Musicals, Opera, Plays

© Robin Michals Photography
© Justin Barbin Photography
© Scott Suchman Photography

The MENA Show

An original full length musical.

Book, Lyrics & Co-Music by Faiza Alex Manaa. Music by Vaheed Talebian.

Synopsis: Set amidst the 2017 Muslim Ban, The MENA Show is an Arab & Persian-American coming-of-age musical that follows Nancy as she fights for MENA visibility at Cleveland State University. But family pressure, a culture war, and a battle against censorship force Nancy to confront much more than she anticipated. The MENA Show is an exploration into what it takes to keep a culture alive in a foreign land: both the rewards and the sacrifice.

Development History:

  • 2026 29 hour reading at the NYU Production Lab

  • 2025 Accepted into Spark Theatre Festival

  • 2024 29 hour reading at NYU Tisch

  • 2024 Eugene O’Neill NMTC Semi-Finalist

  • 2024 American Music Theatre Project Semi-Finalist

Another Cousin’s Wedding

An Original 20-Minute Musical Dramedy

Book & Lyrics by Faiza Alex Manaa. Music by Vaheed Talebian.

Synopsis: As per Arab tradition, 20-year-old Sami is visiting his hundredth family wedding – or at least that’s what it feels like. While his aunt and uncle, Marwa and Arman, attempt to help set him up with a love of his own, Sami frets over his secret coming out. Meanwhile, Marwa and Arman are worried about protecting secrets of their own.

Development History:

  • 2024 Production with the International Human Rights Art Festival - The Tank

  • 2023 Workshop at NYU Tisch

Premiered Off-Broadway as part of the International Human Rights Art Festival!

For video of this production, please contact me.

The Curse of the Magi

A Dark Comedy Opera

Libretto by Faiza Alex Manaa. Music by Christopher Dietz.

Synopsis: A twist on O. Henry’s The Gift of the Magi, wherein a married couple, rather than surprising each other with gifts at the cost of personal sacrifice, decide to sacrifice one another instead. Through a Hitman Consultation Office, the husband and wife plot the other’s demise. Unbeknownst to them – they’re meeting with the same Consultant.

Development History

  • Commissioned by the Washington National Opera

  • Premiered at WNO Studio in Washington D.C. in 2026

Illest Dance

A hip-hop musical.

Book, lyrics, and co-music by Faiza Alex Manaa. Music by Ruchir Khazanchi.

Synopsis: Highschooler Jack Foster dreams of being a performer, but before he can step out into the world, his normally supportive dad, Bill, shoots him down without explanation. Refusing to back down, Jack is determined to follow his own path – until he stumbles across evidence of his dad’s former dancing career. Jack digs deeper into the legend of Bill Foster’s career in search of answers. From dance competitions, to rivalries, to Broadway, his dad seemed to have everything before a tragic accident brought his dance career to an end. Or so it seemed, until a miraculous twist of fate found Bill choosing between stability, or risking everything to do what he loved. Through learning about the dancing disease that threatened to take his dad’s life, Jack was going to figure out once and for all why Bill Foster turned his back on the arts – and hopefully change his mind.

Development History

  • 2022 Workshop with the American Music Theatre Project

  • 2021 NAMT Semi-Finalist

Windy

A chamber opera.

Libretto by Faiza Alex Manaa. Music by Michael Light Oosterhout.

Synopsis: Windy is a piece following a woman of the same name through three stages of her life, all in the same apartment complex in Chelsea, New York. Through the years we see her relationship with her neighbors and community shift in an increasingly individualistic society, as well as the chance of building something new.

Development History

  • 2024 Production with the American Opera Project.

    For video of this production, please contact me.

Want to reach out?

For collaborations, commissions, and other inquiries, feel free to shoot me an email.

alexmanaa.musicals@gmail.com