Stella Adler

When it comes to my childhood memories, Egypt is what fills them. The vastness of the largest metropolitan city in Africa, immersed in a population of 22 million people, on the grounds of a city with roots 3000 BCE old. My memories are of growing up a dessert child, the images that flash through my head are of my elementary school, located in the Wadi close to a canyon. I remember street vendors that sold me sandwiches after school, Egyptian films I watched with my parents, walking with my grandfather in downtown Cairo, whose architecture reflects eras past. I spent 15 years of my life there. About a quarter of my life. I remember growing up swimming in the red sea and taking in the rich wildlife it had to offer. I remember classes learning the Arabic alphabet, the elegance of the writing, I learned of the love the Middle East has to offer, their appreciation for their history, the privilege they have with their natural beauty and how much they value shared community and family. After 15 years of my life, I remember it was in middle school that I realized, Egypt had taught me that I wanted to be an artist. A storyteller. 

I learned that I’m lucky enough to see the world from a completely different perspective, and that what makes me a unique performer is my experience in life thus far. My journey of travelling allowed for me to observe and experience things different than the norm and this I intend to funnel straight into my work. In every country I’ve lived in, I witnessed the love in the particulars of people’s daily lives and how they differed from country to country, and this hugely contributes to me as a storyteller today.