Broadway Comes to Egypt

by Sarah Abdallah

 
When I think of theater in New York City, I think of Broadway. When I came to Egypt, I knew that there was no theater district and that seeing theater was uncommon.  To my pleasant surprise, while on a bus, I came across a huge poster that read “Broadway Comes to Egypt”. “Broadway comes to Egypt?” I asked myself with plenty of doubt. I wanted the bus to go backwards to give me a chance to reread the poster, but it kept moving. I did some research and found out that excerpts from the Broadway shows Grease and West Side Story were going to be presented at the Roman Amphitheatre. I was so excited and I purchased tickets from the box office. Yes, there is a box office in Egypt. 

Once I entered the theater, they checked my ticket and looked through my bag. I waited for an usher to guide me to my seat, but then I realized that I was not at a Broadway theater. Here I could sit wherever I wanted. Without a second thought, I headed straight to the front of the theater. I had never seen either Grease or West Side Story before, so I was excited to learn a little about both shows. 

Unfortunately, these performances did not encourage me to see either! The music was fine, and I must give credit to the actors for their hard work, but I was hoping for a story or at least a summary of the show. I actually couldn’t even understand the story behind each song. After referencing what seemed to be a playbill, a few aspects of the performance became clear to me. I realized that the Jets were a New York City gang in West Side Story and that one of the props was a hairdresser because one of the characters from Grease was a beauty school dropout. 

After seeing this dull show, I don’t know if I am too crazy about seeing Grease or West Side Story. On the other hand, I think it’s important for me to see both shows and give them a chance. I ought to assure myself that this was simply a bad representation of the songs. 

Oh well. At least I got to see some theatre in Egypt! 

Sarah Abdallah was a writer for PxP when she attended high school in New York and is currently a foreign correspondent while continuing her studies in Egypt.

Avenue Q

by Jahnesha Huertas

Sex. Love. Racism. A dwindling economy. Life after graduation, suddenly realizing that four years of college tuition has gotten you nowhere. These are just a few topics explored in the musical Avenue Q. Not exactly what first comes to mind in a play that features various muppet-like puppets and a Sesame Street-like set.

Princeton has just arrived to Avenue Q after graduating college, and while looking for an apartment and a job, he realizes that he also must find his purpose. He is determined not to just get by in life, but instead embark on something that he feels passionate about. He meets Kate Monster, who is on a mission to establish a school to build the self-esteem of monsters every where. They begin a whirl-wind romance jaded by a harlot of a blues singer and two “bad news bears”.

Meanwhile, the other residents of Avenue Q have their own problems to deal with. Christmas Eve and Brian prepare for marriage, Gary Coleman ponders his failure as a celebrity and what used to be of his fortune and Rod and Nicky (think Bert and Ernie) hit a snag in their friendship. I was expecting to see a plethora of puppets attached to strings controlled by puppeteers lurking unseen in the shadow, but to my surprise, the actors onstage acted as puppeteers. Some of them played more then one character when both puppets where onstage and their ability to change characters instantly really showcased their talent. For instance, Carey Anderson’s sweet Kate Monster was miles away from her portrayal of saucy singer Lucy the Slut. The actors dressed in dark colors to contrast with the brightness of the puppets and the set. This definitely made it easier to forget that the actors were there and put the focus on the puppets. The multiracial cast was refreshing to see as it modeled a realistic New York setting.

Avenue Q was unexpectedly touching. With a humorous plot, it allowed the audience to connect with their inner-child while answering some grown-up questions about life, friendship and love in our fast paced lives.

HURRY! This show ends on September 13th!
www.avenueq.com

Don't Step on the Cracks

by Sarah Schlesinger

Don't Step On The Cracks is a collection of several different sketches related by the common idea of what maturity might mean. Separate stories are told throughout the show, each one weaving part of a large tapestry of combined experience, humor, youth, depression, joy, fear, and wonder. Every story has a different purpose and explores different outlooks on life. One of the sketches was a poem by Shel Silverstein, divided up and told out of order, giving the audience an entirely new perspective of the tale.

The individual pieces are all very strong and can touch everyone who hears them. The actors were magnificent and created incredibly believable characters. One comedic sketch involved the audience, which was very entertaining to watch. The introduction and the epilogue link all the individual stories together and related the sketches to the larger picture of the performance.

Childhood, which is very often forgotten and overlooked by the adult world, is the focus of this play. We are shown what is lost when we make the transition from childhood to adulthood, and also what is gained. The scenes of this performance linger in your mind, with quotes of the characters running through your head. Comedy and tragedy are equally important and both are explored with intense detail, and brutal honesty and respect. I highly recommend this play, as it makes you both laugh and think—a winning combination.

http://www.fiveflightstheatercompany.org/