[NEohioPAL]Charenton's last week of BOTH SIDES
Jacqiloewy at aol.com
Jacqiloewy at aol.com
Tue Jan 2 12:53:28 PST 2007
-------------------------------1167771207
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Wed - Sat @ 8pm, Sunday at 2 - call or email me if you know you are coming=20
and I will save seats until 15 minutes before curtain. Friday and Saturday=20
almost full. Happy New Year!
Jacqi
=20
=20
CHARENTON THEATER COMPANY and GALLERY 324 present
=20
=20
=20
Both Sides of the Family
a new play by Maryann Elder Goldstein
additional material by Jeffrey Grover
direction and dramaturgical support by Jacqi Loewy
musical support by Noah Budin
=20
Gallery 324 @ The Galleria
St. Clair between E. 9th and E. 12th (parking garage on Lakeside near 9th)
December 27, 28. January 3 - 6 @ 8pm. =20
Sunday, January 7 @ 2pm
=20
CAST: SHE ..... Maryann Elder Goldstein HE ..... Jeffrey=20
Grover
=20
Performances are free, but seating is limited so arrive early.
For more info call 216-469-9160 or go to _www.charenton.org_=20
(http://www.charenton.org/) =20
This is the first in a series of one-hour long plays produced as CHARENTON=20
shorts.
=20
=20
Both Sides of the Family
This funny, spiritual and moving journey of interfaith parenting, childhood=
=20
and marriage is sponsored in part by the Cleveland Jewish News. "She" is=20
raising a Jewish daughter for her Jewish husband, although she is not inter=
ested=20
in converting. "He" is the child of two Jewish parents and the father of=20
two families, one Jewish and one Christian. Follow their journeys as they=20
weave, unravel and reflect on the diversity that is their lives. =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 quest=
ions 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 str=
ong 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/) .
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<DIV><STRONG>Wed - Sat @ 8pm, Sunday at 2</STRONG> - call or email me if you=
=20
know you are coming and I will save seats until 15 minutes before=20
curtain. Friday and Saturday almost full. Happy New Year!</DIV>
<DIV>Jacqi</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D4>CHARENTON THEATER COMPANY and GALLERY 324=20
present</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT size=3D5>Both Sides of the Family</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D3>a new play by Maryann Elder Goldstein</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D3>additional material by Jeffrey Grover</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D4><FONT size=3D3>direction and dramaturgical support=20=
by=20
Jacqi</FONT> </FONT><FONT size=3D3>Loewy</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D3>musical support by Noah Budin</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT size=3D3>Gallery 324 @ The Galleria</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D3>St. Clair between E. 9th and E. 12th (parking garage on=20
Lakeside near 9th)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT size=3D3>December 27, 28. January 3 - 6 @ 8pm. =
;=20
</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT size=3D3>Sunday, January 7 @ 2pm</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG>CAST: SHE .....=20
Maryann Elder Goldstein HE ..=
...=20
Jeffrey Grover</STRONG></DIV>
<DIV>  =
; </DIV>
<DIV>Performances are free, but seating is limited so arrive early.</DIV>
<DIV>For more info call 216-469-9160 or go to <A title=3Dhttp://www.charento=
n.org/=20
href=3D"http://www.charenton.org/">www.charenton.org</A> </DIV>
<DIV>This is the first in a series of one-hour long plays produced as=20
<STRONG>CHARENTON shorts</STRONG>.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D4><STRONG>Both Sides of the Family</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV>This funny, spiritual and moving journey of interfaith parent=
ing,=20
childhood and marriage is sponsored in part by the Cleveland Jewish News.&nb=
sp;=20
"She" is raising a Jewish daughter for her Jewish husband, although she is n=
ot=20
interested in converting. "He" is the child of two Jewish parents and=20=
the=20
father of two families, one Jewish and one Christian. Follow their=20
journeys as they weave, unravel and reflect on the diversity that is their=20
lives. </DIV></DIV></DIV>
<P><SPAN class=3Dheadline></SPAN> </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 challenges=
of=20
interfaith families </I></SPAN></P>
<P></P>
<P>
<P><SPAN class=3Dcontent>December is undoubtedly the month most fraught with=
=20
stress for interfaith families. <BR></SPAN></P>
<P></P>
<P>
<P><SPAN class=3Dcontent>With the confluence of Chanukah and Christmas, ques=
tions=20
of belief, tradition and identity loom large. Particularly for parents of yo=
ung=20
children, acknowledging Jewish and Christian rituals in a sensible and sensi=
tive=20
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 p=
lay by Maryann Elder=20
