Thursday, October 23, 2008

Panel discussion planned at Kennedy Center

I had a meeting with the folks at the Kennedy Center back in July to suggest some scholarly "sideshow" events to their 3-week-long Arab performance festival. Did it work?

Shakespeare in the Arab World
This discussion examines Arab-Islamic interpretations of Shakespeare and why the Bard's stories work so well within a cultural context so seemingly far removed.
Mar 7, 2009 at 5:00 PM
Millennium Stage, 1 hour
http://www.kennedy-center.org/calendar/index.cfm?fuseaction=showEvent&past=true&event=PJPTJ

Wisely (I can't claim credit for this one), they've also enriched their festival with two staples of DC life: international food and embassy parties. I ought to say something snarky about this program, but it actually sounds great!:
A Taste of the Arab World
This three-part mini-immersion takes you on a journey into the various regions of the Arab world, learning about the land, the people, and the culture of each region.
Feb 28 - Mar 14, 2009
Rehearsal Room, 5 hours, $100.00 - $270.00
A Unique Series Over Three Saturdays: Feb. 28; Mar. 7; Mar. 14
Each Saturday of the ARABESQUE: Arts of the Arab World Festival, this mini-immersion takes you on a journey into the various regions of the Arab world. Your journey begins at the Kennedy Center with a lecture about the land, the people, and the culture of each region. Next, visit embassies where you will hear the music, taste the cuisine, and explore the arts of each of the featured countries.
Regions include the Gulf, the Levant/Mashriq, and Northern Africa/Maghreb. Patrons may purchase the complete three-part series at a discounted price, or any individual Saturday session at single ticket prices.
http://www.kennedy-center.org/calendar/index.cfm?fuseaction=showEvent&event=PJPGB

1 comment:

Margaret Litvin said...

Update - I've been invited to be part of the panel. Should be fun!