June 2008 - Posts

• I'm Not Ready To Make Nice

  Now that A Dream Of Arabia is a critically acclaimed success, I can honestly say that nothing we have done before has garnered more attention, both positive and negative, than this show. We'll start with the positive. Much to my delight, the Middle Eastern community has been incredibly supportive of A Dream Of Arabia. To have people from my own culture be impressed, supportive, and proud is far more than I could have ever asked for. After every show a line of Arab and Middle Eastern audience members would form to meet and congratulate us. One group went so far as to inform the theater staff they were my relatives, and when we met told me that they didn't know what to expect before the show and that they were so happy and excited that the show far exceeded anything they could have imagined, and that our culture was finally represented as it should be. I received hundreds of emails, letters, and phone calls from around the United States, Canada, the Middle East, and Europe with messages of admiration, support, and cultural pride. Here are some excerpts: "I am very proud that there is a new generation of individuals of Arabic roots that are proud of their backgrounds and their heritage." R. Rashed, Author/TV Anchor "I attended the show almost daily. It uplifted my spirit to a higher level. Each part was unique with its message and presentation. It really is a dream. Congratulations on such a great show!" A. Jajeh, MD/Professor of Medicine "A Dream of Arabia was the experience of a lifetime. I have never seen such a fascinating and high caliber dance production that made us so proud of our Arabic heritage and the bridge being built to other cultures." R. Lahoud, M.D. "A Dream of Arabia is a bridge to the glory of the past. You made me so proud." Wael H.O. Esq. "This high level performance aimed at bringing the message of peace and humanistic interaction that existed in the past to our present time. Well done." Samira Y., Associate Professor We thank you for honoring us with your presence, uplifting our spirits with your words and dedication, and being a part of building a bridge to a once again glorious future. It is time that we speak for our own culture. Thankfully, the positive feedback was not limited to the Middle Eastern audience: "It was a beautiful show and we really enjoyed it. The music was awesome, the dancing, the costumes, the sets - everything. And Nanae blew our mind with her dancing!" Janene B. "I want to be a part of your team! That is the best show I ever saw!" Karen L. "In this era of American mistrust, A Dream of Arabia is a true positive statement of Arab art and culture. I was absolutely taken in by the colorful costumes and diverse music. The dancers are talented disciplined artists. I still don’t know how they can perform the sword dance. A Dream of Arabia is a spectacular performance that leaves you wanting more." Mary S. "A Dream of Arabia is an appropriate name for this show. The music is fresh and unique. At times, the costumes and lighting were hypnotic. If you are looking for an escape from the humdrum of pop culture and music, this show will do it." Danielle Sterczek "I had seen a review of A Dream of Arabia the Sunday before it opened and decided to check it out. As mentioned in the review, A Dream of Arabia is not belly dancing. It is a professional performance equal to any ballet or Broadway stage performance I have every seen. It confronts the audience with a truly diverse range of dance and music. It opened my eyes and ears to a culture that I knew very little about." Barry Smith The critics, for the most part, had nothing but high praise for the show. From Broadway World saying "A Dream of Arabia - A Dream Worth Living", to the Sun Times, the Tribune, radio, television, and countless other publications. We are honored you would even consider our show and provide us the benefit of your extensive experience, your discerning eye, and your critical reviews. Thank you. And now for the negative. As a producer, you always expect some level of negative press and less than favorable feedback. However I must admit that I did not expect the level of hate mail (yes, hate mail) we received for the show. Some of it was run-of-the-mill racist and bigoted comments about Arabs and the Middle East. Some denounced the authenticity of the show and claimed to be "scholars" and "experts" when it comes to my culture. Others simply did not enjoy one thing or another. Here are a few excerpts: "I felt badly for the Middle Eastern people in the audience. I kept thinking to myself, great, now they will think that we (i.e. non-ME people) have once again missed the point and misrepresented their dance and culture." "Your comments on the WCE of 1893 are somewhat inaccurate and rather incomplete. Also, Nanae is not the first belly dancer to perform at a sporting event in Chicago." "If you are going to so emphatically advertise yourself as purely authentic, you should not have swords, and wings of isis in your show which are american "bellydance" props." "Few of the pieces actually employed the half note technique.." "..[A Dream Of Arabia] got multi-media publicity but to keep things in perspective they *do* have a PR firm...it's not like you get pre-show coverage solely based on merit!" "Furthermore, her body [Nanae] was the bird-like, stick-thin, fairly anorexic body of a ballet dancer, complete with turkey-like visible sternum, ribs, clavicles, etc. It was just thin, hard, stringy muscle and bone." "I hope MAQAM loses their shirt on this one.." Middle Eastern people made their views very clear. Historical facts can't be disputed regardless of opinion and Nanae is not a belly dancer. Swords have been in my culture, and used in ceremonial dances for thousands of years. And what you call "wings of isis" are from Pharaonic times and are a folkloric symbol that dates back to 4000 B.C. Arabic music is based on quarter-tone notes, not half-tones and there is no such thing as a "quarter-tone technique" in dance. And every professional production, like every show on Broadway, has PR representation. Also, for the record, regardless of PR representation, critics speak for themselves. One person went so far as to attack the critics who gave us positive reviews. To those critics I apologize and I thank you for your patience and tolerance. In fact, one of them was so kind as to send me a copy of "Shut Up & Sing" as a message of solidarity. There were many hateful notes attacking the ethnicity of Nanae and some of the cast (all from non-Middle Eastern people). It seems odd to critique the show based on the ethnicity of the dancers and counter-productive to the message behind the show. In the end, I am happy that A Dream Of Arabia ignited this conversation. It is only through constructive dialogue that we can learn about each other and lift the veil of ignorance and fear that has dominated the discussion for far too long. Both the positive and negative comments further motivate us to continue with our mission of "From East To West, Bringing the World Together One Note At A Time". Welcome to our Dream! Posted Jun 18 2008, 10:48 AM by Bashar with no comments Filed under: a dream of arabia, cultural, MAQAM, nanae, middle east, radio, Broadway World

