[NEohioPAL]CHARENTON pre-show article: Both Sides of the Family
Jacqiloewy at aol.com
Jacqiloewy at aol.com
Tue Dec 26 05:52:30 PST 2006
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=20
=E2=80=98Both Sides of the Family'=20
BY: SUSAN H.KAHN, Assistant Editor=20
New play offers funny, moving look at challenges of interfaith families =20
December is undoubtedly the month most fraught with stress for interfaith=20
families.=20
With the confluence of Chanukah and Christmas, questions of belief,=20
tradition and identity loom large. Particularly for parents of young childr=
en,=20
acknowledging Jewish and Christian rituals in a sensible and sensitive mann=
er can=20
be a challenge.=20
=E2=80=9CBoth Sides of the Family,=E2=80=9D a new play by Maryann Elder Gol=
dstein and=20
presented by Charenton Theater Company, offers a funny, moving look at the=20
spiritual journey of two adults involved in interfaith parenting. The first=
in a=20
series dubbed Charenton Shorts, the one-hour play takes the form of interwo=
ven=20
monologues by two unnamed characters who are unrelated to each other.=20
=E2=80=9CShe,=E2=80=9D a gentile, is married to a Jew and has no interest i=
n converting.=20
Nonetheless, she is raising their 8-year-old daughter Jewish.=20
=E2=80=9CHe=E2=80=9D is a secular Jew who is married for the second time. H=
e has a=20
13-year-old son from his first, Jewish marriage, but his son from his curre=
nt=20
interfaith marriage is being raised Christian.=20
The play begins in a light vein. =E2=80=9CShe=E2=80=9D is preparing for Sha=
bbat and=20
explaining the traditions she's learned as well as the idiosyncrasies of Je=
wish=20
cooking.=20
=E2=80=9CWe cover the challah because the blessing of the wine comes before=
the=20
blessing of the bread, and we don't want an insult to occur,=E2=80=9D she s=
ays,=20
deadpanning, =E2=80=9CApparently, Jews like to be considerate of the baked=20=
goods.=E2=80=9D=20
Her bemused reflections soon yield to those of the man's. With delicious=20
detail, he describes a conversation he had with his father at the local del=
i, in=20
which he seeks more information about his family's history. Underlying a=20
gentle joke about the clan's =E2=80=9Caristocratic=E2=80=9D nose, real ques=
tions of identity=20
emerge.=20
In contrapuntal ruminations, the pair explores a variety of subjects -=20
kashrut, Shabbat observance, anti-Semitism and, of course, their angst surr=
ounding=20
the celebration of Chanukah and Christmas. Through observations that are, b=
y=20
turns, serious, wry, painful and poignant, they struggle to define what it=20
means to be Jewish.=20
The play culminates with each describing a trip to Israel, an event which=20
raises important issues and ultimately helps each character answer the cent=
ral=20
question: What makes a family? Music by well-known local Jewish=20
folksinger/songwriter Noah Budin frames the play.=20
=E2=80=9CBoth Sides of the Family=E2=80=9D was the outgrowth of an earlier,=
one-woman piece=20
Goldstein wrote for a writing course she was taking from local playwright=20
Sarah Morton. Goldstein's classmates included Jacqi Loewy, a well-respected=
=20
local theater artist with numerous directing credits, and Jeff Grover, a=20
Cleveland Heights businessman whose avocation is theater.=20
=E2=80=9CThe common wisdom is =E2=80=98write what you know,' so the play is=
largely=20
autobiographical,=E2=80=9D says Goldstein who, like her protagonist, is a n=
on-Jew. She and=20
her Jewish husband of 10 years live in Gates Mills and send their daughter=20=
to=20
Gross Schechter Day School.=20
Loewy, herself the product of an interfaith home, was immediately taken wit=
h=20
the play. =E2=80=9CIn class, we were advised that characters must =E2=80=
=98earn the right'=20
to tell their stories,=E2=80=9D she says. =E2=80=9CThis character was so st=
rong and=20
dramatically interesting, she deserved to have her say.=E2=80=9D=20
The veteran director's instincts proved sound. Goldstein's solo show (which=
,=20
in the original version, presented only the female character's experiences)=
