These video clips from Servant Stage Company are sure to evoke wonderful theatre memories
By Steven Brodsky
… for those of you who attended some of Servant Stage’s 180 pay-what-you-will performances in 2024:
Attention actors and actresses: information about auditioning for Servant Stage Company’s 2025 Season is accessible at: 2025 Auditions — Servant Stage.
Posted 1-14-25
Those engaged with the arts are more likely to be socially connected
By Steven Brodsky
This press release was issued moments ago by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA):
Washington, DC—A new research brief released today by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) examines recent patterns of arts engagement among U.S. adults, and the relationship between arts engagement and social connectedness. The findings come from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey from April to July 2024.
NEA Chair Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD, said: “Timely data on arts engagement in our country is key as researchers seek to measure the health of the arts sector following the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as to improve our understanding of how the arts can impact many aspects of our lives, including issues of loneliness and social isolation. The National Endowment for the Arts is pleased to add this report to our expanding body of research on the arts’ benefits for our lives and communities.”
Highlights from “Arts Attendance, Art-Making, and Social Connectedness: Spring/Summer 2024” are below. The findings about the arts’ positive links to social connectedness are especially promising in light of a 2023 Surgeon General’s advisory about the adverse health effects of loneliness and social isolation. See the full NEA research brief for additional statistics, including differences in arts participation rates by age, gender, race/ethnicity, education, and annual income. Future research will examine subgroup differences in the outcomes associated with arts participation.
Arts Attendance and Arts Creation:
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Between April and July 2024, a quarter (25.0 percent) of U.S. adults attended at least one live, in-person performance and/or art exhibit in the previous month.
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17.0 percent of adults went to the movies in the previous month.
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16.3 percent of adults created, practiced, or performed artworks in the previous month.
Access to Arts and Cultural Amenities:
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A total of 62.2 percent either agreed (45.8 percent of all adults) or strongly agreed (16.4 percent) with the statement: “There are plenty of opportunities for me to take part in arts and cultural activities in my neighborhood or community.”
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Among those least likely to agree with this statement were younger adults (54.4 percent versus 70.4 percent of those 65 or order); Hispanics and non-Hispanic Blacks (53.4 and 53.2 percent, respectively); and those who did not go to high school.
The Arts and Social Connection:
Attending meetings or clubs:
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Adults who attended arts events and/or created art within the previous month were more likely than those who did not to participate in social groups—such as church groups, unions, fraternal or athletic groups, or school groups—and to do so at higher frequency levels.
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42.0 percent of arts attendees reported not belonging to such a group, compared with 52.1 percent of non-arts attendees.
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46.4 percent of arts creators—and 57.7 percent of non-creators—reported not belonging to a social group.
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Arts attendees and arts creators are also more likely to attend organization or club/group meetings.
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29.2 percent of arts attendees went to organization or group/club meetings 12 or more times. For non-arts attendees, that rate was 15.0 percent.
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Among arts creators, the rate of participating in such meetings 12 or more times a year was 28.2 percent, versus 19.3 percent of non-creators.
Perceptions of loneliness
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Adults who attended live arts events were less likely than non-arts attendees to report feeling more acute levels of loneliness.
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2.7 percent of adults who attended live arts events in person reported “always” feeling lonely, compared with 5.1 percent of non-arts attendees.
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38.7 percent of arts attendees reported feeling only “rarely” lonely, compared with 25.4 percent of non-arts attendees.
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However, adults who created or performed art were generally more acquainted with at least some level of loneliness than were non-creators.
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Only 18.4 percent of arts creators reported “never” experiencing loneliness, versus 27.3 percent of adults who did not create or perform art.
Social and emotional support
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Adults who attended live arts events in the previous month were more likely than non-arts attendees to report receiving the social and emotional support they needed.
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29.8 percent of arts attendees reported “always” receiving such support, compared with 23.4 percent of non-arts attendees.
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Arts creators were more likely to receive social and emotional support than were non-creators.
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38.8 percent of arts creators, versus 30.3 percent of non-creators, “usually” received the support they needed.