• Blessed are those...

  Today we were blessed to have two of the Dominican sisters attend the show.  The theater staff had informed me that both Sister Jean and Sister Janet would be in attendance and I got the feeling that impressing them would be no easy feat.  I was actually looking forward to meeting them and hearing what they have to say about A Dream of Arabia.  Throughout the process we have had to battle stereotypes, hesitation, and downright fear about the show.  Although most everybody at the Lund was very supportive and really understood what authentic Middle Eastern dance is and what our show is all about, others were less convinced.  Some confused our show with belly dance (which it is not - go here to learn more: http://adreamofarabia.com/adreamofarabia_middleeasterndance.htm), and some feared we would be like other shows/events [the typical low-grade commercial entertainment that aims to profit from cultural distortion, misnomers, and the objectification of women] which they had either seen or heard about.  I met Sister Jean and Sister Janet briefly before the show as it was a busy night.  Aside from it being the final performance in Chicago, many friends, family, supporters, and press were there as well.  Several of the audience members that I met had traveled a long distance to come see the show.  They told me that they had seen my interviews and the ABC special (http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=resources/inside_station&id=6173017) and were inspired by our mission and felt they had to be a part of our Dream.  I was incredibly touched and very grateful that our message resonated with the audience. The final performance always brings a mix of emotions, both onstage and off, as we come to the conclusion of another journey with old and new friends.  During intermission, both Sisters said they were impressed with the show, it was not what they expected, and they can't wait to see ACT II.  So far so good!  The cast was really on and Nanae was in rare form.  The encore finale brought the audience to their feet for two standing ovations - we couldn't have asked for anything more.  As the audience was exiting the hall, many came up to me to voice their support and to ask when the next shows will be!  Then both Sister Jean and Sister Janet walked out and in unison exclaimed:  "This was the most amazing show.  We loved it.  Everybody should see it.  It is incredible.  We are praying for you.  We will be praying for all of you!" Thank you Sister Jean and Sister Janet - we are honored to have you in our court.  Posted Jun 16 2008, 01:05 AM by Bashar with no comments Filed under: a dream of arabia, abc, dominican, blessings, sisters

• We're very liberal but....

