Voices From a Changing Middle East

Mosaic Theater Company of DC presents selections from its acclaimed Voices From a Changing Middle East Festival Tour, bringing works about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to life as seen through Muslim, Christian, and Jewish lenses. The evening features excerpts from the adaptation of I SHALL NOT HATE, performed in Arabic and Hebrew with English surtitles by Palestinian actor Gasan Abbas, animating the story of Gaza doctor, Izzeldin Abuelaish, thrice nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, whose deep relationships in Israel undergird a commitment to coexistence even as he experiences the unspeakable loss of his three daughters. The work is complemented by Sir David Hare’s VIA DOLOROSA, the play that launched the Festival and its trailblazing Peace Café forum in 2000, performed by British born actor Jonathan Tindle, as its plaintive query, “What is the way forward?” remains as urgent a guide star as when Hare first went on his journey through Israel/Palestine 20 years ago. The evening culminates with screened excerpts from Aaron Davidman’s internationally acclaimed solo performance travelogue, WRESTLING JERUSALEM, now an award-winning film directed by Dylan Kussman. The event will include discussion with the artists and Voices Festival founder, Ari Roth (U of C Lab HS, ’78), along with questions and conversation with the audience, modeling the Peace Café process of using food-for-thought menu selections from the plays to prompt sharing of personal narratives as predicate for building bonds of candor and understanding.