Goldstein and presented by Charenton Theater Company, offers a funny, moving=
=20
look at the spiritual journey of two adults involved in interfaith parenting=
.=20
The first in a series dubbed Charenton Shorts, the one-hour play takes the f=
orm=20
of interwoven monologues by two unnamed characters who are unrelated to each=
=20
other.</SPAN></P>
<P></P>
<P>
<P><SPAN class=3Dcontent>=E2=80=9CShe,=E2=80=9D a gentile, is married to a J=
ew and has no interest=20
in converting. Nonetheless, she is raising their 8-year-old daughter=20
Jewish.</SPAN></P>
<P></P>
<P>
<P><SPAN class=3Dcontent>=E2=80=9CHe=E2=80=9D is a secular Jew who is marrie=
d for the second time.=20
He has a 13-year-old son from his first, Jewish marriage, but his son from h=
is=20
current interfaith marriage is being raised 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 for=20
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 blessing=20=
of the wine=20
comes before the blessing of the bread, and we don't want an insult to occur=
,=E2=80=9D=20
she says, deadpanning, =E2=80=9CApparently, Jews like to be considerate of t=
he baked=20
goods.=E2=80=9D</SPAN></P>
<P></P>
<P>
<P><SPAN class=3Dcontent>Her bemused reflections soon yield to those of the=20=
man's.=20
With delicious detail, he describes a conversation he had with his father at=
the=20
local deli, in which he seeks more information about his family's history.=20
Underlying a gentle joke about the clan's =E2=80=9Caristocratic=E2=80=9D nos=
e, real questions of=20
identity emerge.</SPAN></P>
<P></P>
<P>
<P><SPAN class=3Dcontent>In contrapuntal ruminations, the pair explores a va=
riety=20
of subjects - kashrut, Shabbat observance, anti-Semitism and, of course, the=
ir=20
angst surrounding the celebration of Chanukah and Christmas. Through=20
observations that are, by turns, serious, wry, painful and poignant, they=20
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 trip to=20
Israel, an event which raises important issues and ultimately helps each=20
character answer the central question: What makes a family? Music by well-kn=
own=20
local Jewish folksinger/songwriter Noah Budin frames the play.</SPAN></P>
<P></P>
<P>
<P><SPAN class=3Dcontent>=E2=80=9CBoth Sides of the Family=E2=80=9D was the=20=
outgrowth of an=20
earlier, one-woman piece Goldstein wrote for a writing course she was taking=
=20
from local playwright Sarah Morton. Goldstein's classmates included Jacqi Lo=
ewy,=20
a well-respected local theater artist with numerous directing credits, and J=
eff=20
Grover, a Cleveland Heights businessman whose avocation is theater.</SPAN></=
P>
<P></P>
<P>
<P><SPAN class=3Dcontent>=E2=80=9CThe common wisdom is =E2=80=98write what y=
ou know,' so the play=20
is largely autobiographical,=E2=80=9D says Goldstein who, like her protagoni=
st, is a=20
non-Jew. She and her Jewish husband of 10 years live in Gates Mills and send=
=20
their daughter to Gross Schechter Day School.</SPAN></P>
<P></P>
<P>
<P><SPAN class=3Dcontent>Loewy, herself the product of an interfaith home, w=
as=20
immediately taken with the play. =E2=80=9CIn class, we were advised that cha=
racters must=20
=E2=80=98earn the right' to tell their stories,=E2=80=9D she says. =E2=80=
=9CThis character was so strong=20
and dramatically interesting, she deserved to have 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 the fe=
male=20
character's experiences) garnered an enthusiastic response when she performe=
d it=20
at a small benefit. Then Loewy, artistic director of Charenton Theater Compa=
ny,=20
offered to collaborate with her to expand the piece. She suggested juxtaposi=
ng=20
Goldstein's experience with material drawn from Grover's life. Like the male=
=20
character Grover is a twice-married Jewish father with both Jewish and=20
non-Jewish children.</SPAN></P>
<P></P>
<P>
<P><SPAN class=3Dcontent>=E2=80=9CThis story resonated with me,=E2=80=9D he=20=
says. =E2=80=9CThe play=20
touches on things you normally don't talk about; it examines how your own ea=
rly=20
experiences color your behavior with your children.=E2=80=9D</SPAN></P>
<P></P>
<P>
<P><SPAN class=3Dcontent>Grover, who experienced varying reactions from his=20=
own=20
family concerning his interfaith marriage, says he welcomes contributing to=20=
and=20
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 together w=
here we could=20
influence someone's point of view,=E2=80=9D he says. =E2=80=9CWhat better wa=
y to voice some=20
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=20=
be performed at=20
Gallery 324 at the Galleria, St. Clair between E. 9th and E. 12th Streets, o=
n=20
Dec. 27, 28 and Jan. 3-6 at 8 p.m. and Sun., Jan. 7, at 2 p.m. Free but seat=
ing=20
is limited so arrive early. Call 216-469-9160 or visit <A=20
title=3Dhttp://www.charenton.org/ href=3D"http://www.charenton.org/"=20
target=3D_blank>http://www.charenton.org</A>.</I></SPAN></P></DIV></FONT></B=
ODY></HTML>
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