1001 Nights - MFA Directing Thesis by Ghina Fawaz

Hello, my name is Ghina Fawaz, I am a Lebanese-American theatre artist reaching out on behalf of our extraordinary team with gratitude and hope. As a third-year MFA Directing student at Columbia, I’m creating and staging an adaptation of الف ليلة وليلة (The Thousand and One Nights) as part of my thesis production, running from February 6-9 at the Lenfest Center for the Arts in NYC.

Where Will The Money Go？

To bring this play with live music to life, we are fundraising to provide fair and equitable compensation for each artist involved. Reaching our $5,000 goal will allow us to offer a $500 stipend to 10 dedicated actors and musicians. Every dollar contributed will go directly to supporting these talented artists whose work makes this vision possible.

Why Are We Telling This Story Now?

This production stands as our commitment to the journey toward liberation. Many years ago, a story was stolen from the land of people who named the stars. In a time when Arab and Indigenous voices face erasure and violence, we seek to reclaim the story of Scheherazade as an act of resistance. This epic tale follows a bitter King, poisoned by betrayal, who marries a new bride each night and executes her at dawn. One day, a brilliant and courageous woman named Scheherazade steps forward. Each night, she tells a tale so captivating that the King keeps her alive to hear its end—only to find her beginning a new story as dawn rises. For 1001 nights, Scheherazade weaves a tapestry of tales, slowly awakening the King’s lost humanity and warming his heart.

Through poetry, puppetry, music, and movement, this production honors classic folklore while confronting modern struggles, especially colonial impacts on Indigenous communities worldwide, including Palestine.

No Donation Is Too Small Or Too Large!

As a gesture of gratitude, each donor will receive a personalized poem crafted just for them—a celebration of your generosity and the essential role you play in bringing this story to life!

THANK YOU for considering joining us on this transformative journey. Together, we will tell a story worthy of a thousand and one nights—and dawns.