Explore a Virtual Iftar Night.
This month, we’re telling the story of a MABELLE Iftar Night in eight acts. Each act corresponds with an important phase in a typical MABELLE Iftar Night – moments that have grown into traditions over the years, including: arriving in the park; waiting for sunset; gathering together; raising lanterns; centring ourselves; welcoming the sunset; breaking our fast; and circling around the fire. Explore all eight acts below.
Act One
Arrival: Marhaba
The first in an 8-part podcast series to be released over the next month, this short podcast shares community stories of arriving at Mabelle Park and preparing for Iftar.
Podcast created by Christen Kong
Shadow show created by Shadowland Theatre
Featuring music performed and arranged by Maryem Tollar & Ernie Tollar
Music Director: Hussein Janmohamed
A new musical track accompanies the imagined experience of arriving in Mabelle Park and preparing for Iftar.
Performers & Arrangers: Maryem & Ernie Tollar
Guest vocalist: Samidha Joglekar
Music Director: Hussein Janmohamed
Music Editor: Arie van de Ven
Illustration: Banafsheh Erfanian
Illustration: Banafsheh Erfanian
Inspired by workshops with Mabelle and Aga Khan Museum participants
Act Two
Waiting: Intezaar
The second in an 8-part podcast series to be released over the next month, this short podcast shares community stories of passing the hours before before breaking fast at sundown, with music, community and art-making.
Podcast created by Christen Kong
Shadow show created by Shadowland Theatre
Music Director & Composer: Hussein Janmohamed
Musicians: Shireen Abu-Khader, Jackson Welchner, Margaret Bó Bárdos, Maryem Tollar, Ernie Tollar, Hussein Janmohamed,
A new musical track accompanies the imagined experience of anticipating sundown, and longing to connect during that time.
Music Director/Arranger: Hussein Janmohamed
Music Editor: Arie Verheul van de Ven
Additional Arrangements: Arie Verheul van de Ven, Ernie Tollar, Maryem Tollar
Performers: Maryem Tollar, Ernie Tollar, Martin van de Ven, Shireen Abu-Khader, Jackson Welchner, Margaret Bó Bárdos, Hussein Janmohamed, Zaheed Damani, The Gather Round Singers and members of Sarv Choir
Illustration: Banafsheh Erfanian
Inspired by workshops with Mabelle and Aga Khan Museum participants
Act 3
Gathering: Al-liqa’
The third in an 8-part podcast series to be released over the next month, this short podcast shares community stories of gathering together at Mabelle Park and in other locations leading up to Iftar.
Podcast created by Christen Kong
Shadow show created by Shadowland Theatre
Composer & Music Director: Hussein Janmohamed
Musicians: Shireen Abu-Khader, Margaret Bó Bárdos, Maryem Tollar, Hussein Janmohamed, Ernie Tollar, Jackson Welchner, Gather Round Singers, Martin van de Ven
A new musical track accompanies the imagined and remembered experience of gathering together at Mabelle Park and in other locations leading up to Iftar.
Composer & Music Director: Hussein Janmohamed
Musicians: Shireen Abu-Khader, Margaret Bó Bárdos, Natalie Fasheh, Maryem Tollar, Hussein Janmohamed, Ernie Tollar, Jackson Welchner, Gather Round Singers, Martin van de Ven
Illustration: Banafsheh Erfanian
Illustration: Banafsheh Erfanian
Inspired by workshops with Mabelle and Aga Khan Museum participants
By Karis Jones-Pard
Act Four
Procession: Mawkeb
The fourth in an 8-part podcast series to be released over the next month, this short podcast shares community stories of processing through the Mabelle neighbourhood, and other locations near and far, in the hours leading up to sunset.
