Even in a war zone, life carries on. Friends get together, babies are tended and couples make time to connect. This is certainly the case for the main characters in “THEM,” a play about Omar and Leila, a young couple living somewhere in the Middle East in a war-torn city. But as conditions worsen, Omar’s mysterious sister arrives with a way for them to escape the city. The plot-driving question is, “Can they take their freedom if it is going to cost others theirs?” Audiences will get the answer when the play premiers at Lane Community College’s Blue Door Theatre in Eugene in July and the Portland Center Stage Ellyn Bye Studio in August. 

“THEM” is Award-winning playwright Samah Sabawi’s powerful drama about war, hope and survival. Using humor, laughter and song, “THEM” transports audiences into the extraordinary circumstances that reveal their shared humanity and the ordinary moments that shape their lives. 

“Any of us could be them. Our lives, even in tragic moments, have moments of humanity and humor and love and kindness,” Sabawi said. “I wrote ‘THEM’ to bring the music, the humor and love, as well as the horrific reality of life in a war zone.” 

The play, written in 2015, was in response to the heightening anti-immigrant tensions she witnessed while living in Finland and Australia. She wanted to address an “us” and “them” dehumanizing discourse prevalent in many western liberal nations.

This production of “THEM” is directed by University of Oregon Theatre Arts Professor Malek Najjar, who was awarded the 2025 University of Oregon Presidential Fellows in Creative Arts and Humanities 2025, and the James F. Miller Artistic Development Fund for Faculty in Theatre Arts. Najjar, who is an award-winning director and scholar who focuses his artistic practice and scholarship on Arab American and Middle Eastern American Theatre, chose to produce and direct “THEM” as his response to the rising anti-immigrant, anti-Middle Eastern sentiment he has witnessed since the last US presidential election. 

“We are facing unprecedented attacks on artistic expression, academic freedom and immigrants in this country,” said Najjar. “‘THEM’ is an attempt to give value to the lives of those who are suffering in wars and conflicts that are funded and perpetuated by western powers that have turned a blind eye to the plight of millions of innocent civilians who are dying every day.”

The play features Portland-based actor Dré Slaman, and Eugene-based actors Zayne Clayton, Akash Dhruva, Manny Rojas Meza and Trevor Tarantino. Live music will be performed by “Acoustic Pilgrims,” aka Wayne and Denise Gilbertson.

“THEM” is co-produced by The University of Oregon and SPA/LCC Theatre. The touring production runs at Lane Community College’s Blue Door Theatre July 24, 25, 26, 31, and August 1 and 2 at 7:30 p.m. The show moves to Portland August 14, 15, 16, 21, 22 and 23 at the Portland Center Stage Ellyn Bye Studio at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are $30 for adults, $18 for seniors and $15 for students. The production is supported by The Very Little Theatre. There will be an ASL interpreted performances July 31. Tickets are available at https://blogs.uoregon.edu/them/. Tickets will also be sold at the door one hour before curtain at each venue.