JadaL Releases New Rock Cover of Dalida's "Helwa Ya Baladi"

Jordanian Arabic Rock band JadaL, which was formed in 2003 by Composer/Music Producer/Guitarist Mahmoud Radaideh, has just released a new single that revives one of Dalida's most celebrated songs "Helwa Ya Baladi" but with a rock twist. The project/song carries the name of JADALIDA (Jadal+ Dalida) and is available below on YouTube at https://youtu.be/_bQBGeFmsc8

The original song, recorded by Dalida back in the 1970's, can be viewed below or at https://youtu.be/RT37BZ6VjYw

Auditions for Betty Shamieh's Play 'As Soon As Impossible' on Feb 23-24 (Stanford TAPS, Online)

FEBRUARY 23 + 24 2021 06:00-09:00 PT | ONLINE IMPORTANT DATES Audition Dates TUE+WED FEB 23+24 from 6-9PM PT Callbacks THU FEB 25 from 6-9PM PT Performance Dates THU-SAT July 8 -July 17 Roble Studio Theater Auditions for As Soon As Impossible will be held via Live Zoom Auditions. Actors will be slotted into 45-min to 1-hour long small-group auditions. To be slotted, actors will need to fill out their audition form here.  If you are unable to attend auditions live via zoom, please email tapsinformation@stanford.edu for separate accommodations.

WHAT TO PREPARE

The Director has prepared sides, available for viewing/download on this page under “Resources.” Actors should familiarize themselves with all parts on the sides provided.

CHARACTER BREAKDOWN

Multiple casting of characters is under consideration. In this case, actors would play their character “in rep.” Understudies are necessary and needed in this rehearsal process for all four roles.

Layla, Ramsey’s granddaughter, age 18 [might appear black, brown, or white]

Extroverted, confident, and funny. Quick witted with astute, sharp, and sometimes cutting observations of others. Often uses her intellect to deflect her feelings around not belonging and being scared of the future. Layla enjoys playing pranks, seeking revenge, trying to lose her virginity, and fantasizing about marrying rich.

Drew, Arthur’s grandson, age 18 [any ethnicity]

Drew is an old soul who would much rather hang out with grandpas than people his own age. Gentle, starting at Berkeley in the fall, in the closet. Not quite comfortable in his own skin; booksmart and looking forward to finding more of himself at college

Ramsey, an Arab-American man in his late sixties [might appear black, brown, or white]

Your quintessential professor – gentle, proper, and possibly a little elitist. From the Middle East, teaches Arabic at Berkeley. Just wants his granddaughter to graduate from high school. Sees the generation and cultural gap between him and his granddaughter more and more each day.

Arthur, an American man in his mid-seventies [will be played by Professor Rush Rehm]

Relies on street and business smarts since college wasn’t for him. Owns a construction business and is doing quite well. Set in his ways, but finds excitement in seeing Layla grab life by the horns. May have voted for George W. Bush — but did he vote for Trump?

As Soon As Impossible — A new play by the Roberta Denning Visiting Artist Betty Shamieh — is a comedy that explores the relationship between two older men, Ramsey and Arthur, an Iraqi-American and a WASP. Their annual summer fishing trip is interrupted by the unexpected appearance of Ramsey’s granddaughter, Layla, who claims to be on the run. With Arthur’s suspicions raised, Ramsey may get more than he bargained for when he begins to plan Arthur a surprise birthday party. A play about friendship in a time of war. This play was originally commissioned by Second Stage with support from the Time Warner Commissioning Program. Theaterworks of Silicon Valley will be workshopping this play in preparation for the Stanford production in the first half of 2021 under the direction of Samer Al-Saber and the supervision of New Works director Giovanna Sardelli.

 

Though the performance will be mounted in the Summer, rehearsals for this production will officially begin in the Spring. Undergraduate actors will need to enroll in TAPS 122P, and agree to a potential in-person Summer term sponsored by a $500/w VPUE Grant for June 21st through September 6th, 2021.

Auditions for As Soon As Impossible will be held via Live Zoom Auditions. Actors will be slotted into 45-min to 1-hour long small-group auditions. To be slotted, actors will need to fill out the audition form available on the audition website.

WHAT TO PREPARE

The Director has prepared sides, available for viewing/download on the audition website under “Resources.” Actors should familiarize themselves with all parts on the sides provided.

Stanford TAPS seeks to build a diverse cast for this production and encourages members of any race, gender identity, and ability to audition. If any accessibility accommodations are needed please email tapsaudition@gmail.com for assistance.

