Syrian, Iraqi and Libyan refugees will perform their stories and journeys in Treehouse Theatre’s Suitcase Stories: Tangled Lives.

One performer is Manar, a 15-year-old girl from Iraq/Syria. She became involved with Treehouse Theatre after a friend told her it was a good experience.

“I was told it would be a good opportunity to express myself,” she said.

“Before this, I had only been part of two plays in my country.”

Manar’s family is originally from Iraq, but they moved to Syria when she was four to apply for visas to America or Australia. They ended up staying there for seven years before they were granted a visa to Australia.

Manar chose to tell the story of when rebels came to her school in Syria.

“They came in and held guns to my head,” she said.

“It was very hard coming to school the next day and seeing what they wrote on the walls and what they had destroyed.”

Manar said she found sharing her story with others therapeutic, as the teenagers could relate to each other’s experiences.

“At first, I thought my story was bad, but when I heard the others’ stories, I now consider myself lucky,” she said.

“Others have lost family members, and now I feel more comfortable with my story and feel proud for surviving.”

Manar said she especially encouraged people who aren’t refugees to come and see the show.

“We want to get the message out there, for you to understand what we have suffered,” she said.

“Please don’t judge people before you know them, you don’t know how lucky you are. It is very hard for young people to share this kind of story, I cried when I first told my story.”

The teenagers will take part in a Q and A after each performance.

Suitcase Stories: Tangled Lives will be shown on March 4 at 2.00pm and 7.00pm at the Mittagong Playhouse. Tickets are $30 for adults, $20 for seniors and concession, and $15 for students and teachers. Visit http://treehousetheatre.org.au/events/ to book.