Beyond Sacred: Voices of Muslim Identity

The Charles B. Wang Center at Stony Brook University is pleased to present Beyond Sacred: Voices of Muslim Identity by Ping Chong + Company and directed by Ping Chong and Written by Ping Chong and Sara Zatz, with Ryan Conarro and in collaboration with performers Tiffany Yasmin Abdelghani, Ferdous Dehqan, Kadin Herring, Amir Khafagy and Maha Syed on Wednesday, April 6, 2016 at 6:00 pm at the Charles B. Wang Center Theatre. Admission is $10 (General) | $5 (Students/Seniors). To purchase tickets, visit thewangcenter.org

Beyond Sacred is an interview-based theatre production exploring the diverse experiences of Muslim communities within New York City. The five cast members of Beyond Sacred vary in many ways, but share the common experience of coming of age in a post-9/11 New York City, at a time of increasing Islamophobia. Participants come from a range of cultural and ethnic backgrounds and include young men and women that reflect a wide range of Muslim identities, including those who have converted to Islam, those who were raised Muslim, but have since left the faith, those who identify as “culturally” Muslim, and those who are observant on a daily basis. Beyond Sacred is part of Ping Chong + Company’sUndesirable Elements project, an oral history theater project exploring issues of culture, identity and difference in the lives of individuals in specific communities.

Beyond Sacred was developed through a community-engaged process wherein Ping Chong + Company extensively interviewed local community members, who then become the performers. These interviews became the basis of the show’s script, which weaves together personal, historical and political narratives. The goal of Beyond Sacred is to use theater and personal testimony to foster greater understanding among Muslim and non-Muslim communities in New York and beyond.

Beyond Sacred was commissioned by LaGuardia Performing Arts Center, where it premiered in April 2015, with the generous support of APAP and the Doris Duke Foundation Building Bridges Grant. 2015-2016 presentations are taking place with the support of the Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art.

About the Charles B. Wang Center

Central to the Charles B. Wang Center's mission is the encouragement of an ever-deeper understanding and enjoyment of Asian and Asian American arts and culture by diverse local, national and international audiences through public programs. These programs include exhibitions, films, lectures, workshops, performances, and educational discussions. For more information on cultural programs visit www.thewangcenter.org. Gallery visiting Hours: Monday through Friday, 9:00 am - 8:00 pm and Saturday and Sunday, 12 noon to 8:00 pm.

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Beyond Sacred: Voices of Muslim Identity

Photo credit: Adam Nadel