Jacob and Jack

By James Sherman

March 2013, Teatron

Director ~ Ari Weisberg

Stage Manager ~ Allie Bell

Costumes ~ Cara Johnson

Lighting ~ Sylvia Farr

Props ~ Tamar Ehrlich

Cast

Jacob/Jack ~ Jerrold Karch

Abe/Ted ~ Richard Hoffman

Moishe/Don ~ Daniel Staseff

Leah/Lisa ~ Leah Charney

Hannah/Esther ~ Gloria Valentine

A time jumping farce in which a self-important commercial actor from LA is persuaded by his mother to perform in a staged tribute to the Yiddish Theatre (of which his grandfather was once a star). The play is set in two times, 1935, in which said grandfather, Jacob Shemerinsky, tries to save his dying art while also making off with Rachel, the naive young ingenue, behind his wife's back, and the present, in which Jack Shore tries to impress street smart Robin and overcome his own insecurities about acting. Jack ends up instead saving his marriage and his career through the transformative power of theatre.

JacJac

Role

Robin is a street-smart, independent, confident know-it-all theatre major who is incredibly passionate about acting.

Rachel is a shy, insecure and very naive ingenue who idolizes Jacob and is completely caught up in the glamour of theatre and Hollywood, but is terrified of being onstage, despite desperately wanting to please him and escape her humdrum life.

Jack introduces himself to Robin

Robin explains the importance of Yiddish Theatre "No Yiddish Theatre, no Jacob Adler. No Jacob Adler, no Stella Adler. No Stella Adler, no Marlon Brando."

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Jewish Tribune

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