Where is Umm Kulthum? Neukölln sings along

Fatima Çalışkan is an internationally recognized author and presenter. Right after graduating from high school, she left her grandmother’s old apartment across from a prison on the outskirts of the Ruhr region. She was the first of five siblings to complete a master’s degree in social sciences at Ruhr University Bochum.

In her artistic work, she combines in-depth research with entertainment. She writes, acts, and directs dramatic and satirical productions. Her career has taken her to theaters such as the Volksbühne am Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz, the Ballhaus Ost, and the Juliusz Słowacki Theater.

As a presenter and Talkshow-Host, she combines knowledge transfer, critical analysis, and research with entertainment for conferences, political panels, and artist talks. Her professional focus is on art and cultural policy issues, on which she writes analyses and essays for think tanks, foundations, and associations. She curates and moderates regular discussion formats throughout Germany.

Leila Ey is a rapper, freestyle artist, and promoter. She began rapping at the age of 14 and quickly developed her remarkable freestyle skills. In 2016, she founded Women’s World, a platform and community space dedicated to empowering women* by fostering growth, networking, and mutual support. Leila draws much of her inspiration from the Golden Era of 90s hip-hop, with Missy Elliott being one of her greatest role models. More recently, she started rapping over reggae riddims and discovered a new, highly danceable side to her artistry. Get ready for good vibes – Leila is a born entertainer and an exceptional freestyle talent who knows how to captivate any audience.

Yousra seamlessly blends German-language lyrics with elements of pop, jazz, soul, and her Moroccan roots. Born and raised in Berlin, she captivates audiences with her powerful voice, carried by gentle melodies and accompanied by guitars and piano. Her songs explore themes of love, farewells, and Berlin, the city that is both her home and an ever-present part of her music. Through her work, she creates a musical journey between memory, longing, and belonging.

Anica Happich, originally from Klein Oschersleben (Saxony-Anhalt), is a cultural worker active in publicly funded theatres, the independent scene, and the film industry.

In 2021, she initiated the PHOENIX Theatre Festival in Erfurt, where she supports emerging artists, actively conducts audience research, and brings the entire city to life through mobile stages and other artistic formats. For the festival, she developed the “radical K’s” – radical cooperation, co-creation, and collaboration. With this guiding principle, she advocates for interdisciplinary approaches and resource sharing. The 2024 edition of the PLATTENSTUFEN FESTSPIELE in the former East German prefabricated housing district Erfurt Rieth, which reached 2,300 people, won the Future Prize “KULTUR GESTALTEN” awarded by the Cultural Policy Society.

In 2025, Anica Happich takes over the project leadership of the programme ÜBERMORGEN at the Neuköllner Oper, exploring the needs of the local neighbourhood and developing new forms of collaboration as well as initial partnerships with residents of the Rollbergkiez.

At the start of the 2026/2027 season, Anica Happich will, together with Timofey Kulyabin, assume the position of Artistic Director for Drama at the State Theatre Cottbus.

For the Neuköllner Oper, Anica Happich is responsible for the curation and project management of the Passagen Festival WO IST UMM KULTHUM – NEUKÖLLN SINGS ALONG.

Mayan Tuulia Frank (no pronouns) is a artist specializing in stage, costume, and set design. Their interdisciplinary practice bridges theater, installation, and visual storytelling, marked by bold colors, striking textures, and surreal, often grotesque objects. Mayan’s work explores the tension between material, space, and narrative, weaving pop culture, queer aesthetics, and personal memory into vivid, exaggerated scenarios. Mayan’s approach is both conceptual and hands-on, with a focus on collaborative processes and transformative visual worlds.

Recent projects include stage designs for Volksbühne Berlin, Staatstheater Cottbus, and Theater Altenburg Gera. They have maintained a continuous creative partnership with director and dragtress Meo Wulf since Sally – Mein Leben im Drag, which was later invited to Radikal Jung. Long-standing collaborations also exist with Andrea Pinkowski, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin and Charlotte Garraway. Upcoming premieres include Der Sturm by Shakespeare (costume and stage design, directed by Pinkowski) on 16 July at Burgtheatersommer Roßlau, and Planet der Hasen (with Katharina Grosch) on 10 September at Hans Otto Theater Potsdam.

Committed to fair labor practices, Mayan is a member of the GDBA and actively networks with fellow designers, because solidarity and equality should never be just empty words.

Linda Haddad is a state-certified interpreter and translator for Arabic and German with many years of professional experience in intercultural communication. Since 2005, she has worked as a press officer, interpreter, and translator at the Embassy of the Sultanate of Oman in Berlin. In addition, she has been self-employed since 2015, providing interpreting and translation services for Berlin courts, notaries, and other clients. Her work includes interpreting at official meetings, translating complex specialist texts, and providing linguistic support for international delegations.