  First I must thank my team for being so wonderful and for their unwavering belief in our mission, our work, and the show.  Truly, I couldn't do any of it without them.  Tonight was an example of how important their work is as well as how attentive they are to both the show and to me personally. The show this evening was just amazing - the energy was great, the audience was extremely appreciative, and there was something special in the air.  A lot of friends, colleagues, business associates, and family were in attendance which made it that much more special.  During intermission, as I was speaking with some of the audience members, I noticed that there was a situation that my publicist, Kristin, was dealing with.  Before I could excuse myself to walk over and see what was going on, Gerri (our director of global operations and logistics), noticing that I was about to head in Kristin's direction, came over to tell me that everything was under control and that I am needed backstage.  There is always something to do backstage at a live show, but nothing that required my attention.  Before I knew it, ACT II was in progress and the evening continued smoothly.  After the show, we were all backstage and I asked Kristin and Gerri what was going on during intermission.  I have no words to describe how incredulous I found their answer so I asked Kristin to transcribe the conversation she had with two of the audience members:    Transcript:   [Conversation with Fred and Paula, Saturday, June 14th, 2008, evening performance.]   Fred and Paula:  We feel that this show was completely misrepresented and had we any idea that the dancers were all going to be Japanese, we never would have purchased tickets. We would like our money back. Kristin: I’m so sorry you feel that way.  Did you purchase your tickets through the website? (I asked this since the cast is listed on the site and there are pictures of Nanae everywhere.)    Fred and Paula: No   Kristin: I’m sorry, there are no refunds.   Fred and Paula: Ok, but we’re still not staying for the rest of the show.   Kristin: Our dancers are the best dancers in this style of dance; we are not going to hire substandard performers just because they fit a certain ethnic profile. Nowhere in our promotional materials does it say that our dancers are of Middle Eastern descent, merely the style of dance is Middle Eastern.  Would you prefer to watch a sub-par performance simply because it featured Middle Eastern dancers?   Fred and Paula: Yes. We would prefer to watch a show with sub-par dancers if they are truly of Middle Eastern descent. We are subscribers to the Lyric [Lyric Opera] and the CSO [Chicago Symphony Orchestra] and we would never expect to be misrepresented by those organizations.   Kristin: When you attend an Italian opera at the Lyric and not all of the singers are Italian, do you walk out?   Fred and Paula:  That’s different because here ALL of the dancers are Japanese. We would expect something like this at a community theater, never at a professional show.   Fred: I’m a jazz musician and when I travel to Eastern Europe the musicians there are good but they just can’t cut it like Americans. It’s just not the same.   Kristin: That’s interesting since Jazz roots are African;  I feel fortunate that American artists were able to utilize those African rhythms and create an art form, just as we’re incredibly fortunate and honored that the cultural bridges from East to West which we are building by way of this show travel through Japan.  We feel that embracing various ethnicities only adds to the show and the overall concept.   Paula: We’ve traveled to the Middle East and seen dancers, you don’t understand, it just doesn’t look like this. These dancers are good, but it’s just not in their gene code to be able to dance in this style.     Fred and Paula: We love Asians.   Kristin: So when you attend a ballet do you expect all of the dancers to be Russian? Should Americans not attempt to dance ballet solely because their country didn’t create that art form?   Fred and Paula:  The Russian Ballet is still predominantly comprised of Russian dancers. If we went to a Geisha house in Japan and the Geishas were white it just wouldn’t be the same. The dancers in this show [A DREAM OF ARABIA] are great, they’re just misrepresentative. The entire show is misrepresentative.   Kristin:  I’m shocked that you wouldn’t want to stay for the second half if you enjoy the dancing.   Paula: We’re shocked that this is going on.    Fred: We’re very liberal and we’re still not okay with this.   Kristin: It shouldn’t matter what ethnicity a person is as long as the performance is spectacular. This show is set in ancient Mesopotamia, before most modern day Middle Eastern countries were in existence. These are ancient, folkloric dances and we’re honored that people outside of the Middle East have taken interest in this style of dance.   Fred and Paula: How can we contact the producer?   Kristin: You can email him, through the website.  This is, at least in part, why we are doing the show - to end these types of ideas and this type of separation.  As the producer, I couldn't be more proud that the bridge of cultural understanding we are building happens to go through Tokyo.  In fact, we are truly honored that another culture, on the other side of the planet, has so embraced our culture and we couldn't have asked for better ambassadors.   I am eternally grateful for the wisdom and care both Kristin and Gerri showed in dealing with the situation as well as shielding me from it.   So tomorrow's shows are dedicated to you "Fred & Paula" - Thank you for reminding us of why we do what we do!    Posted Jun 14 2008, 10:40 PM by Bashar with no comments Filed under: a dream of arabia, tokyo, cultural, Gerri, liberal