Phone conversations with friends, family, neighbors
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Adults who had attended arts events in the past month were more likely than non-attendees to talk with friends and family on the phone—and to do so more often.
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Arts creators were more likely than non-creators to talk with friends and family on the phone once or twice a week, but less likely to talk five or more times a week.
Time spent with friends and family
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Adults who attended arts events and/or created art were more likely than those who did not to get together with friends or family.
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45.1 percent of arts attendees met with friends and family once or twice a week, compared with 30.3 percent of non-arts attendees.
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35.6 percent of arts creators got together with family or friends less than once a week, compared with 42.1 percent of non-creators.
About the NEA’s Office of Research & Analysis
Research into the value and impact of the arts is a core function of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). Through accurate, relevant, and timely analyses and reports, the NEA elucidates the factors, conditions, and characteristics of the U.S. arts ecosystem and the impact of the arts on other domains of American life. Visit the Research impact page on the NEA’s website for more information, including:
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In-depth reports and analyses of research topics in the arts, including surveys of arts participation and reports on the economic impact of arts and culture.
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The National Arts Statistics and Evidence-based Reporting Center (NASERC)—an online hub for monitoring the U.S. arts ecosystem through a series of national indicators, and for accessing data-driven guides and reports aimed at arts practitioners.
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National Archive of Data on Arts Culture (NADAC)—an online repository of arts and cultural datasets, for analysis by scholars, arts managers, and policy leaders.
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Information on the NEA’s Research Awards: Research Grants in the Arts (RGA) and Research Labs, transdisciplinary research teams investigating the value and impact of the arts.
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Monthly podcast and blog post on arts research topics.
About the National Endowment for the Arts
Established by Congress in 1965, the National Endowment for the Arts is an independent federal agency that is the largest funder of the arts and arts education in communities nationwide and a catalyst of public and private support for the arts. By advancing equitable opportunities for arts participation and practice, the NEA fosters and sustains an environment in which the arts benefit everyone in the United States. Visit arts.gov to learn more.
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Posted 10-31-24
The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) announces 112 organizations that will receive grants under the ArtsHERE program
By Steven Brodsky
The following press release was issued yesterday, September 24, 2024, by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA):
Washington, DC — The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is pleased to announce 112 organizations recommended for awards under ArtsHERE—a new pilot program in partnership with South Arts and in collaboration with the other five U.S. Regional Arts Organizations—designed to expand access to arts participation across the nation. These nonprofit organizations, each with demonstrated commitment to equity within their practices and programming, are recommended for non-matching grants of $65,000 to $130,000, totaling $12.356 million, to fund specific projects that will strengthen the organizations’ capacity to sustain meaningful community engagement and increase arts participation for underserved groups and communities. Grant recipients will also take part in peer-learning and technical assistance opportunities, and the NEA will report on lessons learned from this initiative.
“The National Endowment for the Arts is thrilled to provide resources to a group of exceptional organizations through ArtsHERE, a program to help deepen meaningful and lasting arts engagement in underserved communities,” said Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD, chair of the National Endowment for the Arts. “Everyone should be able to live an artful life, and ArtsHERE is an important step in ensuring we are strengthening our nation’s arts ecosystem to make this a reality.”
Historically underserved groups and communities—those whose opportunities to experience the arts have been limited by factors such as geography, race or ethnicity, economics, or disability—frequently report lower rates of participation in various arts activities than other groups do. Managed by South Arts, the NEA announced the ArtsHERE pilot grant program in 2023 in recognition that engaging in the arts is essential to individual, social, civic, and economic well-being and in response to President Biden’s Executive Order that put forward a government-wide effort to advance equity for all Americans.
