PHOTO CREDIT: Above photo by John Rickman Photography, San Jose, California.

This advertisement publicizes Badia Masabni and Beba Ezz el-Din's newly formed theater company, featuring dancer Hoda Shams el-Din as a secondary act.

Interestingly, it states quite clearly that the artists (i.e. dancers, singers, actors, etc.) are forbidden to sit or mingle with the patrons, to drink with them, or even to open bottles for them. The ad doesn't have a date on it, but because it mentions the Casino Opera, it would have appeared in the 1940's. Badia Masabni opened the Casino Opera in 1940, and sold it in 1950 when she left Egypt.

Click on the image below to see the advertisement in more detail.

At the Very Top in the Circle on the Right

Tomorrow at 9:30 p.m.

In the Black Rectangle at the Top

Grand Debut of Badia and Beba's Troupe. At the theater of Casino Badia in Opera [Square] Telephone 49356

Caption Under the Tall Right Side Picture

Badia Masabni With Her Wonderful Art

Under the Tall Left Side Picture

Beba Ezz El Din with her Magical Beauty

Captions Under the Small Square Pictures

Top Row on the Left

Cinema Star Soad Mekawy

Small Square Picture of the Man Next to Her:

The Romantic Singer Karem Mahmoud

Small Square Picture Bottom Left

The Beautiful Dancer Hoda Shams el-Din

Small Square Picture Bottom Right

The Master of Comedians Mohamed El Genady

In the White Rectangle on the Right

• The Show, Ghezlan El Sahara, written and performed by the singer Mohamed Suleiman with his co-star, comedian Soad Mekawy
• "From Window To Balcony" Dance, lyrics by Ustaz Mohamed Ismael and composed by Ustaz Ali Farag.
• Coming soon and for the first time in Egyptian theaters... The Arabic singer and movie Star, Kahraman
• The singer Ensaf Mounir Ahmed, The Medeni Trio

In the Black Circle at the Bottom

• The Director of this program is Ustaz Ahmed Abdel Halim
• Sundays and Fridays, Matinee beginning at 6:30 p.m.
• The Management has decided to no longer permit the sitting of the artists with the public in the sala and to absolutely not permit the opening [of bottles of liquor with the artists]
• You can eat the most delicious food at the Casino Opera Restaurant. The Manager [of the restaurant] is Mahfouz Azouz El 3ashi.

• Articles and Advertisements Featuring Badia Masabni and Her Businesses. An index to other resources on this web site.

• Articles and Advertisements Featuring Beba Ezz el-Din and Her Businesses. An index to other resources on this web site about Beba.

Priscilla is a dancer of Lebanese heritage who enjoys researching the Golden Era of Egyptian dance. She owns a collection of more than one hundred classic black and white Egyptian films which is continually expanding.

Priscilla has also gathered a large library of dance related articles and clippings from Middle Eastern magazines and newspapers, many of which she has translated from the original Arabic to both English and Spanish.

Priscilla currently resides in Central America where she is a dance instructor.