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Brent Askari

DIRECTED BY

Marshall Jones III

PERFO R M A NC E GUID E

CONTENT ASSEMBLED BY Meredith Singleton & John Perine, Education Associates

THE

REFUGEES BY

Brent Askari DIRECTED BY Marshall Jones III STARRING

Jeffrey Binder Alan Campbell Sarah Corey

Nuah Ozryel Max Singer Margot White

Scenic Design

Costume Design

Lighting Design

Dahlia Al-Habieli

Ivania Stack**

José Santiago**

Original Music/Sound Design

Fight Director

Stage Manager

Lindsay Jones**

Rick Sordelet

Kelli Karen

Casting

Director of Production

Michael Cassara, CSA

Ray Inkel

COO & Managing Director

CEO & Producing Artistic Director

Joel Markus

Kristen Coury Director

Marshall Jones III*

TAB LE O F C O N T ENT S THE US IMMIGRATION PROCESS ............................................. 4 - 5 ISLAM ...................................................................................................... 6 POETRY OF THE MIDDLE EAST ............................................... 7 - 9 FURTHER READING ............................................................................ 10 FURTHER VIEWING ............................................................................ 11

THINK ABOUT IT

The Refugees by Brent Askari deals with several complex and thought-provoking topics, including sacrifice, identity, and making a home. Before viewing The Refugees, take a moment to think about these questions designed to further your understanding and appreciation of the play. • How can you move on from a life you’ve had to leave behind? • What are you willing to give up for safety and prosperity? • Why do people tend to glorify “the good old days?” • Do the ends always justify the means?

THE US IMMIGRATION PROCESS STEP 1: DETERMINE WHAT TYPE OF VISA YOU NEED An immigration visa, or green card, allows immigrants to become long-term residents in another country. In the US, green card holders can apply for US citizenship after 3-5 years of living in the US depending on the circumstances of their arrival. They can only apply for citizenship if they have not been convicted of any crimes while living in the US. There are different types of green cards for different types of immigrants. The most common are marriage, employment, and family-based green cards.

STEP 2: FILL OUT ALL APPLICATION FORMS There are several different kinds of forms to be completed depending on the person’s situation and the circumstance of their immigration. Applicants must make sure to fill out the correct forms, all of which must be filled out in English and not a native language. On average, an application for a green card costs somewhere in the range of $1000-$2000. Applicants must have a current mailing address in order to submit an application.

STEP 3: PASS A BACKGROUND CHECK The background checks for immigration include being photographed, getting fingerprints taken, and submitting an applicant’s signature to the biometrics office. The fee for this appointment is usually included in the application fee, but not always.

STEP 4: ATTEND AN IN-PERSON INTERVIEW An in-person interview will occur once the applicant has submitted the required forms and their background checks have been processed. It is typically conducted about one year after filing an application. This interview is designed to determine if the applicant is eligible for a green card. Applicants can bring attorneys and interpreters with them if required.

STEP 5: WAIT Below are the average waiting times an applicant can expect to wait for the immigration office’s decision regarding their application:

GREEN CARD CATEGORY

AVERAGE WAITING TIME

MARRIAGE-BASED

11 - 38 MONTHS

EMPLOYMENT-BASED

6 - 12 MONTHS

FAMILY- BASED

6 MONTHS - 10 YEARS

ISLAM Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world, and the second largest after Christianity. In 2020, Muslims represented less than 0.5% of Collier County, which is less than 2,000 people out of more than 375,000.

THE QURAN The Quran is the Muslim holy book. Muslims believe that the Angel Gabriel appeared before the Prophet Muhammad and bestowed knowledge upon him. This wisdom was written down in the Quran after Muhammad’s death.

HOLIDAYS In addition to the holy month of Ramadan, there are two major holidays in Islam. The first is Eid al-Adha, which celebrates the Prophet Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son for Allah. The second is Eid al-Fitr:, which marks the end of Ramadan—the Islamic holy month of fasting.

THE FIVE PILLARS OF SUNNI ISLAM The Five Pillars of Sunni Islam refer to the practices that Sunni Muslims follow in their everyday life.

SHAHAADAH

SHALAT

ZAKAT

HAJJ

SAWM

Faith and belief in Allah and in the Prophet Muhammad.

Five instances of prayer every day (dawn, noon, afternoon, evening, night).

Committing acts of charity and giving to those in need.

Making a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in a lifetime.

The act of fasting during the holy month of Ramadan.