=20
garnered an enthusiastic response when she performed it at a small benefit.=
=20
Then Loewy, artistic director of Charenton Theater Company, offered to=20
collaborate with her to expand the piece. She suggested juxtaposing Goldste=
in's=20
experience with material drawn from Grover's life. Like the male character=20=
Grover=20
is a twice-married Jewish father with both Jewish and non-Jewish children.=
=20
=E2=80=9CThis story resonated with me,=E2=80=9D he says. =E2=80=9CThe play =20=
touches on things you=20
normally don't talk about; it examines how your own early experiences color=
=20
your behavior with your children.=E2=80=9D=20
Grover, who experienced varying reactions from his own family concerning hi=
s=20
interfaith marriage, says he welcomes contributing to and performing in=20=
=E2=80=9C
Both Sides of the Family.=E2=80=9D=20
=E2=80=9CThis was an opportunity to work together where we could influence=20=
someone's=20
point of view,=E2=80=9D he says. =E2=80=9CWhat better way to voice some thi=
ngs that usually=20
don't get spoken?=E2=80=9D=20
=E2=80=9CBoth Sides of the Family=E2=80=9D will be performed at Gallery 324=
at the=20
Galleria, St. Clair between E. 9th and E. 12th Streets, on Dec. 27, 28 and=20=
Jan. 3-6=20
at 8 p.m. and Sun., Jan. 7, at 2 p.m. Free but seating is limited so arrive=
=20
early. Call 216-469-9160 or visit _http://www.charenton.org_=20
(http://www.charenton.org/) .=20
_skahn at cjn.org_ (mailto:skahn at cjn.org) =20
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<TD align=3Dleft>
<P>
<P><SPAN class=3Dheadline>=E2=80=98Both Sides of the Family'</SPAN></P=
>
<P></P>
<P><SPAN class=3Dbyline>BY: SUSAN H.KAHN, Assistant Editor</SPAN></P>
<P>
<P><SPAN class=3Dcontent><I>New play offers funny, moving look at chal=
lenges=20
of interfaith families </I></SPAN></P>
<P></P>
<P>
<P><SPAN class=3Dcontent>December is undoubtedly the month most fraugh=
t with=20
stress for interfaith families. <BR></SPAN></P>
<P></P>
<P>
<P><SPAN class=3Dcontent>With the confluence of Chanukah and Christmas=
,=20
questions of belief, tradition and identity loom large. Particularly f=
or=20
parents of young children, acknowledging Jewish and Christian rituals=20=
in a=20
sensible and sensitive manner can be a challenge.</SPAN></P>
<P></P>
<P>
<P><SPAN class=3Dcontent>=E2=80=9CBoth Sides of the Family,=E2=80=9D a=
new play by Maryann=20
Elder Goldstein and presented by Charenton Theater Company, offers a=20
funny, moving look at the spiritual journey of two adults involved in=20
interfaith parenting. The first in a series dubbed Charenton Shorts, t=
he=20
one-hour play takes the form of interwoven monologues by two unnamed=20
characters who are unrelated to each other.</SPAN></P>
<P></P>
<P>
<P><SPAN class=3Dcontent>=E2=80=9CShe,=E2=80=9D a gentile, is married=20=
to a Jew and has no=20
interest in converting. Nonetheless, she is raising their 8-year-old=20
daughter Jewish.</SPAN></P>
<P></P>
<P>
<P><SPAN class=3Dcontent>=E2=80=9CHe=E2=80=9D is a secular Jew who is=20=
married for the second=20
time. He has a 13-year-old son from his first, Jewish marriage, but hi=
s=20
son from his current interfaith marriage is being raised=20
Christian.</SPAN></P>
<P></P>
<P>
<P><SPAN class=3Dcontent>The play begins in a light vein. =E2=80=9CShe=
=E2=80=9D is preparing=20
for Shabbat and explaining the traditions she's learned as well as the=
=20
idiosyncrasies of Jewish cooking.</SPAN></P>
<P></P>
<P>
<P><SPAN class=3Dcontent>=E2=80=9CWe cover the challah because the ble=
ssing of the=20
wine comes before the blessing of the bread, and we don't want an insu=
lt=20
to occur,=E2=80=9D she says, deadpanning, =E2=80=9CApparently, Jews li=
ke to be considerate=20
of the baked goods.=E2=80=9D</SPAN></P>
<P></P>
<P>
<P><SPAN class=3Dcontent>Her bemused reflections soon yield to those o=
f the=20
man's. With delicious detail, he describes a conversation he had with=20=
his=20
father at the local deli, in which he seeks more information about his=
=20
family's history. Underlying a gentle joke about the clan's =E2=80=9Ca=
