An excerpt of a review of Dov and Ali in “The Pittsfield Gazette,” a Berkshires newspaper:

“The women are the most interesting characters here, both impacted by their male counterparts’ struggle to decide whether to be true to their faiths or to be what Ali describes as ‘a halfway person.’ As Sameh, Lipica Shah is an enticing narrator. She also emerges as the most human person, overcoming the sometimes stiff dialogue.”

(To read the whole review click HERE)

When I first came back from Chester, I walked out of Grand Central and into the heat, noise, and life that is New York. I’ll admit it – after more than four years living in this city, it was jarring to suddenly “come back.” Where Chester has birds singing in trees and the smell of fresh air and the sense of community that comes with living in a small town, New York has pigeons swooping dangerously close to one’s face, the smell of garbage lining the streets, and the sense of being just one of oh-so-many. Jarring is an understatement.

But at the same time, living and working in this city is a privilege. One’s senses are constantly stimulated – creation is on every street corner, in every subway stop, atop every tall building. As an actor, it’s impossible not to feel inspired by the ever-changing environment. As an actor, I sometimes feel useless when I’m not using the city’s gifts.

Dov and Ali was such an amazing opportunity, and I find myself itching now to move on to the next project – to be able to, as an acting teacher once told me, put my environment to use.