Recommended grant recipients are from all 50 states, DC, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. ArtsHERE aims to address disparities in arts participation through grants that help organizations better serve and reach their communities. For instance:
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In Juneau, Alaska, JAMM (Juneau Alaska Music Matters) is a tuition-free music program, which uses the power of music and the social experience of ensemble to help youth reach their fullest potential. JAMM is dedicated to preserving the Lingít language, the main Indigenous language in Southeast Alaska, and integrating its cultural wisdom into education. An ArtsHERE grant of $105,610 will support professional development by bringing together Lingít speakers, culture bearers, string teaching artists, and certified music teachers to develop music-based Lingít language instruction and culturally responsive training for educators. Activities will include a summer teacher training and music lab, field research in Sitka, Alaska, and the creation of culturally responsive teaching practice video tutorials.
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In Racine, Wisconsin, the Mahogany Black Arts & Cultural Center is dedicated to the preservation, research, and exhibition of Racine County Black Cultural History. They run programs including an oral histories project; the Wisconsin Black Art & Culture Expo; and a multidisciplinary, emerging artist fellowship. An ArtsHERE grant of $130,000 will help them strengthen their organization through the development of a five-year strategic plan that will include community outreach, board development, and technological investments to grow and manage a member database.
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In Nashville, Tennessee, the Native American Indian Association of Tennessee, Inc., preserves and promotes the cultural heritage of Native Americans in Tennessee. They aim to foster understanding and appreciation of Native American traditions through educational programs and cultural events. An ArtsHERE grant of $130,000 will support enhancement and expansion of their Arts & Culture Education program that focuses on increasing participation in Native American arts, improving cultural representation, and promoting Native heritage through various educational and community engagement activities. Activities will include an organizational needs assessment, strategic planning, community engagement, and field research to improve cultural representation.
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In White River Junction, Vermont, the Special Needs Support Center of the Upper Valley (SNSC) is a group of individuals, families, and professionals throughout the Upper Valley and beyond who proudly work together to create a community where people with disabilities can live their best lives. An ArtsHERE grant of $95,300 will enable SNSC to build capacity in all the arts-focused organizations within the Upper Valley (NH and VT) to create places where people with disabilities have access to the arts. SNSC will work to provide staff training, recommendations on disability-friendly practices, and consulting.
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In San Juan, Puerto Rico, Taller Comunidad la Goyco, Inc. is an organization born from community organizing dedicated to the creation of programs, initiatives, and opportunities that highlight the historical, social, and cultural wealth of the Machuchal community and the Loíza Street sector in Santurce, Puerto Rico. An ArtsHERE grant of $70,000 will support curated programming, promotion and marketing, and training for the volunteers who are ambassadors for their monthly community fairs, where they provide free and accessible arts experiences. They aim to increase audiences for the fairs by 10 percent and effectively communicate the results of cultural programming tied to health and well-being, as well as the environment, in their urban coastal community.
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In Fort Worth, Texas, The Welman Project connects teachers and schools with surplus materials from businesses, promoting creative reuse and sustainability in education. It aims to enrich arts learning experiences while reducing waste and fostering environmental stewardship. To increase their ability to serve their community, The Welman Project will be opening a new, larger makerspace as part of the future Fred Rouse Center for Arts and Community Healing, which was formerly used as a KKK auditorium. An ArtsHERE grant of $74,900 will support strategic planning and cultural competency training to prepare for the opening of its tool library and makerspace and to ensure it operates effectively and sustainably as it expands into a majority Hispanic community.
“We are very excited to work with these organizations on their projects,” said Susie Surkamer, president and CEO of South Arts. “The arts are essential to the fabric of our nation, and at the heart of this necessity are the organizations and individuals who champion them. Through ArtsHERE, we are excited to continue expanding and enriching the arts landscape both nationally and within these unique local communities.”
In addition to grant awards, ArtsHERE grant recipients will also participate in quarterly peer learning workshops, monthly cohort sessions, and one-on-one meetings with technical assistance coaches and field experts. These meetings are designed for knowledge sharing, learning, and capacity-building, to help reinforce the initiative’s opportunities for cross-sector engagement.
As a pilot program, ArtsHERE will be documented and evaluated by the NEA to better understand the project activities supported by this program and how grantees approached the work. These insights may inform the future of ArtsHERE and similar funding programs in the future.
