

The Horse of Jenin 5/14 Gathering and Screening
PlayCo warmly invites you to join us in celebrating and uplifting Palestinian artistry at the closing screening of The Horse of Jenin, written and performed by Alaa Shehada.
Pre-Screening Community Gathering
6:15–7:30 PM
80 Fifth Avenue, Suite 908, NY 10011
The gathering will include light appetizers and refreshments from Tarek Daka, owner of Qanoon, along with a welcome and select songs by Fouad Dakwar from his Palestinian pop-punk, dark comedy musical Fouad of Nazareth.
Around 7:30pm, we’ll all head over to Cinema Village (a 4 min walk away from our pre-show location) to get settled and attend the screening of The Horse of Jenin, including a welcome from creator Alaa Shehada, calling in virtually from Amsterdam at 8pm.
The Horse of Jenin
8–9:30 PM
Cinema Village, 22 E 12th St, NY 10003
"The horse in Arabic is a symbol of freedom. But to us, this horse is much more. This horse is us.”
Built from the debris of a major invasion, the Horse of Jenin sculpture became a constant presence in Alaa’s life growing up in Occupied Palestine. It stood proudly in the center of the city for twenty years, symbolizing hope and resistance.
Then, on October 29, 2023, an Israeli bulldozer entered the city, ripping the sculpture from its place — and from its people. Now, Alaa is left wondering… What happened to the horse?
Fresh from an acclaimed run at the 2025 Edinburgh Fringe Festival and combining storytelling, mask, and stand-up comedy, The Horse of Jenin is constructed from the fragments of Palestinian actor and comedian Alaa Shehada’s own memories and stands as an ode to the power of imagination and the resilience it brings.