Ray Khalife, the eldest of seven siblings, was born in a small port city on the Mediterranean Sea in Byblos, Lebanon, in 1949. His father, a former monk, was unexpectedly separated from his family as an infant during their journey from Brazil to Ellis Island, New York, and he grew up in Lebanon. He passed away when Ray was only nine years old, forcing Ray to spend his youth working odd jobs to support his family. In 1970, Ray formed 'The Phoenician Theatre Group' to pursue his passion for the arts. He wrote and staged five plays in collaboration with a number of local...more