More than 4,000 organizations applied for ArtsHERE funding in late 2023 and early 2024. Applications were reviewed by multiple review panels based on published review criteria, including the applicant’s organizational capacity and their capacity-building project, alignment with ArtsHERE’s commitment to equity, and engagement with historically underserved communities. The selected organizations will receive funding to support their projects, which will take place between October 2024 through June 2026.
ArtsHERE is also supported by The Wallace Foundation through matching funds to the Regional Arts Organizations in support of this program.
About the National Endowment for the Arts
Established by Congress in 1965, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is an independent federal agency that is the largest funder of the arts and arts education in communities nationwide and a catalyst of public and private support for the arts. By advancing equitable opportunities for arts participation and practice, the NEA fosters and sustains an environment in which the arts benefit everyone in the United States. To learn more, visit arts.gov or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
About South Arts
South Arts advances Southern vitality through the arts. The nonprofit regional arts organization was founded in 1975 to build on the South’s unique heritage and enhance the public value of the arts. South Arts’ work responds to the arts environment and cultural trends with a regional perspective. South Arts offers an annual portfolio of activities designed to support the success of artists and arts providers in the South, address the needs of Southern communities through impactful arts-based programs, and celebrate the excellence, innovation, value and power of the arts of the South. For more information, visit www.southarts.org.
About the U.S. Regional Arts Organizations
The United States Regional Arts Organizations (USRAOs)—Arts Midwest, Mid-America Arts Alliance, Mid Atlantic Arts, New England Foundation for the Arts, South Arts, and Western States Arts Federation—are a collective of six nonprofit arts service organizations committed to strengthening America’s infrastructure by increasing access to creativity for all Americans. They serve the nation’s artists, arts and culture organizations, and creative communities with programs that reflect and celebrate the diversity of the field in which they work. They partner with the National Endowment for the Arts, state arts agencies, individuals, and other public and private funders to develop and deliver programs, services, and products that advance arts and creativity. Together, the USRAOs work to activate and operate national arts initiatives, encourage and support collaboration across regions, states, and communities, and maximize the coordination of public and private resources invested in arts programs. In Fiscal Year 2023, they invested over $18.4 million across the United States and Jurisdictions, through nearly 2,400 grants that reached more than 1,000 communities. For more information, visit usregionalarts.org.
Posted 9-25-24
The responsibilities of managing a theater took a toll on William Butler Yeats
By Steven Brodsky
… and inspired Yeats to pen the poem “The Fascination of What’s Difficult” in 1912.
W.B. Yeats received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1923 “for his always inspired poetry, which in a highly artistic form gives expression to the spirit of a whole nation.”
Posted 4-23-22
A Conversation With Staś Kmieć
By Steven Brodsky
It’s a challenge to be restrained in praise of the Yiddish-language, Joel Grey-directed, NYTF production of Fiddler on the Roof—the show is that good. Fiddler, about as perfectly constructed a musical as there ever was, is here masterfully presented—reflecting the care and talent of the creative team, cast, and musicians. Dance in Fiddler is an important element—it entertains, reflects cultures and a time in history, and like everything else in this musical carries forth the story.
Staś Kmieć created the musical staging and choreography for this production. Staś is a world-class dancer and choreographer and an expert in Polish folk dance and culture. He was the perfect choice. Staś has performed and toured in many countries with dance icons such as Nureyev. He’s danced with the Boston Ballet, the Metropolitan Opera Ballet, has been on the stages of Broadway, and appeared on film and television. He has choreographed musicals, plays, ballet, and opera in the U.S. and abroad. His background with Fiddler includes being on 2 two-year national tours of the musical with Theodore Bikel and 6 subsequent productions for 1,682 performances. Oh, and he’s also directed Fiddler a number of times.
Staś, this Fiddler is most special, in its creation and performance. How did you feel to be chosen as choreographer?
