In Al-Kasaba Theater in Ramallah, a group of actors were getting ready to go on stage. In the yellow light of lightbulbs framing the mirrors, actresses Amira Habash, Maisa Abd Elhadi and Shaden Kanboura applied makeup, painting their lips bright red and straightening their hair as they prepared to play American high-society girls in the romantic comedy "Holiday." They laugh as they hear their male counterparts singing and joking in the hall.

“I like this theme because most plays and movies are about the Palestinian cause; there is no variety in the characters we play,” said young Abd Elhadi, who plays Julia Habib, daughter of a rich Palestinian-American businessman who falls in love with an ordinary guy, Jamil Selim, who cares not about money but about enjoying life to its fullest. The spoiled rich girl then has to decide if she is willing to go against her father’s wishes and leave the high-society life to follow love.

The play is originally from the United States and was written in 1928, but the general director of Al-Kasaba Theater, George Ibrahim, altered the characters to be Palestinians to make them easier for the audience to relate to. And though the play isn’t about the Israeli occupation, the play’s themes of love and money are also relevant for Palestinians, as they are for all human beings, said Ibrahim.

“I choose plays that concern society — the next play is about women’s rights. But I thought it was time for a comedy, and maybe next a musical,” said Ibrahim, adding that naturally, politics also dominate the themes of the plays. “You cannot avoid the occupation — it’s controlling us and is present in every part of our daily details. It’s like we are married to it with no way to divorce.”