MFA acting student Emile Saba is on a journey much different from the character he plays in Anon(ymous), the Naomi Iizuka adaptation of Homer’s classic poem The Odyssey presented as part of the Studio Series by the Connecticut Repertory Theatre from Oct. 29 through Nov. 8.

Saba grew up in the West Bank city of Ramallah and began working as an actor at the age of 10 in the Ashtar Theatre, which trains young Palestinian actors and produces plays in the West Bank and Gaza. He went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in English and business in Palestine.

As Anon, Saba portrays a young refugee separated from his family who travels through the United States encountering a wide variety of people as he searches for his family. Iizuka’s adaptation of Homer’s work does not make specific reference to the nationality of the central character, but Saba decided to reference the current immigration crisis in Europe by having Anon be a man from Syria with a slight accent.

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More than 60 million people have been displaced in recent years by conflicts throughout the Middle East, mostly Syrians.

“I chose to have him come from Syria because of all that’s going on now,” says Saba. “His mother tongue could be Arabic, but it explains why he has an accent. For an audience that needs to understand every word I’m saying, I need to be clear and articulate.”

Saba says while he is fluent in English and has performed on stage in the language, this is the first time he has the leading role in an English-language production.

“I’ve been the main character, but it was in Arabic and the cast was smaller,” he says. “It’s a big responsibility with 13 actors on stage and you’re in every scene. It’s very poetic, so you’re not just saying words, you have to be true to the words and find the right way to say them.”

The young actor is relying upon tools and techniques he is learning as part of the MFA program in the School of Fine Arts, with guidance from director Vince Tycer, a veteran theater and film director who is Visiting Artist-In-Residence with CRT.

“Everything I need to know is in the text,“ says Saba, “I just have to dig deeper. It opens different doors for you. I also use breathing through the whole line so you can deliver the thought.”

With so many prior roles as part of an ensemble cast, Saba notes that having the responsibility of the leading character brings the opportunity to fully develop the role. “I have to look at a whole character from beginning to the end and see the journey of the character. What does he want? What are his intentions; his relationships with the other characters? It’s lots of work and fun. It’s very fulfilling for an actor.”

After earning his undergraduate degree and working for two years, Saba decided to pursue a MFA degree. He learned about UConn after speaking with Gary English, Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor of Theatre in Storrs, who has worked with The Freedom Theatre, an independent Palestinian culture center in the West Bank. Initially he thought London would be his destination, but he is adjusting to life in eastern Connecticut.

“I come from a city. I’m not used to this kind of quietness and trees,” he says. “I’m glad that I’m here.”

Other students in the production include MFA acting candidates Michael Bobenhausen and Sam Kebede. BFA acting students include: Valerie Badjan ’18, Braley Degenhardt ’18, Harry Elfenbaum ’16) Vivienne James ’18, Lily Ling ’18, Kirsten Liniger ’18, Nick Nudler ’18) Gillian Pardi ’18 and Jacob Harris Wright ’18.

Behind the Scenes

Following the performance on Thursday, Nov. 5, there will be a post-show discussion with the cast and creative team about the production and process. Following the 2 p.m. matinee performance on Saturday, Nov. 7, there will be a post-show conversation with CRT artists and guest speakers titled “Migrant Voices on Our Stages and In Our State.”

The discussion will explore pressing questions about migration and citizenship, from the plight of refugees around the world to the concerns of undocumented students here at home. Guests include Professor Eleni Coundouriotis, director of the Research Program on Humanitarianism at the Human Rights Institute, and students from UConn’s Students Without Borders and the Connecticut Students with a Dream.

Anon(ymous) will be presented in the Studio Theatre from Oct. 29 through Nov. 8. Evening performances start at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and at 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Select matinee performances start at 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. The production is production is co-sponsored by the Thomas J. Dodd Research Center and the Human Rights Institute. For more information visit CRT’s website.