Omar and Dawn
by James Elazzi
photo Robert Catto
Omar and Dawn
Written by James Elazzi
Synopsis:
Omar, a first-generation Lebanese-Australian teenager, has spent much of his life shuffled between foster homes. Toughened by the system and haunted by his past, he’s fiercely independent—until he’s placed in the care of 80-year-old Dawn. She’s brash, lonely, and has a sharp tongue, but her warmth slowly chips away at Omar’s defences.
Meanwhile, Omar’s best friend Ahmed—rejected by his family and living under a bridge—battles homelessness and worsening mental health. As Omar tries to build a new life for himself, he refuses to leave Ahmed behind. Together, they cling to each other in a world that offers little kindness, trying to carve out a space where they both belong.
“Omar and Dawn is a story about love and connection where you least expect it. It’s about our need to belong, the systems that fail us, and how compassion can come from the most unlikely places.”
— James Elazzi
What the critics said:
⭐⭐⭐⭐ "A deeply moving and heartfelt piece of theatre."
— Time Out Sydney
“A powerful drama filled with empathy and grit… James Elazzi’s writing is raw, honest and unflinching.”
— ArtsHub
“Omar and Dawn is both heartbreaking and hopeful – an emotional triumph.”
— Sydney Scoop
“The chemistry between the characters is electric… Elazzi continues to give voice to communities rarely seen on Australian stages.”
— Theatre Travels
Creative Team:
Playwright: James Elazzi
Director: Dino Dimitriadis
Producers: Apocalypse Theatre Company & Green Door Theatre Co
Producer: Leila Enright
Producing Associate: Bernadette Fam
Lighting Design: Benjamin Brockman
Sound Design: Ben Pierpoint
Production Design: Aleisa Jelbart
Stage Manager: Hannah Crane
Production Photography: Robert Catto
Cast:
Maggie Blinco as Dawn
Antony Makhlouf as Omar
Lex Marinos as Darren
Mansoor Noor as Ahmed
REVIEWS
“Omar and Dawn review: dawn of a fresh voice from the margins”.
‘Trust, friendship, and honesty across cultures and generations are central to this impressive work by emerging Sydney playwright James Elazzi. These themes are extended in the relationships with two minor characters. Dawn’s mechanic brother Darren wants her to move to a retirement home’.
The Music- "[F]ull of heart and hurt - and unexpected collisions of Australian stories."
James Elazzi’s Omar And Dawn is full of heart and hurt - and unexpected collisions of Australian stories. It’s a play that will go beyond this stage.
Suzy Go See. “Elazzi’s writing is deeply insightful, exquisite in its ability to put to action, and to words, parts of life that we habitually avoid. There is a fearlessness in its interrogation of the taboo, that makes Oman And Dawn so fascinating; although it sits right under our noses, real talent is required to make us see it properly.”
Audrey Journal. “"A GRIPPING, ECONOMICAL AND EMOTIONALLY AFFECTING WORK"
State of the Art. “It’s tragic, it’s brutal, but underneath all, hopeful”.
‘Elazzi’s script paints an unforgiving and heartbreaking picture of a life we have never seen before. And it’s not as simple as an easy life or a hard life. It is complex, indicating that we’re all a part of a patchwork country in which privileges and disadvantages are handed out in varying amounts and different ways. His script makes one wonder: does it take losing everything to recognise loss?’