I’ve done press coverage for the Hollywood Fringe Festival in the past before but rarely do I do press releases for upcoming performances. With Handala, an exception had to be made because not only is it a much needed celebration of Palestine but it is also a 2024 Hollywood Fringe Scholarship recipient that signifies the program’s goal of expanding and diversifying the body of work being presented at Fringe.

“What happens when we dare to step into the life of the “other” with an open heart that sings a song of our shared humanity?” The 2024 Hollywood Fringe Scholarship recipient, Handala, a solo show performed by Myriam Ali-Ahmad, allows audiences a window to do just that.

Produced in partnership with This Is a Front, Handala takes audiences on a journey in Palestine, sailing from one Palestinian to another, telling the real story of Palestine, through the eyes of its dignified people. A celebration of Palestine and Palestinian life, this tour de force is a call for action to preserve such beauty. As audience members, you can select the ticket price that you prefer as 100 percent of the proceeds will be donated to aid in Gaza and throughout Palestine.

Writer and performer Ali-Ahmad has been interviewing Palestinians that have lived in their homeland, about life experiences that, to them, represent Palestine and highlight the beauty of its people, land and culture. Seeking to honor Palestinian life and voices, she has worked to compile these stories into a solo show with the help of directors Mahmoud AboBaker & Becca Khalil, and stage managers Desireé Roy & Valeria Muñoz Reyes. The show will be performed as part of the Hollywood Fringe Festival for their 2024 season.

Ali-Ahmad says “For so long, Palestinians specifically and Arabs in general have been reduced to either victims or terrorists, a narrative that has been reinforced by the horrors in Gaza and the West Bank. We want to challenge and shift this narrative all while introducing the public to the rich and beautiful culture and people of Palestine, reminding us what we are fighting for. In and of itself, this project is an act of resistance against cultural erasure. Against those who wish to destroy our stories and our history.”

Handala will have a preview performance at 8:30 p.m. Saturday June 8, at the Art of Acting Studio at 1017 North Orange Drive. Opening performance will be 8:30 p.m. Friday, June 21, followed by performances at 8:30 p.m. Saturday, June 22, Friday, June 28 and Saturday, June 29.

Tickets are available at https://www.hollywoodfringe.org/projects/10464?tab=tickets

This Is a Front is a new theatre company in Los Angeles led by Artistic Director Brian Eckert with the mission to stage connection through theatre and social moments. We envision a vibrant creative community that reshapes how we understand our role in each other’s lives. IG: @thisisafront.theatre.