WHAT THE FAOC IS THIS?

FAOC (Roula Said and Maryem Tollar), along with their creative collaborators, have fashioned a Christmas project that is funny, provocative, and finally, heartfelt.

Besides their musical connection, Maryem and Roula have a sister-like friendship that has sparked their uniquely hilarious comedy project FAOC (pronounced FOWK).

WHAT THE FAOC IS FAOC?

Friggin’ Arab Orchestra Company / Freakin’ Awesome Old Crones / Freaky Arabs' Outrageous Comedy.
You decide!

Facebook is filled with FOAC’s uproarious videos recorded  while taking walks throughout the pandemic.

Today, FAOC is proud to present this, their first holiday cabaret, featuring 12 incredible guest musicians.

Watch the reel to see who will be joining FAOC for this joyous ululation : https://videocab.com/beige-christmas

WHERE IN THE FAOC DID THIS IDEA COME FROM?

The seed of this one-of a kind creation is rooted in Roula’s unusual history: she’s a Palestinian Christian who immigrated to Canada at age 4 and who later married noted Jewish-American-Canadian musician/composer David Buchbinder. Among the many life lessons of this unlikely union, Roula learned that many beloved Christmas classics were written by Jewish composers and lyricists in a bid to universalize this most important (and quite Christian) holiday.

An Egyptian-Canadian musical powerhouse, Maryem grew up Muslim and so desperately wanted to have Christmas that she would take the toys she already had and wrap them herself so she could open them on Christmas Day. And she really believed in Santa!

WHO THE FAOC ARE MARYEM & ROULA?

Maryem Tollar is a renowned Egyptian-Canadian vocalist, known for her world music performances. Her voice has been heard on the theme of CBC’s Little Mosque on the Prairie and A.R. Rahman’s Bollywood hit, Mayya Mayya. In 2022-23, Maryem toured with the musical "The Cave" - libretto by Tomson Highway, music by John Millard, script by Martha Ross) and the stage adaptation by Hannah Moscovitch of the book "Fall On Your Knees" by Ann-Marie MacDonald - directed by Alisa Palmer. Tollar was the featured vocalist in Tafelmusik’s multi-media performances of “Tales of Two Cities: The Leipzig-Damascus Coffee Houses” and the narrator and vocalist in “Safe Haven”. She performed Christos Hatzis’ piece “Syn-Phonia – Migration Patterns” with The Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra and Inuit throat singer Tiffany Ayalik; and his multi-media piece “Constantinople” with The Gryphon Trio and Patricia O’Callaghan. She performs with several Toronto musical groups including: Al Qahwa (Traditional Arabic Music and Original compositions); Turkwaz (Traditional Turkish, Greek, Arabic and Balkan vocal repertoire); LuA (co-lead by Shameema Soni and Maryem Tollar - original music with influences from folk, jazz, Arabic, African, and R&B) and Tabiba (intergenerational drum and vocal women's group featuring Roula Said (Palestine/Canada), Tara Moneka (Iraq/Canada), Leen Hamo (Syria/Canada) and Maryem Tollar (Egypt/Canada). Maryem works regularly with storyteller Dawne McFarlane, adding music and sounds to her stories. Maryem was awarded the inaugural 2019 Johanna Metcalf Prize for Performing Arts.

Roula Said is a multi-faceted artist and Palestinian human based in Toronto. As an actor, Roula has appeared in Suvendreni Lena’s play Rubble, Ruba Nadda’s film Sabah, and most recently in Rimah Jabr’s short film De-Clutter, screened at this year’s Toronto Palestine Film Festival. 

As a musician, Roula sings traditional Arabic songs and originals created from her Sufi-inspired poems and the poetry of Palestine. She was vocalist for the Juno nominated world music band, Nomadica, co-lead by trumpeter/composer, David Buchbinder. She currently leads the intergenerational Arabic womens ensemble Tabiba, featuring Maryem Tollar (Egypt/Canada), Leen Hamo (Syria/Canada) and Tara Moneka (Egypt/Canada). 

As a movement artist, Roula is an eternal student of Arab dance and Sufi-style whirling. She is also a member of Wild Soma along with dancers/choreographers Andrea Nann, Julia Aplin and Shannon Litzenberger. Wild Soma researches and explores embodiment as a world-making practice through workshops and retreats that foster attunement to self, community and the natural world in service of collective thriving.

Deeply interested in ceremony and meaningful transitions, Reverend Roula also works (a lot!) as a wedding officiant and supports families at the end of life as a death doula.

www.roulasaid.com