NESPA Winner: Localizing Contest, 2023
The Vanguard, Buckingham Browne & Nichols School, Cambridge, MA
Half-Israeli, half-Palestinian, Ibrahim Miari grapples with his identity during his hour and half, self-written and directed one-man show, performed before the Global History 2 and Arabic 1, 2, 3, and 4 classes on May 11. Prompted to reflect on his story during an interrogation at an Israeli airport, Mr. Miari re-enacted scenes from his life. Throughout his show, he considered his tenuous existence “In Between”—the name of his play—two worlds at odds.
“What is your story?” Mr. Mirai, playing the role of the Israeli airport official, asked, at the beginning of the play.
As himself again, Mr. Miari flashed back to Purim, a Jewish holiday, in second grade, one of the first instances in his life when his identities came into conflict. For the costume contest in honor of the holiday, the young Avram, as Mr. Miarai’s first name was then, asked his grandmother if he could dress as an Arab.
Now playing his Jewish grandmother, Mr. Miari responded incredulously, “Who dresses up as an Arab for Purim?” earning a laugh from the audience. “You would make a great Arab but no.”
