S6E3 Festival Preview: FOUAD OF NAZARETH Featuring NAMT Festival Writer FOUAD DAKWAR

What happens when a Palestinian New Yorker’s summer-camp story becomes an Arabic-infused pop-punk musical?On this episode of NEW@NAMT, host Jean-Paul Yovanoff and co-host Skye Cone Ivey sit down with writer Fouad Dakwar to talk about Fouad of Nazareth, his semi-autobiographical new musical—and one of eight musicals selected for NAMT’s 38th Annual Festival of New Musicals. Based on a true story, the show follows a teenage Palestinian New Yorker traveling to his ancestral homeland of Nazareth for…summer camp. Fouad shares the unlikely origin story behind the musical: notes he took while actually attending camp in Nazareth, rediscovered a decade later when graduate school pushed him toward writing autobiographically for the first time. He also digs into the show’s distinctive Arabic-infused pop-punk sound, born from growing up with the music of Fairuz alongside Linkin Park, Green Day and Fall Out Boy. The conversation explores why dark comedy and music became Fouad’s way into a complicated story of culture, identity and belonging, and how humor can create space for conversations that might otherwise feel impossible. Fouad also talks about what he hopes audiences encounter through the piece: catchy songs and big laughs, but also a fuller sense of Palestinian humanity. NAMT Festival Consultants Adam Immerwahr and Joe Barros join the conversation to talk about what drew them to the musical and its path toward the Festival. Fouad also looks back on development through Berklee NYC, Noor Theatre, Joe’s Pub, Goodspeed Musicals, Ars Nova and New York Theatre Workshop, and ahead toward his hopes for a full production—and, eventually, a screen adaptation. A true story. A summer camp. An Arabic-infused pop-punk score. And a whole lot of complicated identity.Fouad of NazarethBook, Music & Lyrics by Fouad DakwarSongs from Fouad of Nazareth are available now on major streaming platforms. Learn more about the 38th Annual Festival of New Musicals, October 22–23, 2026 at New World Stages, at namt.org/festival.Follow NAMT: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/namtpics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Musical Theatre Radio: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/musicaltheatreradio/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠More about FOUAD OF NAZARETH:⁠https://namt.org/musicals/fouad-of-nazareth/Follow Fouad:https://www.instagram.com/notfouad/Follow FOUAD OF NAZARETH: https://www.instagram.com/fouadofnazareth/