It is indeed a blessing. I have a long relationship with this show, but this was going to be different. With the recommendation of the Jerome Robbins Foundation and the “keeper of the Fiddler flame,” Sammy Dallas Bayes, I had been in the mix for this production since January. When Joel was officially announced as the Director in March, things took flight. The next day I was asked to meet with him and NYTF Artistic Director Zalmen Mlotek, and in the time it took me to ride the subway back to my apartment, I received notification that I was to be engaged for Fidler Afn Dakh [Fiddler’s title in Yiddish].
My title would be “Musical Staging and Choreography” —basically responsible for the stage picture whenever you hear music in a song, dance, scene or scene-to-scene transition. This would include the body language of the actors and how to incorporate the set pieces to effectively evoke a new location or scene. I also contributed and collaborated regarding blocking, group scenes, props, lighting, and costumes.
Due to my knowledge of the work, the culture and the time period being portrayed, I would provide an anchor to the work, but with one foot in tradition, and the other in concept.
As Fiddler should not be considered as a museum piece, I enjoyed the challenge of breathing new life and a fresh perspective into the work. Joel’s concept allowed me to explore, and I relished this opportunity to create.
The story is familiar. What happens within the story is grounded in the word “tradition.” The staging and choreography reflect realism—inspired by and always with a deep respect to the Jerome Robbins original. Some areas are completely new, while others build upon the original. I added layers of traditional dance, custom, shtetl culture, real actions and interactions, as only someone who knows and admires the work can do.
What were the challenges of choreographing this production?
There were many variables to consider. The size of the cast and the stage were the biggest considerations. Although a cast of 26 is considered large, I am accustomed to working with 40, and a minimum of 35. In so many ways I had to be creative with my use of the actors and the approach to the material.
Because Safra Hall is an auditorium and not a traditional theater space, a unit set was designed that was minimalist and representational. The costume design was also representative of a band of actors of today’s Jewish community who are telling the story of the 1905 Anatevka shtetl-village.
Then there was the glorious, beautiful Yiddish language. While this added a new dimension and colored the work in an exciting way, consideration needed to be made that the majority of the audience would not fully understand it. Combined with the set and costume challenges, the story needed to be conveyed visually. Audience members have remarked at how they became so attuned to the gestures, facial expressions and detail of the staging and choreography, that they experienced the musical from a totally different perspective.
Please describe the interaction that you had with Joel Grey. Collaboration and interaction—Joel and I have become the “perfect match!”
The genius of the original production of Fiddler on the Roof came from the collaboration of its creative personnel headed by director-choreographer Jerome Robbins.
Working with Joel since March during pre-production, auditions and rehearsals have been a treat. Through his eyes, I envisioned new ways of illustrating this classic work and was challenged by the prospect of this unique Fiddler.
Our approach to staging a musical is different, but the “yin and yang” of our relationship has proved to be most beneficial. It was a melding of ideas—we were on the “same page” with our thoughts, and, most importantly, trusted each other.
We have tabled discussion of future joint ventures but have hinted about several ideas we would like to pursue.
The tavern scene is spectacular and conveys by dance and other interaction the dynamic of the Jews and their non-Jewish neighbors. There’s presence of threat, some willingness to narrow a gap, and a semblance of communion brought about through dance. The dancing is wonderful, the acting superb. Speak to us about this scene.
“To Life – L’Chaim” (celebrating the marriage arrangement of Tzeitel to Lazar Wolf) matches the boisterous bravado of the Russians with the inner reserve and pride of the Jewish villagers. Two uniquely different styles of dance.
Robbins’ use of show-specific dance was clear and no better illustrated than in the integrated ethnic dance in Fiddler.
Due to my immense background in folk dance and its authentic elements, I was able to infuse and travel beyond the realm of what was previously done. This amounted to more levels (literally and figuratively) of Russian dance and an even stronger dynamic.
What was it like to choreograph the wedding scene?
The wedding of Tzeitel and Motel is a play in itself and I’ve incorporated many traditional Jewish elements. Beginning with the tying on stage of the customary “gartel” and continuing to the ceremony under the chuppah canopy—the bride is circled around the groom three times (traditionally it is seven) and there is breaking of the wine glass. Stanchions separate the genders, there’s a mothers-in-law koylitsh dance with the bride; and seated in chairs, the couple is hoisted into the air before settling down to more separate dances. I’ve included a “Patsch Tants” and “Freylekh Hora,” so there is even a greater element of traditional dance.