Professor SAMER AL-SABER, Assistant Professor at TAPS, is a director, writer, and scholar. As director, his work was seen in the U.S., Canada, Europe, and the Middle East and includes the Middle Eastern premier of Arthur Milner’s Facts and an Arabic adaptation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. His written work appeared in Alt.Theatre, Performance Paradigm, Critical Survey, Theatre Survey, and other academic and trade venues, including the anthology Stories Under Occupation and Other Plays from Palestine, co-edited with Gary English. BETTY SHAMIEH (Denning Visiting Artist for Spring 2021) is an Arab-American playwright. Her American premieres include: The Black Eyed (New York Theatre Workshop), Fit for a Queen (Classical Theatre of Harlem), The Strangest (The Semitic Root), Territories (Magic Theatre) and Roar (The New Group). Selected as a New York Times Critics Pick, Roar is widely taught at universities throughout the United States. A graduate of Harvard College and the Yale School of Drama, Shamieh was named a Guggenheim Fellow, UNESCO Young Artist for Intercultural Dialogue, and a Radcliffe Playwriting Fellow. A Mellon Playwright in Residence at the Classical Theatre of Harlem, her works have been translated into seven languages. www.bettyshamieh.com

All 13 Seasons of Ramzi Salti's Arabology Radio Show Available on Souncloud (101 Episodes)

All 13 seasons of Dr. Ramzi Salti's Arabology podcasts are available on Soundcloud, for a total of 101 episodes.  Listen below or at https://soundcloud.com/arabology/sets/podcasts

Currently in its tenth year, this radio program/podcast began airing on KZSU 90.1 FM in 2011 with the aim of highlighting various cultural productions from/about the Arab world, with a special focus on indie/alternative music.  The show is presented in English with commentary by its host, Stanford Lecturer Dr. Ramzi Salti.

With the beginning of the pandemic back in March 2020, the show has had to change formats and is now available as a series of audio-visual YouTube interviews with groundbreaking Arab musicians, poets, artists and more.  To stay up to date with the latest episodes, please subscribe to Arabology's YouTube Channel at  https://www.youtube.com/c/RamziSalti

We are looking forward to resuming the audio posdcats as soon as the radio station reopens this year inshallah.  In the meantime, feel free to peruse/enjoy all previous Arabology podcasts by listening below or going to https://soundcloud.com/arabology/sets/podcasts

arabology · All Arabology Podcasts

<iframe frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://youtube.com/embed/Dd-qunnCnC0?list=PLeLWDZIrxtQZTDnhjlVKZvAhFFVjCX8ow" width="480"></iframe>

أميرة البيلي والقصيدة التي أبكت مصر(أنا مليت)

أميرة البيلي شاعرة مصرية من مواليد محافظة الاسكندرية بدأت كتابة الشعر من ٢٠١٤ واستمرت في تطوير اسلوبها في الكتابة والالقاء وتميزت في الفترة الاخيرة بأسلوبها الخاص.  وقد نالت قصيدتها "أنا مليت" والتي أبكت مصر بالمركز الاول في مسابقة ابداع الاسكندرية.  يمكنكم مشاهدة الفيديو أدناه أو عبر الرابط التالي: https://youtu.be/GHPjwlPUTCg

كلمات القصيدة

تعبت فَ قمت كلمته مانا بنته هيفهمني ويفهم اني محتاجة يكلمني ويسمعني ويفهم اني مخنوقة وحضنه بس هيساعني فَ كلّمته.

الو ؟ هوانت ليه ساكت ؟ ألو فيا حجات ماتت ! الو تعبانة في أسمعني .. 

يرد يقول وايه يعني ؟ ما كل الخلق تعبانة ..وايه يعني ملامحك لسة بهتانة ما عادي كلنا مرضى ..

جرحني بعجزي عن اني ارد القسوة ليه لكن .. انا قلبي مهوش داكن عشان يقسي ويكره حد.. 

مهواش حد فـ ليه جرّح .؟ وزعلني ياريته ما رد ، وليه اتغير بقا بارد وليه شارد بعيد عني 

ما كان بيقول زمان اني مراته وام لعياله وقالي اني هبقاله انا باقية لكن هو الي بيعافر ليخسرني كسرني لكني حبيته.. 

ياريتني ما كُنت حبيته ووهبته القلب واديته حنين عمره ما كان يحلم بحد يحبه يوم قدي .. 

خلاص عدي ودوس علي كام مرة وعيد من تاني في الكرة وعلقني بحبال بايشة مانا عايشة وهبلة وساكتة وبطنش

كأن دموعي شئ عادي كأن فراقنا شئ عادي وهذا الوضع مش عادي فـ اسمعني انا ماشية ..

