APRIL 7 • 2022 | 45

with the Broadway and tour 
versions in the role of Tewfiq, 
conductor of the Alexandria 
Ceremonial Police Orchestra.

ISRAELI STAR 
IN THE LEAD 
“Maybe The Band’s Visit caught 
me at a certain time in my life 
or tugged at my imagination 
because I feel attached to the 
character. I felt something 
very special and unique in the 
simplicity and humanity of all 
the characters. Anyone can 
identify within the story.”
Gabay brings a varied 
resume to the tour. His roles 
have stretched from inter-
nationally acclaimed classics 
(such as Cyrano de Bergerac 
and Who’s Afraid of Virginia 
Woolf) at the Beit Lessin 
Theatre in Tel Aviv to more 
contemporary projects (such 
as the feature film Rambo III 
and HBO’s Oslo). 
Depicting Tewfiq, he relates 
to the contradictions present-
ed in the character, someone 
affected by personal tragedy 

despite projecting the strength 
and formality of a police offi-
cer while holding the artistic 
soul of a musician.
“In order to portray the 
character, I had to learn the 
Egyptian accent,” Gabay said. 
“This was a challenge, and I 
loved it.”
Bringing a special happiness 
during the first leg of the tour, 
interrupted by the pandemic, 
was having one of his five chil-
dren in the cast. Son Adam 
(HBO’s Our Boys) was cast as 
Papi, a shy café worker.
Offstage, Gabay is happy 
that he is accompanied on 
tour by his wife, Dafna Halaf 
Gabay, an author of children’s 
books and writer for children’s 
programing in Israel. 
“I feel lucky that I’m getting 
to see America,” said Gabay, 
who reads up about each 
tour city just before appear-
ing there. “I enjoy it all more 
because my wife is with me.”
The acting team includes 
Janet Dacal (Prince of Broadway, 
Wonderland, In the Heights) in 

The Band’s Visit

continued on page 46

Itamar Moses

ANDREW ECCLES

Joe Joseph, 
Sasson Gabay, 
Janet Dacal

PHOTOS BY EVAN ZIMMERMAN, MURPHYMADE. 

The 
company of 
The Band’s 
Visit North 
American 
Tour. 