POETRY OF THE MIDDLE EAST PRE-ISLAMIC POETRY Early Arabic poetry tended to be in the form of “odes,” or poems specifically about someone or something. Typically, these odes were written in the form of eulogies or hymns. In their original language, early Arabic poetry follows a very strict and complex measure system, making traditional Arabic poetry exceedingly difficult to compose. One of the most famous pre-Islamic poets that is still being read today is a man named Imru’ al-Qais. According to legend, al-Qais was an Arabian king who began composing poetry as a young boy. His father did not approve of his writing, nor his drinking habits and flirtatious attitude. Later however, when his father was assassinated by a rival tribe, al-Qais renounced his bad habits and revenge for his father’s murder. Today he is remembered for the strong metaphor and symbolism. Weep for me, my eyes! Spill your tears And mourn for me the vanished kings Hujr ibn ‘Amru’s princely sons Led away to slaughter at eventide; If only they had died in combat Not in the lands of Banu Marina!

No water was there to wash their fallen heads, And their skulls lie spattered with blood pecked over by birds Who tear out first the eyebrows, then the eyes. al-Qais

ISLAMIC POETRY After the beginnings of Islam, love poems became more and more popular, though many of these poems and their poets were deemed risque by parts of Islamic society. Above is an example of an Islamic love poem by Waddah al-Yaman, the National poet of Yemen, who was executed for heresy in 708. She said: "Don’t come to our home, my father is deadly jealous." I said: "I’ll pluck you before he knows it, my sword is razor sharp." She said: "There’s a whole castle between us." I said: "I’ll fly my flag over the castle." She said: "There’s a whole sea between us." I said: "I’m a strong swimmer."

She said: "My seven brothers keep an eye on me." I said: "I’m a match for them all." She said: "Allah is watching us." I said: "My lord is Merciful and Forgiving." She said: "I have run out of words, so come tonight when everyone’s floating in dreams, and fall on me like dew, undisturbed."

An example of an Islamic love poem by Waddah al-Yaman, the National poet of Yemen, who was executed for heresy in 708.

POETRY OF THE MIDDLE EAST RUMI AND POETRY OF THE ISLAMIC GOLDEN AGE From the 8th century to the end of the 13th century, the Muslim world experienced a period of great prosperity, culturally, scientifically, and economically. Most notable during this time period was the establishment of the city of Baghdad, which led to great literary developments. During this time, one of the most popular Middle Eastern poets in the world, a man named Rumi, began writing. Rumi was an Islamic mystic and preacher who traveled all across the Middle East in the 13th century. He began writing poetry after the disappearance of his close friend and mentor Shams. Rumi used poetry and prayer as a way to cope with this loss and explore his feelings. After Shams’s disappearance, Rumi began not only writing poetry, but incorporating these poems into his preaching, along with dance and song. Rumi’s poetry combines the early Pre-Islamic ideas of crafting odes and using poetry as a way to honor someone and the passion of Islamic romantic poetry, giving his work a universal appeal to people all over the world. His work became exceedingly popular after it was translated into English in the late 1970s. Joyful the moment when we sat in the bower, Thou and I; In two forms and with two faces - with one soul, Thou and I. The colour of the garden and the song of the birds give the elixir of immortality The instant we come into the orchard, Thou and I. The stars of Heaven come out to look upon us We shall show the moon herself to them, Thou and I. Thou and I, with no ‘Thou’ or ‘I’, shall become one through our tasting; Happy, safe from idle talking, Thou and I. The spirited parrots of heaven will envy us When we shall laugh in such a way, Thou and I. This is stranger, that Thou and I, in this corner here... Are both in one breath here and there - Thou and I.

Rumi

MODERN MIDDLE EASTERN POETRY Today, poets from the Middle East have adopted a wide variety of styles and inspirations. While some poets choose to write in the traditional meter that was popularized in the pre-Islamic age, others choose to experiment with other meters and with blank verse. These poems tackle a wide range of subjects from the natural world to civil rights.

Below are three poets with ties to the Middle East. Click on their portrait to read one of their poems.

Fady Joudah

My daughter wouldn’t hurt a spider That had nested Between her bicycle handles For two weeks She waited Until it left of its own accord

Mahmoud Darwish

Naomi Shihab Nye

If you tear down the web I said It will simply know This isn’t a place to call home And you’d get to go biking She said that’s how others Become refugees isn’t it?

Fady Joudah