ristocratic=E2=80=9D=20
nose, real questions of identity emerge.</SPAN></P>
<P></P>
<P>
<P><SPAN class=3Dcontent>In contrapuntal ruminations, the pair explore=
s a=20
variety of subjects - kashrut, Shabbat observance, anti-Semitism and,=20=
of=20
course, their angst surrounding the celebration of Chanukah and Christ=
mas.=20
Through observations that are, by turns, serious, wry, painful and=20
poignant, they struggle to define what it means to be Jewish.</SPAN></=
P>
<P></P>
<P>
<P><SPAN class=3Dcontent>The play culminates with each describing a tr=
ip to=20
Israel, an event which raises important issues and ultimately helps ea=
ch=20
character answer the central question: What makes a family? Music by=20
well-known local Jewish folksinger/songwriter Noah Budin frames the=20
play.</SPAN></P>
<P></P>
<P>
<P><SPAN class=3Dcontent>=E2=80=9CBoth Sides of the Family=E2=80=9D wa=
s the outgrowth of an=20
earlier, one-woman piece Goldstein wrote for a writing course she was=20
taking from local playwright Sarah Morton. Goldstein's classmates incl=
uded=20
Jacqi Loewy, a well-respected local theater artist with numerous direc=
ting=20
credits, and Jeff Grover, a Cleveland Heights businessman whose avocat=
ion=20
is theater.</SPAN></P>
<P></P>
<P>
<P><SPAN class=3Dcontent>=E2=80=9CThe common wisdom is =E2=80=98write=20=
what you know,' so the=20
play is largely autobiographical,=E2=80=9D says Goldstein who, like he=
r=20
protagonist, is a non-Jew. She and her Jewish husband of 10 years live=
in=20
Gates Mills and send their daughter to Gross Schechter Day=20
School.</SPAN></P>
<P></P>
<P>
<P><SPAN class=3Dcontent>Loewy, herself the product of an interfaith h=
ome,=20
was immediately taken with the play. =E2=80=9CIn class, we were advise=
d that=20
characters must =E2=80=98earn the right' to tell their stories,=E2=80=
=9D she says. =E2=80=9CThis=20
character was so strong and dramatically interesting, she deserved to=20=
have=20
her say.=E2=80=9D</SPAN></P>
<P></P>
<P>
<P><SPAN class=3Dcontent>The veteran director's instincts proved sound=
.=20
Goldstein's solo show (which, in the original version, presented only=20=
the=20
female character's experiences) garnered an enthusiastic response when=
she=20
performed it at a small benefit. Then Loewy, artistic director of=20
Charenton Theater Company, offered to collaborate with her to expand t=
he=20
piece. She suggested juxtaposing Goldstein's experience with material=20
drawn from Grover's life. Like the male character Grover is a=20
twice-married Jewish father with both Jewish and non-Jewish=20
children.</SPAN></P>
<P></P>
<P>
<P><SPAN class=3Dcontent>=E2=80=9CThis story resonated with me,=E2=80=
=9D he says. =E2=80=9CThe play=20
touches on things you normally don't talk about; it examines how your=20=
own=20
early experiences color your behavior with your children.=E2=80=9D</SP=
AN></P>
<P></P>
<P>
<P><SPAN class=3Dcontent>Grover, who experienced varying reactions fro=
m his=20
own family concerning his interfaith marriage, says he welcomes=20
contributing to and performing in =E2=80=9CBoth Sides of the Family.=
=E2=80=9D</SPAN></P>
<P></P>
<P>
<P><SPAN class=3Dcontent>=E2=80=9CThis was an opportunity to work toge=
ther where we=20
could influence someone's point of view,=E2=80=9D he says. =E2=80=9CWh=
at better way to=20
voice some things that usually don't get spoken?=E2=80=9D</SPAN></P>
<P></P>
<P>
<P><SPAN class=3Dcontent><I>=E2=80=9CBoth Sides of the Family=E2=80=
=9D will be performed at=20
Gallery 324 at the Galleria, St. Clair between E. 9th and E. 12th Stre=
ets,=20
on Dec. 27, 28 and Jan. 3-6 at 8 p.m. and Sun., Jan. 7, at 2 p.m. Free=
but=20
seating is limited so arrive early. Call 216-469-9160 or visit <A=20
href=3D"http://www.charenton.org/"=20
target=3D_blank>http://www.charenton.org</A>.</I></SPAN></P>
<P></P>
<P>
<P><SPAN class=3Dcontent><A=20
href=3D"mailto:skahn at cjn.org">skahn at cjn.org</A></SPAN></P>
<P></P>
<P></P></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></CENTER></DIV></FONT></FONT></BODY><=
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