TOO SOON

Betty Shamieh portrays Arabella, a New York City director descended from a long line of Palestinian women. Grandmother Zoya and daughter Naya are performed by Jacqueline Antaramian and Lameece Issaq. The women passionately share how their traditions provide strength in the face of adversity. Together, they pour out these characters' stories with humor, sarcasm, and respect for a family's traumatic history. The story begins with their immigration to America in the late 1940s, as described by matriarch Zoya; moves to daughter Naya's rocky adjustments to life in a new country; and then illuminates American-born granddaughter Arabella's reconnection with her roots. As the story proceeds, the narrators depict the characters' pride of heritage and tradition, as well as a deeper perspective on the history of Palestine. B.J.P. © AudioFile 2025, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2025]