Keegan’s final performance of A Man for All Seasons, on May 19, was dedicated to the memory of Reema Samaha, a talented young woman and former Westfield High School Theatre student who died on April 16 at Virginia Tech.
Along with everyone else in the nation, Keegan was saddened by the horrific news and events that unfolded at Virginia Tech last month. When the company later learned that one of the victims, Reema Samaha, was a Westfield Theatre alumna they were moved to do something special in her memory.
Over the past few seasons, The Keegan Theatre has had a mutually beneficial relationship with Westfield High School Theatre. Scott Pafumi, Theatre Arts Director at Westfield, has brought groups of students to see Keegan productions, and Keegan casts and crews have held ’talk-back’ sessions with Westfield students following the performances they attended.
Last summer Keegan’s production of Picasso at the Lapin Agile was directed by Pafumi and featured Keegan company members working alongside Westfield students on the stage as well as in technical positions behind the scenes. Other former Westfield Theatre students have worked on other Keegan productions as well.
The company dedicated its final performance on May 19 of A Man for All Seasons to the memory of Reema Samaha, and 50% of what is taken in at the box office that night will be donated to a scholarship fund that has been set up in her name by Westfield High School Theatre Boosters.
Reema Joseph Samaha
Reema Joseph Samaha was the youngest of three children born to Joseph and Mona Samaha of Centreville, Virginia. Reema resided in Centreville for her entire life, but she truly was a citizen of the world. She embraced her Lebanese heritage; she was an active member of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church; she traveled to the Middle East; and she studied the languages and cultures of that part of the world. At Virginia Tech, she intended to minor in French and International Studies, and she was a member of the Cedars of Lebanon Club.
Family came first to Reema. She had an exceptionally warm and close relationship with her parents. She adored her older brother, Omar, who preceded her to Virginia Tech. Sister Randa, a third-year student at the University of Virginia, was her counterpart. They shared friends, traveled together, and visited one another at their respective schools. Reema also loved spending time with her beloved grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Friendships also were important to Reema. She maintained lifelong friendships with a diverse group of people, who were drawn to her openness, cheerfulness, creativity, and wit. During her childhood, Reema particularly enjoyed performing in comical video productions with her many neighborhood friends. She shared her family’s passion for soccer, and was named to three youth soccer all-star teams. She also began enjoying Tae Kwon Do.
As Reema matured, she pursued her passions for dance and theatre. She performed on the Westfield High School dance team; she was a Cappies critics’ choice as the featured dancer in Westfield’s award-winning production of Fiddler on the Roof; and she belly-danced her way to victory in the school’s talent show. Reema also was a member of Westfield’s Improvisation Group, she earned rave reviews for her hilarious performance as the lead in Westfield’s production of Arsenic and Old Lace, and she appeared in the school’s production of Oklahoma. At Virginia Tech, she was a member of the Contemporary Dance Ensemble and the Hill and Veil Middle Eastern Dance Group.
Reema blended her joy of life with seriousness of mind. She graduated summa cum laude from Westfield, where she was a member of the National, French, and Science Honor Societies and a Thespian. Reema sported a 4.0 GPA at Virginia Tech and intended to major in Urban Planning.
Reema’s family is establishing a perpetual fund in her name to support students demonstrating outstanding abilities in dance or theatre, excellent academic performance, and love of people and life.
Remembering Reema
“Reema brought light and joy to our lives. Grief may dim that light and dull that joy for now, but the strength of her spirit lives on in our memories, our hearts, and our souls. Every life she touched was changed for the better. She had it all: beauty, talent, a kindness of heart and an exuberance of spirit that inspired those around her. And she was funny! She was hilarious as “Spanish Chica” in the Senior Cabaret and as Martha Brewster in Arsenic and Old Lace.
But it was Reema’s dancing that was transcendent - a physical manifestation of a joy that lived deep within her being. It was so much a part of who she was. And we are all blessed because she shared that part of herself with us. Not even a beard and baggy men’s clothing (Fiddler on the Roof) could disguise her beauty when she was performing to her Heart’s content.
Reema Samaha, thank you for all you’ve given us. You are forever in our Hearts.”
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For those who were unable to attend Keegan’s May 19 performance, but would still like to make a donation to the ‘Reema Samaha Theatre Scholarship Fund’, checks can be made out and sent to:
Westfield High School Theatre Boosters
4700 Stonecroft Boulevard
Chantilly, VA 20151
Please put “Reema Samaha/Keegan” on the memo line of the check.
Westfield Theatre Boosters is a 501(c)3 corporation; all donations are tax-deductible.
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