Since its inception in 1917, 99 plays have received the penultimate Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The category includes musicals and only a few comedies. But the judges were taken with Lanford Wilson’s quiet, funny, yet powerful Talley’s Folly awarding it the 1980 Pulitzer. At first glance, it’s a simple story of a man who loves […]
Anna Ziegler’s Actually, a provocative counterpoint to the issue of sexual consent
Anna Ziegler’s (Photograph 51) new two-person play Actually sets out as an intimate exploration of one of our society’s most taboo, yet timely, topics—sexual consent among two young people in an age where dating has become synonymous with sex.
‘Actually’ may change how you see the next “he said/she said” case
Reading the description of Anna Ziegler’s thought-provoking play, Actually, it’s easy to think the story was ripped right from today’s headlines. After all, the plot follows two freshmen at Princeton University whose connection seems innocent enough, until suddenly their casual “hook up” is being argued in a Title IX hearing.
Review: The Pianist of Willesden Lane, a mother’s story told by her daughter through words and music
Mona Golabek has adapted The Pianist of Willesden Lane from her book The Children of Willesden Lane, written with Lee Cohen and performs it alone on stage. Golabek’s presence as she recalls the life of her mother, Lisa Jura, is warm, inviting, and easy-going.
Worst mistake made at casting calls and other audition tips from longtime casting director Naomi Robin
Last year, I spoke with Naomi Robin (as she was leaving her longtime gig as Casting Director at Theater J) about her time there and about her career more broadly. I also asked her about the perspective of the Casting Director and what tips she might have for auditioning actors. That part of the conversation […]
Review: Trayf at Theater J
Two 19-year-old Yeshiva students set out on a mission to support less-dedicated Jews on the streets of New York, but their faith and friendship are tested in the world premiere of Lindsay Joelle’s Trayf. Theater J gives the new work an outstanding production that reveals Joelle as a playwright of great skill and promise.
Review: Against a backdrop of a medical scandal, Theater J’s Roz and Ray is surprisingly uplifting
With a bare set and only two seen characters, Roz and Ray draws your focus to the weight of words between people. This intimate production, directed by Adam Immerwahr, Artistic Director of Theater J, wastes no time or aesthetics on distracting you from stark realities under harsh hospital lighting. Instead, it hurtles headlong through 11 […]
Look for Theater J’s next season on 4 familiar stages around town
Theater J will be all around town during the 2018-2019 theater season, as the Edlavitch DCJCC makes significant renovations to its digs on 16th Street. While the Jewish Cultural Center will be building a better box office and making improvements to accessibility, among other renovations, Theater J will be staging productions at Arena Stage, the […]
Becoming Dr. Ruth at Theater J (review)
Dr. Ruth. Nearly everybody knows her iconic look, sound and effervescent spirit. Little did we know, however, about the marriages that didn’t work, early professional hardships, experience working in a kibbutz in Jerusalem, and unspeakable loss. Some of us at a certain age can’t help but grin at the memories of our first encounters with […]
What Naomi Jacobson is uncovering in her first solo show, Becoming Dr. Ruth
Dr. Ruth Westheimer is a beloved ’80s icon. The tiny, yet big-opinioned sex therapist was a fixture on late night talk shows and the radio throughout the decade, and even fronted several of her own shows dealing with sex and relationships in a candid and funny manner.
Everything Is Illuminated at Theater J (review)
Brilliant ideas are charming on paper. They coax professors to smile and experts to furiously nod in agreement. Ideas that you think, when executed, would fly without a falter. But brilliant ideas can lose their luster when we concretize them.
Readings with chutzpah: Theater J’s new Yiddish Theater Lab
DC Theatre Scene sat down with Artistic Director Adam Immerwahr to discuss Theater J’s newest venture, the Yiddish Theater Lab, which will revive nearly-forgotten Yiddish classics and reimagine them into English for a contemporary audience.