• The Day The Music Shined...

  It is almost midnight and it feels like I haven't slept in a week... I think everybody is feeling that way after the amazing dress rehearsals we had today!  It was a day of extreme focus and intensity as our entire cast and crew were preparing for the dress rehearsals, scheduled to start at 6 PM local time.  From the early morning, our creative team (hair, make-up, wardrobe) had been setting up their stations, arranging the work flow, and preparing for launch.  The theater team were also operating in full force preparing for opening night, the VIP lounge, and the other million and one details that must be attended to.  After morning rehearsals, the entire cast had to report to hair/make-up by 3 PM to begin the process of transforming to their A DREAM OF ARABIA characters.  I spent the afternoon working with our stage manager and crew to make sure we are ready for the first "show".  There was a certain intensity, even electricity, in the air as more than 50 people worked tirelessly with laser-sharp focus in the final minutes before the call for "curtain-up" was made.  Our creative team was split on two floors with 3 dressing rooms, 1 costume shop, 1 massive hair studio, and 2 make-up wings.  Of course there was a delay because the cast was not done with hair!  According to our head hair stylist there were electrical problems in the studio but knowing him, he wasn't about to let anyone on the stage with one strand of hair out of place!  The next two hours were pure magic as the culmination of months of work came together in a brilliant performance.  Chicago, we're ready!  Here are some photos from the day...                                                                                         Posted Jun 11 2008, 11:36 AM by Bashar with no comments Filed under: Chicago, a dream of arabia, rehearsals, creative team, photos

• Tech Rehearsals

  Today was the first day of tech rehearsals at the theater.  Everybody was excited to begin and the day began with the cast and Chicago crew getting to know each other.  The day started very early and Nanae and I had a private breakfast to discuss some of the technical details of the show, the venue, and the day's rehearsals.  The trucks arrived late morning and the load-in process took about two hours after which we were ready to go.   The cast got to warm up on the new stage and become familiar with the space.  After about twelve hours of rehearsals we decided it was time to call it a day and we felt comfortable with how we needed to proceed.  Some new lighting equipment has to be ordered in the morning to accommodate the unique lighting of A DREAM OF ARABIA, especially given the size and shape of the stage.  Our technical director, Bill Jenkins, will be making sure everything is ready for Day 2 of our rehearsals.  We made so much progress today, with the help of an extremely well-rehearsed cast and a top-notch professional crew, that Bill and I feel very comfortable that we will be ready for dress rehearsals on Wednesday without any issues.  This makes my life very easy given the amount of work we have ahead of us, the press and publicity I have scheduled over the next few days, and opening night only three days away... Posted Jun 09 2008, 11:18 PM by Bashar with no comments Filed under: Lund, a dream of arabia, rehearsals, nanae, press

• We're Here - Sweet Home Chicago!

