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.

Othello

by Sarah Abdalla

Othello is about a black leader in a white society. Shakespeare touches on many issues, including gender, race, social class and betrayal.

The relationship between Othello and Desdemona is extremely significant because a white woman like Desdemona was expected to marry a white man. Being in an interracial couple has never been easy, but Othello and Desdemona have a particularly difficult time. Had Othello not maintained a high status that put him in the top social class, he would not have been able to marry a girl like Desdemona.

Other characters, such as Bianca and Emilia, forced me to question the role of woman. Othello made me realize that women have come a long way. For the most part, women are respected and treated equally in today’s society. We are definitely a progressive nation.

Overall, I recommend Othello and think that that it was well done. The set was really simple and the acting was tremendous. It did feel long at some points, but with the music and the action, I felt like I was living it!

That is why I love theater – you can release the other thoughts and worries that occupy your mind and become a part of the action in front of you.

$10 Student Tickets! Visit http://www.tfana.org/othello.html for more information.

13

Have you ever…had the chance to recreate yourself?

by Sarah Abdalla

Do you remember being 13? The stress of not being a child, but definitely not being an adult either. Friendships change, parents become weird and school becomes more of a headache.

13, a new musical performed only by teenagers, captures some of these changes. After his parents divorce, Evan has to move from New York to Indiana while planning the best Bar Mitzvah* party ever. He begins at a new school and has the chance to reinvent himself.

Evan has the chance to choose between friends who care about him and friends who don’t. After attempting (and failing) to be popular, Evan finally realizes who his real friends are—the two who come to his Bar Mitzvah. I was hoping that more classmates would show up, but maybe this is more realistic.

Some of the jokes in 13 were based on stereotypes. When the audience laughed, it was a wake-up call. I was able to understand that these jokes were meant to point out offensive stereotypes, but other people might not. I hope that audience members are aware of the humor in this play.

13, Music & Lyrics by Jason Robert Brown, Book by Dan Elish and Robert Horn

How to See the Show:
$25 student rush tickets with ID • Jacobs Theatre, 242 W. 45th St. Visit www.13themusical.com for schedule and more information.