I See God/I See Allah – original college theater production
Play presents peaceful perspective on Islam – the word “Islam” means peace
Theater Web site: Oregon State University Theatre Arts
Original Article Web site: The Daily Barometer
Original play by Saudi Arabian writer Raja Alem
Put on by Oregon State University Theatre Arts and the Saudi Arabian Student Association
Cast comprised of students of the SASA (Saudi Arabian Student Association)
Members of the Saudi Arabian Student Association star in the University Theatre production
Article by Kayla Harr, senior reporter
Media credit: Hannah Gustin
“One of the ideas that the play emphasizes is that Islam is not here to hate Judaism and Christianity, but Islam is here to live with them in peace and love, and that we are all sisters and brothers and that we should not let religion be a barrier between us and other people because they don’t believe exactly what Muslims believe,” Almousawi said. “The word Islam means peace. We were asked by our religion to live with everyone else who is not Muslim and treat them like everyone else with peace and love.”
Almousawi said the stereotypes that people sometimes associate with Muslims can be hurtful.
The students said living in the United States can be a struggle because of stereotypes based on the actions of individuals. Alburi said she hopes the play will encourage those who are not familiar with Islamic culture to separate the acts of individuals from their perception of the religion.
“I want them to know that we don’t belong to those people who try to destroy others and do violent things, we are not all the same,” Alburi said. “I want them to at least know that, I’m different than that guy (Mohamud), we are all different than him and not all like him.”
The play was directed by student Andrew Atkinson and sponsored by a grant approved by Vice Provost for Student Affairs Larry Roper, who attended the show’s opening. It is the first of a series of plays that will be sponsored by the grant, which is intended to provide the opportunity to each of the cultural groups on campus to present a performance representing their culture.
Students of the SASA were the first to respond to the offer to hold a production and began searching for a script during spring term. The group settled on Alem’s because it was important to them to find a play that was written by a Saudi Arabian and would express to the audience what it means to practice Islam.
Performances of “I See God/I See Allah” will run at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday and at 2 p.m. on Sunday in the Withycombe Lab Theatre.
Tickets can be obtained through the OSU Theatre box office at (541) 737-2784
http://oregonstate.edu/dept/theatre.