Podcast created by Christen Kong
Shadow show created by Shadowland Theatre
Music Director & Composer: Hussein Janmohamed
Musicians: Waleed Abdulhamid, Shireen Abu-Khader, Jackson Welchner, Margaret Bó Bárdos, Maryem Tollar, Ernie Tollar, Hussein Janmohamed, The Gather Round Singers
Video Editor: Adrienne Marcus Raja
A new musical track accompanies the imagined and remembered experience of processing with neighbours in the hours leading up to sunset, drawing on text shared by community workshop participants.
Music Director & Composer: Hussein Janmohamed
Music Editor: Arie Verheul van de Ven
Additional Arrangements: Waleed Abdulhamid
Musicians: Waleed Abdulhamid, Shaho Andalibi, Sharada K. Eswar, Maryem Tollar, Shireen Abu-Khader, Jackson Welchner, Bó Bárdos, Hussein Janmohamed, The Gather Round Singers Community Choir (directed by Shifra Cooper), and many other Mabelle and Aga Khan Museum workshop participants
Illustration: Banafseheh Erfanian
Illustration: Banafsheh Erfanian
Inspired by workshops with Mabelle and Aga Khan Museum participants
Act Five
Centring: Sukun
The fifth in an 8-part podcast series to be released over the next month, this short podcast shares community stories of prayer, contemplation and gratitude during Ramadan in and around the Mabelle neighbourhood, and other locations near and far, in the final moments leading up to sunset.
Podcast created by Christen Kong
Shadow show created by Shadowland Theatre
Music Director & Composer: Hussein Janmohamed
Instrumentalist: Ernie Tollar
Choral Voices: Shireen Abu-Khader, Jackson Welchner, Bó Bárdos, Maryem Tollar, Hussein Janmohamed, Natalie Fasheh, The Gather Round Singers, and Toronto songbirds
Video Editor: Adrienne Marcus Raja
Our fifth musical track is performed by over 25 singers and musicians, to express prayer, contemplation and gratitude during Ramadan in and around the Mabelle neighbourhood, and other locations near and far, in the final moments leading up to sunset.
Composer: Hussein Janmohamed
Music Editor: Arie Verheul van de Ven
Instrumentalist: Ernie Tollar
Choral Voices: Shireen Abu-Khader, Jackson Welchner, Bó Bárdos, Maryem Tollar, Hussein Janmohamed, Natalie Fasheh, The Gather Round Singers Community Choir and Toronto songbirds
Illustration: Banafsheh Erfanian
Video Editor: Adrienne Marcus Raja
Illustration: Banafsheh Erfanian
Inspired by workshops with Mabelle and Aga Khan Museum participants
Listen, watch and follow along, or create your own hand dance.
Imagine that you are reaching down into some substance (sand, earth, water…) feeling an unknown and precious object, pulling it out and discovering what it is as it emerges.
Send a video or photo of your hand dance to info@jumbliestheatre.org
ACT SIX
Invoking: Istid3a’
The six in an 8-part podcast series to be released over the next month, this short podcast shares community stories of the moment of sunset in Mabelle Park and beyond.
Podcast created by Christen Kong
Shadow show created by Shadowland Theatre
Music Director & Composer: Hussein Janmohamed
Musicians: Shaho Andalibi, Shireen Abu-Khader, Jackson Welchner, Margaret Bó Bárdos, Maryem Tollar, Ernie Tollar, Hussein Janmohamed, Natalie Fasheh, Nour Khedder, and The Gather Round Singers
Video Editor: Adrienne Marcus Raja
A new musical track accompanies the imagined and remembered experiences of the moment of sunset in Mabelle Park and beyond.
