Press Release For additional information Please contact: Neil Thackaberry 330-374-7568 *BAD JEWS* *Talk Backs At Actors’ Summit* Actors’ Summit, Akron’s professional theater, announces a series of post-performance discussions in connection with its production of *BAD JEWS* by Joshua Harmon. The talk back schedule, which features members of the Jewish community with a wide range of perspectives. On Thursday, April 16th Robin Selinger. Dr. Robin Selinger is a professor in the Chemical Physics Interdisciplinary Program at Kent State University. On Friday, April 17 Cleveland area professional actors Marc Mortiz & George Roth. Marc and George have performed and directed throughout Northeast Ohio. Saturday, April 18th Sol Factor. Sol is a retired history teacher from the Cleveland Heights school system and a Mandel Fellow. On Thursday, April 23rd - Jen Chestnut. Jen is affiliated with the Hillel organization in both Kent and Akron. On Saturday, April 25 - Chaya Kessler. Chaya Kessler is the Jewish Studies Program Director at Kent State University. Sat, May 2nd - Adina Bloom Lewkowicz. Adina is both a talented singer and an arts educator. The show opens on Friday night, April 17. *BAD JEWS* is scheduled for a 12 performance run, closing on May 3. Performances are given Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights at 8:00 P.M. and Sundays at 2 PM, and take place at Greystone Hall, in downtown Akron. The show is appropriate only for adults because of strong language. A free dessert reception with the cast follows the opening night performance on Friday, April 17. *The Cast* *Brittany Gaul (Daphna) *Recent acting credits include: *Summer Cannibals* (Jessa), *Loki & Lucy* (Mom/Fenrir), *One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest* (Nurse Flinn), and *Love in Pieces* (Ophelia). Recent Stage Management credits include *High Fidelity: A Musical!* (BCT) and *One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest* (BCT). Brittany works as a teaching artist for several theatres and arts programs throughout Cleveland. *Kyle Huff (Liam)* is a Hiram College graduate. Recent roles include Artax in *The Neverending Story* and Johnson in *Anna Christie* at Ensemble Theatre. He was also Proteus in *Two Gentlemen of Verona* and Lucio in *Measure for Measure* at Cleveland Shakespeare Festival. *Nate Miller (Jonah)* is a graduate of Cleveland State University’s Department of Theatre & Dance. He has performed at numerous venues in Northeast Ohio. Favorite credits include: *4000 Miles*, *Loki & Lucy*, *AirWaves,* and *The Mousetrap*. *Gabi Shook (Melody) *is a junior musical theatre major at Kent State University. At Kent Gabi has been in *Pride and Prejudice*, *On the Town*, *Finian’s Rainbow* and most recently *My Heart is the Drum.* *The Play * *"One of the funniest things on the New York Stage” Huffington Post* You really don’t have to be Jewish to enjoy *BAD JEWS*. It’s a compact, comedic tale of young millennial cousins behaving very badly in a battle over a family heirloom. The play, performed without intermission, will translate to families of just about any religion or ethnicity. Daphna, the cousin who’s come in from college for her grandfather Poppy’s funeral, is staying at an Upper West Side apartment that belongs to her aunt and uncle. She’s a nonstop talker and an intent listener with a keen ear for any chance to push her case. Daphna is on a mission. As the most “Jewish” grandchild, she’s convinced she deserves to inherit Holocaust survivor Poppy’s little gold Chai (Hebrew for “life”) amulet. Fully assimilated and no less argumentative eldest grandchild Liam is equally adamant that the necklace is, by rights, his. When Liam shows up with his new gentile girlfriend sparks combust in a conflagration of insults and argument. Jonah, the hapless younger brother simply does his best to stay out of the way. With all the rest of the family in town for the funeral, the grandkids are stuck bunking together in this living room for the duration. Six of the performances will be followed by discussions led by members of the Jewish community. *Tickets:* Tickets for *BAD JEWS* are on sale now through the box office at 330-374-7568 and online at www.actorssummit.org. Preview tickets (April 16) are $20. Tickets for all other performances: $33 for adults, $28 for seniors over 65; and $10 for all full time students under 30. Special discounts are available for groups. *The Theater:* The theater is located on the sixth floor of historic Greystone Hall in downtown Akron. The facility features barrier free access and free parking. More information is available at the Actors’ Summit website: www.actorssummit.org.