INTRO
This play is a piece of site-specific theatre. It will be up to whether you wish to track our characters down around New York City (though this is encouraged), or listen from the comfort of your home.
FAJR: CHURCH OF ST. FRANCIS XAVIER
DHUHR: NEWKIRK PLAZA & CORTELYOU
FAJR — Part 1
FAJR — Part 2
Refers to dawn or daybreak in Arabic, and it is the first of the five daily Islamic prayers, performed between the break of dawn and sunrise.
As you take in the baroque architecture and the church’s forty-seven colourful murals, notice the recurring theme of the lily: the historic symbol of Christ’s resurrection and, in flower symbolism, purity and rebirth. The church recently undertook a multi-million-dollar restoration project to preserve its stained-glass and wooden windows.
DHUHR
Dhuhr is the mandatory midday Islamic prayer, performed after the sun passes its peak.
When Newkirk Plaza was established in 1910, it became the first open-air shopping mall in New York. Urban planners often cite it as a unique strategy for serving both mass transit and commercial needs. This small neighbourhood in Flatbush is a microcosm of racial and religious identities, housing both “Little Pakistan” and a prominent community of Orthodox Jews. Significant religious establishments in the area include the Muslim Community Centre of Brooklyn, the East Midwood Jewish Centre, and St. Brendan’s Parish.
ASR
Asr is the third of the five mandatory daily Islamic prayers, performed when the sun is halfway down between noon and sunset.
MAGHRIB
Maghrib is the fourth of the five daily mandatory Islamic prayers. It starts just after sunset and ends at the beginning of the night.
ISHA
It is the fifth of the five daily mandatory Islamic prayers. It begins at the arrival of complete darkness.
It is the only Catholic church on Flatbush Ave, with a history of service going back to the late 1880s. It was constructed in the Neo-Gothic style.