  Today the entire cast and crew descended on Chicago for our week in residence at the Lund and the premier of A DREAM OF ARABIA in my hometown.  Due to weather, there were a lot of flight delays but by the end of the day our little army had taken over the west side of campus.  From the look one of the drivers had on his face, I don't think he had ever seen so much luggage for one group of people.  Gerri, our director of global operations and logistics, had the entire team checked-in efficiently, quickly, and without a hitch.  Within two hours everybody had their keys, ID badges, security passes, and production schedule - now that is what I call planning!  Nanae was very happy to be back in Chicago and she considers this to be her second home.  Her family will also be joining us in a couple of days and they finally get to see the place Nanae has been visiting so often in the past couple of years.  Tomorrow is going to be a long day so after a quick planning meeting with the cast and crew, everybody was off to get some sleep.  Our production manager has to be up so very early to oversee set deliveries (two 26-foot trucks will be delivering our sets, equipment, and tools), stage set-up, and tech rehearsals.  I am looking forward to a productive and exciting day.  We're finally here and ready to go - See you at the show Chicago!  Posted Jun 08 2008, 10:02 PM by Bashar with no comments Filed under: Chicago, Sets, a dream of arabia, rehearsals, nanae, Gerri

• A Dream Of Arabia on TV

  Today we kick into high gear as the cast arrives in Chicago and we are in final tech/rehearsals before the show's premier on June 12 at 7 PM.  Our entire team has been working 24/7 to have everything ready and this morning (a hot and muggy Sunday) is no exception.  It is hard to describe how many moving pieces there are to a production of this magnitude so everybody is quite busy, however we took a little break to watch "Chicagoing with Bill Campbell" on ABC where A DREAM OF ARABIA was featured for the entire episode.  The crew was quite excited as they previewed scenes from the show and Bill and I discussed at length the importance, timeliness, and scale of this production.  The one thing viewers didn't get to see is the "new and improved" set.  So below you will see a little preview that will give you an idea of what to expect when you see the show live.  Again, our thanks to ABC, Elsa (the producer), the entire crew, Leslie from the Lund, and especially to Bill Campbell for taking such an interest in our work.   See you at the premier!       Posted Jun 08 2008, 10:21 AM by Bashar with 1 comment(s) Filed under: Sets, abc, chicagoing

• Broadway World

  I just got back from taping an interview with Broadway World.   Everything went quite well unlike most of the day!  I was running so late, traffic was terrible (it was raining for a good part of the day), we had an issue at the theater that I had to go resolve (big sets that weigh thousands of pounds can create quite a few interesting problems to solve), our wardrobe coordinator was also at the theater trying to figure out some logistics for the 150+ costumes for the cast, and my creative team was working today on the set of the new John Dillinger movie (meaning nobody was available to make sure I didn't scare viewers).  The interview was conducted by Steve Leary and having done many interviews in the past two months, I wasn't sure what to expect.  I was pleasantly surprised that Steve and his team had done their research:  He knew about the show, where it started, my company, MAQAM, information about Middle Eastern dance and music that most people wouldn't know, and even details about people who work with me that I didn't know were public knowledge!  The questions were well considered and thought provoking, the points raised were important and of interest, and we ended up covering things that nobody else brought up.  That made me feel very comfortable that this was a team of professionals (the camera man, Mike, was especially interested in the subject matter and I hope he captured the discussion the way I felt it went) who did their homework and were prepared to conduct this interview.  I am not sure how much of the interview will air on Broadway World TV but we taped for at least 40 minutes.  I am told that it may end up being broadcast in parts - here is the first installment: http://www.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=28722  Overall it was a great day - many thanks to Steve, Mike, Rob, Miles, Robert, Billy, Rosalind, and Samantha for making sure that the significance of our work and its coverage by Broadway World is yet another significant and historical milestone in our mission.  I couldn't have done it without you!    Posted Jun 03 2008, 11:46 PM by Bashar with no comments Filed under: Theater, Sets, a dream of arabia, MAQAM, Broadway World, interviews