Music Director & Composer: Hussein Janmohamed
Music Editor: Arie Verheul van de Ven
Featuring: Shaho Andalibi
Choral Voices: Shireen Abu-Khader, Jackson Welchner, Bó Bárdos, Hussein Janmohamed, David Rain, Natalie Fasheh, Katie Howard, Nada Nurhussen, Nour Khedder, Nura Nurhussen, Tamadur Tami Alkhatib, Ruba ZouZou, The Gather Round Singers Community Choir (directed by Shifra Cooper), and many other Mabelle & Aga Khan Museum participants
Illustration: Banafseheh Erfanian
Illustration: Banafsheh Erfanian
Inspired by workshops with Mabelle and Aga Khan Museum participants
Listen to the Azan
At sunset in Mabelle Park, we hear the Azan (Call To Prayer) recited, signalling the breaking of the fast (Iftar). As part of Virtual Iftar Nights, we offer this recitation of Azan by Waleed Abdulhamid, one of our project’s featured artists. Throughout the remaining days of Ramadan, we will add more renderings of the Azan which can be heard from home.
ACT SEVEN
Nourishment
Podcast created by Christen Kong
Shadow show created by Shadowland Theatre
Music Director & Composer: Hussein Janmohamed
Additional Arrangements: Maryem Tollar and Ernie Tollar
Musicians: Maryem Tollar, Ernie Tollar, Shaho Andalibi, Daev Clysdale, Waleed Abdulhamid, Samidha Joglekar, Sharada K. Eswar, Arie Van de ven, Martin Van de ven
Video Editor: Adrienne Marcus Raja
Narrator: Faten Toubasi
Music Director and Composer: Hussein Janmohamed
Music Editor: Arie Verheul van de Ven
Additional Arrangements: Samidha Joglekar
Featured Vocalist: Samidha Joglekar
Choral voices: Raise Her Voice Chamber Choir (Oakville Choir for Children & Youth) Co-conducted by Dr. Charlene Pauls and Dr. Sarah Morrison, Guelph Chamber Choir (conducted by Dr. Charlene Pauls), Natalie Fasheh, Sam Rowlandson-O'Hara, Shireen Abu-Khader, Jackson Welchner, Bó Bárdos, Hussein Janmohamed
Lyrics: Created by Shifra Viola and Ruth Howard from interviews with Banafsheh Erfanian, Hodan Ibrahim and members of The Gather Round Singers
Illustration: Banafsheh Erfanian
Inspired by workshops with Mabelle and Aga Khan Museum participants
ACT EIGHT
Circling
Podcast created by Christen Kong
Shadow show created by Shadowland Theatre
Puppeteers: Anne Barber, Sequoia Erickson and Brad Harley
Music Director and Composer : Hussein Janmohamed
Music Editor: Arie Verheul van de Ven
Musicians: Samihda Joglekar, Maryem Tollar, Daev Clysdale, Shireen Abu-Khader, Jackson Welchner, Bó Bárdos, Hussein Janmohamed, Raise Her Voice Chamber Choir (Oakville Choir for Children and Youth) Co-conducted by Dr. Charlene Pauls and Dr. Sarah Morrison, Guelph Chamber Choir (conducted by Dr. Charlene Pauls) and many other Mabelle and Aga Khan Museum workshop participants
Community Voices: Michael Burt, Tasmeen Syed, Bernadette Shuman, Melanie Alvares-Fernandez, Rafia Salam, Farah Jibril, Sharada Eswar and Gather Round Singers members
Narration: Faten Toubasi
Video Editor: Adrienne Marcus Raja
Music Director and Composer : Hussein Janmohamed
Music Editor: Arie Verheul van de Ven
Additional Arrangements: Maryem Tollar & Ernie Tollar
Featuring: Waleed Abdulhamid, Shaho Andalibi, Daev Clysdale, Sharada Eswar, Samidha Joglekar, Ernie Tollar, Maryem Tollar, Arie Verheul van de Ven, Martin van de Ven
Illustration: Banafsheh Erfanian
Video Editor: Adrienne Marcus Raja
Illustration: Banafsheh Erfanian
Inspired by workshops with Mabelle and Aga Khan Museum participants
Songs Before Sunset
Live Performances
Every Wednesday evening, we highlight some of our incredible musicians and performers in concerts on Facebook Live. Enjoy recordings of the concerts here.
