Publisher's Synopsis
In the face of the violent and dramatic images of the conflict in Palestine/Israel, Palestinian culture is so little understood that its very existence is often ignored. Yet, there is a thriving culture in Palestine and the many theaters found throughout the country are very much a part of it. They play an important role in Palestinian society, both as vehicles for expressing traditional values and ideals, and as forums for presenting new ideas and new human relationships. In the context of the Israeli occupation, theater in Palestine also serves to limit cultural distortion and destruction; it provides a means of channelling the frustrations and anger of the Palestinian people, especially youth, into non-violent expressions of personal legitimacy.
Acting Out: Voices from the Theater in Palestine is a book of texts and photographs presenting most of the professional and semi-professional theaters in Palestine and Palestinian theaters in Israel. Texts based on interviews by Jonathan Daitch in 2015, '16, and '17 of 50 actors, directors, and others directly involved in each of 26 theaters and theater groups are accompanied by photographs by Daitch and others. This format gives Palestinians involved in the theater a stage on which to talk about their theaters and their lives in the theater, and to present in their own words Palestinian culture and theater to a broad audience. They do this with very powerful and moving personal statements, thus achieving one of the major purposes of this book: to help people to see Palestinian theater as a creative artistic phenomenon, not only as a militant one.
