Amherst resident Umar Azam was recently selected as the winner of Arts Services Inc.’s 2022 David R. Fendrick Theatre Fund Grant. Azam’s project titled, “Echoes of a Faraway Land: Unheard Voices of Pakistani People in America” is a new production that will use first-hand narrative to tell the stories of Pakistani immigrants now living in America.
“Echoes of a Faraway Land: Unheard Voices of Pakistani People in America, is a compilation of true stories written, and read by the very people that lived it,” said Azam. “Pakistani-Americans in WNY do not believe that they are accurately or equitably represented in the community or in theater. Not only are their voices underrepresented, they seem to be missed entirely. It is certainly time for a change.”
The process of writing ‘Echoes’ will bring together lived stories from Pakistani-Americans from local cultural organizations and other community groups. These stories will then be molded into monologues through group discussions and writing sessions held over several months. Those involved will have the choice to either read their own monologues in the final production or have their stories read by an actor. It is the hope of Azam that the final production(s) will also include talkbacks or additional conversations which will further amplify the Pakistani voices which are “so often muted or ignored.”
Said Azam of his project, “Theatrical productions offer many effective ways of overcoming limitations including language and literacy barriers; and presenting authentic information as accessible and relevant to communities’ lived experiences. These presentations, which will be bilingual, will also allow theater-goers to see new topics (Pakistani stories) in a familiar light (theater) and in doing so, it is the hope that community acceptance and knowledge of local Pakistani people will improve.”
Umar Azam’s past acting credits include the 48 Hour Film Festival with Green Buffalo Productions (GBP), Drake in the musical “Annie”, and Beads in “Everything’s Groovy.” As a writer, his work “Turn me in” won GBP’s Quarantine Quarters writing challenge. Currently, he is also working as an Assistant Director for the short film “Look Up” under GBP and is working on various theater projects across WNY. He has also worked as the musical director in Inclusive Theater’s production of “As You Like It” by William Shakespeare.
Updates about this project will be available at www.asiwny.org/fendrick-theatre-fund they are available.
The David R. Fendrick Theatre Fund was established at the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo in memory of David Roos Fendrick (1941-1988), the critically applauded Western New York actor, director, writer and scholar. This grant is designed to support one creative theater artist with a $1,000 award for writing or production of a new work, completion of a work in progress, and/or new production of an existing work. The fund is open every other year to individual theatre artists and administered by Arts Services Inc.