The iconic Bottle Dance is included with embellishments, but remains true to its source. Joel’s first question to me was, “How do you balance the bottles?” I told him, “a bottle, a hat and lots of practice!”
One section that has now been authentically clarified is the role of the “badkhen”—the wedding master of ceremonies, deliciously played by Michael Yashinsky. Serving as a wedding jester of sorts, he is supposed to move the wedding company to laughter (at the expense of others, i.e. Lazar Wolf) and to tears. He commands rapid transitions between extremes with concentrated bursts of melancholy or of joy.
I included a “Mitzvah Tants,” and restored the “kale baveynen,” where the “badkhn” attempts to get the bride and others to cry over serious matters before then making them laugh and rejoice. The text was omitted from the Yiddish translation, as it had evolved as an ad-lib and was never documented in the script.
The wedding scene ends Act 1 with a depiction of the disturbing reality of conflict.
Please speak about your experience of working on other scenes in the play.
I enjoy working with actors, who are in movement as their characters, not as dancers.
“The Fiddler” is a symbol of the traditions Tevye is trying to hold onto as his world changes around him. Played by Lauren Jeanne Thomas, the Fiddler is seen only by Tevye and remains within his struggle of conscience. With a proud, playful, mischievous, defiant, mournful and hopeful disposition, I wanted to bring this relationship via staging to the forefront.
Marrying outside of the Jewish faith is a violation of religious beliefs and grounds for disownment. With the “Chavaleh Ballet,” I strived to simply and effectively evoke happier times in Tevye’s dream-like recollection, and then bring the harsh reality into focus, as he is compelled to reject his beloved daughter. The juxtaposition of these two scenes creates a heart-wrenching poignancy.
Which non-dance moments in Fiddler are most poignant to you?
The opening “Tradition” (“Traditsye”) and the Exodus closing (though there is an element of movement involved in both). They are about identity and community—and are based on the communal circle.
Tevye explains that it is the longstanding traditions of their village, culture, and religion that steady and guide the people of Anatevka. Then the inhabitants of the small-town Jewish village community—the Shtetl emerge. They are close-knit townspeople. Theirs is a culture “lost in time,” which only exists in the memories and in the partial and altered behavior of its members now scattered around the world.
A small moment at the end where the Rabbi bows to his son Mendel and they separate—leaving in two separate directions, gets me every time.
Due to the representational nature of our set, the closing moments had to be considered carefully. I decided to end on a final image that represents the legacy and culture that was left behind and the imprint and memory that lingers on.
Sheldon Harnick, the show’s lyricist, remarked that “the ending is perfect, don’t change a thing.”
What did you find to be most unusual about the staging of this play, other than the language?
I would have to say the sparse production elements. Joel brought me into a design meeting before the rest of the production team. I said, “It’s different, and will challenge my views, and I’m ready to meet that challenge.”
Even though we didn’t have an actual house or tailor shop, and not even a doorway, I insisted that the kissing of the entryway mezuzah (containing a miniature parchment inscribed with verses from the Torah) remain. I taped a line as to where the entrances would be, and the actors identify the space as they mime the action.
How did working with the Yiddish-language script affect you?
It was mostly seamless. I know the text so intimately that I understood it, without exactly understanding it.
In preparation for each section to be staged, I would review the script, which appeared in 3 lines—Yiddish, transliterated English, and the show’s original libretto.
There were occasional areas of departure and lines that fell on different beats. The heart and soul of the work remained, and achieved grater relevance in the language of author Sholem Aleichlem’s 1894 classic Tevye the Milkman and other Tales, on which the musical is based.
Which acting moments are among your favorites?
