Lula 19/85 & the Pearl of the Bekaa
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By Rawya El Chab
In a dystopian future where history lies in ruins, a cyborg sends signals via ASMR inducing sounds and visuals to the present. Onstage, a performer intercepts these transmissions and invites the audience to bear witness to the foundational myth of their being.
Lula 19/85 & the Pearl of the Bekaa is a solo performance exploring martyrdom through the bygone political struggle of the left in Lebanon. Inspired by the diary of Loula Abboud, a Lebanese freedom fighter, and the fragmented memories of Rawya El Chab, the witness, this sci-fi piece brings historical events into a world of anime.
To heal the wounds of colonial wars and imagine a better tomorrow, the witness has to conjure the dead and unveil a family secret.
Marisa Tornello - Vocalist and composer
Jacqueline Scalette - Light and costume designer
Rawya El Chab is a storyteller and teaching artist based in New York City. Her artistic journey has been shaped by classical theater training and immersive experiences in experimental and contemporary art forms. Having come of age in the aftermath of the Lebanese civil war and the Ta’ef agreement, Rawya has keenly felt the absence of official and historical narratives surrounding that tumultuous period.
At the heart of her artistic practice is storytelling, which she views as a vital tool for addressing this void. Through her work, Rawya endeavors to give voice to untold stories and illuminate the complexities and nuances of the events she recounts.
Rawya has actively participated in significant post-war Lebanese productions in Beirut. In New York she has established herself as an experimental artist and has taken part in plays, such as One Night with the Target Margin Theater, Shmidt Smith Shmidt with Local Grandma, and the Banality of Evil with Metaphys-Ed.
As a theater maker she has co-created “The Meltdown” produced by The Global Forms Festival. She also received support from the Target Margin Theater to develop “The Gambler.” The show ran at the Loading Dock as part of the Exponential Festival in June 2022. The following year she showcased Épikoinonìa on the Exponential Festival’s Youtube Channel. Rawya received funding from AFAC to produce Lula 19/85 & the Pearl of the Bekaa.
Through her compelling storytelling and exploration of the human experience, Rawya El Chab is dedicated to amplifying untold narratives and shedding light on historical events, to set the stage for thought-provoking and transformative experiences for her audiences.