Rep, Joe Papp’s N.Y. Shakespeare Festival, London’s Royal Court Theatre, Dublin’s Abbey Theatre, and Lincoln Center. In addition to his work on stage he has had Lead / principal roles in films including Daniel Keith’s LOVE IN KILNERRY (International Film Award’s Best Supporting Actor), LINOLEUM opposite Jim Gaffigan and Tony Shaloub, Oliver Stone’s WALL STREET2 (opposite Michael Douglas) and currently Dan Simon’s ANOTHER YEAR TOGETHER, his new film noir series THE LAST ACT and Sasha Carrera’s upcoming SPINSTERS.

 (Nabil) is a multi award-winning American Egyptian actor, producer, and director, celebrated for his diverse roles and commitment to independent cinema. With an academic background spanning telecommunications and spacecraft engineering (University of Surrey UK, Ain Shams University Egypt), theater (American University in Cairo), Film, TV, Music, and Song production (Tanasi club), his career blossomed from a popular TV host for late night talk shows in 2001 to a Middle East cinematic icon. He garnered widespread acclaim and numerous Best Actor awards in film (Villa 69 -2013, Eyes of a Thief – 2014) & top critics’ reviews in TV (Vikings – History channel, 2019) and Stage (Noura – Guthrie Theater, 2020, Adapted and Directed the first Arabic rendition of Lionel Bart’s musical Oliver! – Royal Cultural Center Jordan with Palestinian & Syrian refugee children, 2015). Beyond his artistic achievements, Naga is a passionate human rights advocate and has served as Egypt’s UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador for Egypt.

Kalnaga.com tanasi.club IG @kalnaga @TanasiClub

Inji El Gammal  (Ava) is thrilled to be part of this powerful production and honored to collaborate with such an extraordinary creative team. An Egyptian-French actress and multidisciplinary artist based in New York City, El Gammal was born in Cairo and raised in Paris, where she studied literature and philosophy before returning to Egypt to complete her undergraduate studies at the American University in Cairo, with a minor in theatre. Now based in New York, El Gammal continues to pursue her acting career while actively advocating for autism awareness and inclusive care. Her training includes classical and contemporary theatre at Stella Adler Studio, William Esper Studio, and The Simon Studio, where she is a resident actor. She also studied drama therapy at The New School. Stage credits include Under the Tree (Howard Theatre and Egyptian Opera House), Bismillah (Wild Project Theatre, All Arts Award for Best Feature Performance, 2019), The Oud Player on the Tel (HERE Arts Center and Glasgow, Scotland, as part of the UNESCO RIELA program), The Last Freudians (American Theatre of Actors), Banned (The Row Theatre), and Superman and Serena (Hudson Guild Theatre and ATA). She has also appeared in public readings at Lincoln Center, the Dramatists Guild of America, and the Actors Studio.On screen, El Gammal appeared in Season 3 of Hulu’s Ramy, and her film work includes 3 Deeds, Hello Aurevoir (UK), Postcards of the Orient, Sekhmet, Bury Me Home, and Abdo and Saneya (2025),a silent black-and-white feature that premiered at the Red Sea Film Festival.

Instagram: @inji_mansour_elgammal

Omar Bakry is a playwright and screenwriter. Born 1976 in Sweden, raised in Egypt, Omar graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts (Cairo University). In 2007 he moved to NYC to pursue film and Theatre, co-founding Timewormz production company in 2014. He is a member of the Actors Studio and the Roger Simon Studio. Notable works include: Black was the day and Kind were the heartbeats, read at the Lincoln Center 2017, Superman and Serena, produced at Winterfest 2019, and at the American Theatre of Actors 2024, BRB published on Urban Stages pages and performed in Aurora Theatre’s (Covid and Cigarettes festival). His feature film Abdo and Saneya premiered at the Red Sea International film festival 2024 edition.”

Vincent Scott (Director) most recently directed the world premiere of Lori Brown Mirabal‘s Charmed Life from Soul Singing to Opera Star at Urban Stages. Previously he directed the premieres of What Happen to The Dollar and Good Corporate Citizen both by Sam Garber, and Accentuate the Positive (The Johnny Mercer Story) by Calvin Ramsey. He has assistant directed Death Of A Driver by Will Snider (directed by Kim T. Sharp) and Bars and Measures by Idris Goodman (directed by Kristian Seemel). Based in New York he has directed in Los Angeles, Chicago, London and Dublin.

THE SIMON STUDIO celebrates its 47th Anniversary as an award winning theatre and film/TV/Audio training, development and production center in NYC – live and on zoom.  Established and directed by Roger Hendricks Simon, its Artistic Director and Principal teacher. Since 1978 his On Camera Professional Lab class uniquely combines actors, playwrights/screenwriters and directors with industry guest participants – Film and theatre projects – currently including Omar Bakry’s IN THE SHADOW OF HER FATHER and his feature film ABDO AND SANEYA have been first developed in Mr. Simon’s Lab class and then showcased with studio artists Off Broadway – 59e59 Theatres, Roundabout Theatre,Theatre Row, La Mama, Museum of Television and Radio (Paley Center), Lincoln Center, NY Midtown International Festival, Samuel French Short Play Festival and Polaris North Theatre. Regional / International: Woodstock Playhouse, Aspen Playwrights Conference, Newport Beach and Red Sea Film Festivals, Vienna International Theatre, National Public Radio and SIrius Radio’s SIMON STUDIO PRESENTS. Awards, critical acclaim and financial support from National Endowment of the Arts, NPR, NYC Board of Education, Danish Ministry of Culture and the Smart Family Foundation (for this production) among others. www.thesimonstudio.com