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Tag: beirut

Episode 103 [in English]: Queer Art is Revolutionary

Beruit-based writer, actress, and storyteller Dima Mkhayel Matta (Follow on IG: @dimamatta) joined Nadia Khayrallah (@nadiainherownworld) and Adam Elsayigh (@adamelsayigh) to talk about her recent solo show, her storytelling series Cliffhangers Storytelling, the challenges of navigating censorship and orientalist tropes, the importance of (queer) art in revolution, and more! She also reads a few excerpts of her piece “This is not a memorized script, this is a well-rehearsed story,” presented through Zoukak Theater Company and developed at the Sundance Institute Theatre Lab.

Note: Unfortunately, Dima’s residency at Theater Mitu in Brooklyn, discussed in the podcast, has been cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns. We hope to see this collaboration happen in the future!

Referenced in the episode: Every Single Article Ever Written About Being Gay in Beirut in One Convenient Article

Pictured is Dima wearing this iconic shirt from Nadia (as mentioned in the episode)!

This episode was recorded and edited by Nadia.

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Episode 77 in English: Voguer Hoedy Saad!

We (Nadia & Alia) got to talk to Lebanese vogue dancer Hoedy Saad!  You may remember hearing from Hoedy for a bit during Emma Gration’s podcast episode; we were excited to get to talk more.  On this episode, Hoedy talks about the steadily increasingly visible vogue scene in Lebanon, the background of vogue, and the impact vogue (and also drag, as the two arts often overlap at events) has on the queer scene and even outside the queer sphere.  By the way, Hoedy’s other passion is his animals; Hoedy is also now a veterinarian!  We got to talk a little about that part of Hoedy’s world as well.  Enjoy this episode; we thank Hoedy so much for being on the podcast.  August 25 there will be the Oriental Ball, which Hoedy is co-organizing; this will be an event which will be hosted in and performed in Arabic.  It sounds like it will be a very powerful and amazing space for celebrating drag & vogue while connecting that deeply with SWANA culture.

Follow @hoedysaad on Instagram

Check out this video to hear more from Hoedy:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxYxyztoP_w

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