The women’s majlis: A great story told in New York

How is a great story told? How does a great storyteller make the story so unforgettable that it remains etched in people’s minds? What's the secret behind telling a great story?

These were the questions going through my mind as I opened my laptop to search for tickets to see my first Broadway show. After some research, I chose seats in the middle section at the end of a row. I printed them out, put them in my coat pocket and headed out into the streets of New York, a city that has a kind of magic about it at night. Times Square sparkles as if a million stars have descended on it.

On a recent visit to Orlando, Florida, a cab driver from New York told me that his city is busy, and when you go there, you only ask a New Yorker one question, because they don't have the time to answer a second one.

People arrived at the theatre in big groups. While I was standing among this theatrical maze, again I wondered what makes someone a great storyteller – not in the sense of being the author of a best-selling book, but a Broadway story­teller. I was about to find out.

It was a cold night in New York – the sign flashed and lit up with Aladdin scribbled across it in gold lettering on a bright purple background. The line was so long, we joined it out on the pavement. My first thought as I walked into the theatre was that it looked like it was from the past.

Turns out my instincts were right: the New Amsterdam Theatre was built during the 1900s, and it's still beautiful. I was transported back in time – the tapestries, seats and boxes all felt surreal. I found my seat, and sat waiting for the show to begin. I was so excited that I was already on the edge of my seat.

The lights dimmed, sand dunes appeared at the back of the stage, and Arabian Nights started playing. Immediately, I was whisked away from the theatre into the world of Aladdin. The Genie appeared decked out in a bright, colourful costume, cracking jokes and singing amazingly.

The dancers were always smiling and in perfect sync. The props were gorgeously and elegantly constructed, which helped set the mood for the city of Agrabah. The show was alive, bursting with colour and song.

As the lights came back on at the end of the show, I felt hazy – for the past two hours, I was in another world. I was so taken by this show that I forgot I was sitting in a Broadway theatre. Broadway had brought a story to life in a magical way worth waiting in line for.

Now I know what a great story is, and that a great storyteller is someone who puts in a touch of magic, passion and a whole load of hard work to bring a story to life.

Mariam Al Qubaisi is a journalism student at Zayed University.

If you have a good story to tell or an interesting issue to debate, contact Melinda Healy on mhealy@thenational.ae.