انا كُنت فـ هواک طايشه ضعيفه وروحها كات بايشه وحالک لسه ميسُرش وحالي معاک مهوش ولابد 

يرد يقولي مش غلطان ومانتيش قادرة تتعاملي مع تعبي ...

انا مليت انا الهبلة اللي شوفتک بيت..وقولت ابويا وحبيبي يا سيدي كفاية والله دانا اتخميت وفكرتك هتبقالي السند والاهل 

مهواش سهل بأن البنت يوم تعشق ولو تعشق بتوهب روحها وحياتها وتتحمل وتتجمل عشان تحلوا في عيونه فـ ميبصش فيوم برا خلاص برا انا استحملت ميت مره وسيادته غاوي يتعبني يا سيدي ما تمشي وتسيبني بـ تتعب قلبي ليه وياک !

بتكدب ليه وتتمارض وتتعصب وبتعارض وتخلق مُشكله تافهه.. 

دة قلب البنت لو شافها بتتكسر عشان واحد بيقفل وقتها بابه ومبيفتحش فـ متجرحش عشان قلبي شال ياما.. 

وبرجع تاني من الأول واعدي كلامه فيطول ويخلق فيا مليون شق وقلبي حقيقي مل الدق 

ألفت الموت وعايش زق ولسة سيادته بيحدف عليا الجرح..

ايجازاً فـ الكلام والشرح خبطني وموجه كان عالي 

يهاجم بس افعالي كأني عدو بيحاربه كأن القسوة كاس شاربه كأن حقيقي حيلي اتهد وروحي اتنسلت من الشد 

وليه الشِّعر فعلا جد بيفتح في الجروح لينا وليه الحزن مالينا  فـ حد يقولي ايه العلة ؟

كأن القلب فيک كافر مالوش ولا دين ولا مله.. 

وهبتك ضلع احلامي عوجت الضلع فـ كسرته .. 

خسرت الكل علشانه واديني كسبت وخسرته ..

كتبت الشعر من تعبي قراه لكنه مهتمش 

وكالعادة بيتغاضي ويتغابي وبيطنش . 

مسكت الفون ، كتبت رسالة من تعبي بقوله فيها اخبارك ومبتسألش مفيش داعي لأعذارك ، انا عارفة اني مش فارقة.. 

مجرد بس بطمن عليک يعني لـ وهله قلبي يوجعني واحس بإنه مش مُهتم كأن دموعي صارت دم نزيف متتالي مبيهداش.. 

انا مادة فـ دستور باش وبضحك بس من برا وروحي لسة مضطرة تبين عكس مافيها وفرحة روحي مش ليها ..

ختاما للي من تعبه خلاص ناوي يغيب ويسيب..

إن يوم قررت تروح لطبيب متجبش علاج.. علشان والله ما هيفيدك هيزيدك من وجعك اكتر. 

وكأنك بتحاول تمنع فكياك ان الدنيا تمطر.. 

ملخص كل ادويتك متتعشمش فـ اسمعني ملخص كل ادويتك متتعشمش بلاش عشمك يزيد يعني.

ده لما تعبت كلمته وقولت بأن انا بنته هيفهمني وأبسط رد كان منه بأنه باعني ووجعني.

10th Anniversary of Dr. Ramzi Salti's Arabology Program Features All Episodes on Soundcloud + YouTube

All 13 seasons of Dr. Ramzi Salti's Arabology podcasts are available on Soundcloud, for a total of 101 episodes.  Listen below or at https://soundcloud.com/arabology/sets/podcasts

Currently in its tenth year, this radio program/podcast began airing on KZSU 90.1 FM in 2011 with the aim of highlighting various cultural productions from/about the Arab world, with a special focus on indie/alternative music.  The show is presented in English with commentary by its host, Stanford Lecturer Dr. Ramzi Salti.

With the beginning of the pandemic back in March 2020, the show has had to change formats and is now available as a series of audio-visual YouTube interviews with groundbreaking Arab musicians, poets, artists and more.  To stay up to date with the latest episodes, please subscribe to Arabology's YouTube Channel at  https://www.youtube.com/c/RamziSalti

We are looking forward to resuming the audio posdcats as soon as the radio station reopens this year inshallah.  In the meantime, feel free to peruse/enjoy all previous Arabology podcasts by listening below or going to https://soundcloud.com/arabology/sets/podcasts

Below is a YouTube playlist featuring all 12 of Arabology's audio-visual interviews which were conducted by Dr. Ramzi Salti in 2020-21.  Click on the icon in the top right of the video window for the entire playlist or go to this link.