Several come to mind: Steven Skybell in “If I Were a Rich Man” (“Ven Ikh Bin a Rotshild”), Skybell and Mary Illes in “Do You Love Me?” (“Libst Mikh, Sertse?”), the Chava rejection scene, Hodel’s “Far From The Home I Love” (“Vayt Fun Mayn Liber Heym”), and the kitchen scene with Jackie Hoffman as Yente.
When working on “Rich Man,” I told Skybell that we would discover his personal signature movement. It would not be Mostel or Topol, but him. Steven offers an authentic, honest and intrinsically Jewish portrayal and I see much of my grandfather’s persona in his performance.
Topol, who attended a performance early in the run, remarked about “Do You Love Me?”: “That’s how it should be done! So moving, so intimate, so real, so warm.” My sentiments exactly. Joel and I spent a long journey with this song and we are both moved each performance.
What do you think will be your fondest memories connected to this this production years from now?
The experience of working alongside and exchanging ideas with an icon who I grew up with, have admired for years, and who is now my friend. The cast—a special bend of talent, hard work and raw energy. The dedication of the National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene, and the unique, creative process of rediscovering a work that I deeply love. There’s always something new to learn.
Originally Posted 7-23-18, Reposted 4-1-20
A Conversation With Steven Skybell
By Steven Brodsky
To be cast in a major role in a watershed theatrical staging of one of the world’s most popular musicals is about as rare an occurrence as hens’ teeth. It’s happened for Steven Skybell. He’s Tevye in the soon to open National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene’s Fiddler on the Roof.
This production is an American premiere of a Yiddish translation by Shraga Friedman that’s reported to have not been staged in over half a century. This Fiddler will very likely bring audiences somewhat closer to the heart of Sholem Aleichem and the shtetl life he wrote about. Fiddler, of course, is an adaptation of a number of Aleichem’s stories; Yiddish was his mother tongue.
Joel Grey is directing the show. He’s working with an esteemed cast and creative team. From Fiddler’s original production, the Folksbiene has engaged Sheldon Harnick (Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning lyricist) and the legendary producer/director Hal Prince as consultants. That production was unforgettable. (I was at one of the performances.) So will NYTF’s Fiddler. It’s a shame that it is scheduled for a run of only 8 weeks.
Steven Skybell has performed on Broadway, Shakespeare’s Globe in London, and elsewhere. He’s an OBIE Award recipient. Steven has taught acting at Yale, Harvard, and Fordham. He is on the acting faculty of NYU.
What went through your mind and what emotions did you experience when you first learned that you were cast as Tevye?
There have been times in my life when things seemed destined to happen. When I heard they were doing a Yiddish production of Fiddler on the Roof, I felt that it was something that I wanted to be a part of, and everything seemed to move into place accordingly. So when I found out that I was going to be playing Tevye in this Yiddish production of Fiddler on the Roof, I was happy beyond belief! I have wanted to be an actor since childhood; there is something about Fiddler on the Roof that holds a special place in a Jewish boy’s dreams. I’ve had the opportunity to be in Fiddler four previous times, beginning as early as age 11, when I held the chuppah in the wedding scene in an amateur production in my hometown of Lubbock, Texas.
The opportunity to be a part of this watershed production with the National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene, is nothing less than a dream come true. It’s an honor and a delight. I am so looking forward to being able to share this amazing story with these memorable characters and melodies, merged with the authentic sound of the language of Sholem Aleichem. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
What aspects of Tevye’s experience and character resonates most strongly to you?
The role of Tevye is an amazing challenge in the world of musical theater. He gets to go through every emotion imaginable in the course of this play. And because he is so fully realized, I think he becomes an everyman for the audience. There are so many aspects of Tevye that I recognize in my own character. Obviously, the chance to play a Jewish person in conversation with his God, struggling to make right decisions concerning his family and his future, resonates very strongly with me. Tevye is a survivor. And while the circumstances of the play seem to overwhelm him, they don’t. I like to think, in my own life, I too am able to withstand and stay positive even in the face of life’s most difficult challenges. It’s that spirit, that life force, that is embodied in Tevye which inspires me and which I’d like to think lives within me as well.
An aspect of Tevye that has become clearer to me in this rehearsal process, is that even though we see him in the midst of what he describes as “a big poverty” and even though he dreams of being “as rich as a Rothschild,” in the course of the evening we see that he is far from being poor and destitute, and that he has been blessed with great richness and riches.
There is obviously a strong tragic vein in this musical, and that’s a challenge and a pleasure to play as an actor, but there’s also great humor and great joy. It’s this merging of “carrying a tear with joy” that makes this role and this musical so special.
What exposure to the Yiddish language did you have prior to accepting this role?
Like many Jewish children of the ’60s and ’70s, I grew up hearing my grandparents speak Yiddish. But sadly, it was only used when they wished to keep their meaning hidden. Later in my life, my brother and I began studying Yiddish together over the phone. We got some grammar books and would go through exercises and drills together over the phone. And then in the summer of 2005 (I believe), I was performing in Chicago, and I contacted the woman who teaches Yiddish at Northwestern University, Khane-Faygl Turtletaub. I went to her home once a week and had private Yiddish lessons. I just loved the language. And I did think that perhaps one day I might be able to find an opportunity to use Yiddish on the stage. When I met with the creative team for this production of Fiddler on the Roof, Zalmen Mlotek asked me why it was that I had learned Yiddish, and I could tell him that I did dream of one day performing with the Folksbiene. Needless to say, it has been an amazing challenge to rehearse in Yiddish, sing in Yiddish, and act in Yiddish. This theater does a great job in helping all the actors feel comfortable in this language.
Describe the challenges that Yiddish is presenting to you as you rehearse and otherwise get ready for the opening of this play.
Some specific challenges about performing in Yiddish include simply trying to memorize a language that is not completely your own. There’s also a difference between which word in English might be stressed and which word in the Yiddish version wants to be stressed, so that is something that has taken some painstaking practice.
Please give us an insider’s vista into Joel Grey’s direction of this play.
This is actually my second time to be directed by Joel Grey. He is, needless to say, an amazing performer. And he has the ability to empathize with the challenges of the actor and he also knows how to best help us, since he’s been on our side of the footlights too. He has such a deep and clear perspective on this play. And it is very refreshing to see that he is urging us all to go deeper than simply trying to recreate the Broadway version. This Yiddish version has its own soul, and Joel Grey is challenging us to dig deep for truth, for humor, and for Jewish soul. He is witty and funny and moving every day in rehearsal. It’s an honor for me to get to work with him, and his boundless energy is an inspiration. I definitely want to be like him when I grow up!
Jerome Robbins helped acquaint the original cast of Fiddler with Orthodox Jewish wedding dancing and other practices by clandestinely taking (with the assistance of a wedding caterer) cast members to Orthodox Jewish weddings. Have you and other cast members found it helpful to do any research to ensure accuracy on stage?
Although I was raised in the Reform movement of Judaism, my siblings and I have all found our way back to a more traditional Judaism over the years. All my siblings are now Orthodox. And over the years I have had the opportunity to observe the more traditional practices in their homes; and I even took part in a Shabbos exchange program through their shul which included spending the Sabbath in an ultra-Orthodox home in Boro Park, Brooklyn.
We also have in our cast, some Orthodox people. And they have been very helpful in filling out moments for us all and answering questions about certain details.
What scenes are you finding to be most enjoyable to rehearse?
The interesting thing about Fiddler on the Roof, is that it is an amazingly constructed piece of theater. It works so well. So truly every scene is a joy to rehearse. There’s nothing that is flawed in this piece. I will say that in rehearsal it has been so amazing to watch the dancers do their stuff. There is some incredible choreography in this musical and already the dancers are performing at such a high level of virtuosity and prowess. It’s a joy to watch.
How old were you when you first got involved in theatre? What stimulated your interest?
There was a children’s theater and a community theater in my hometown of Lubbock, Texas. I began performing there when I was 10 years old and very quickly felt like I had found something that I really wanted to do and loved to do. Since that time performing at the age of 10, I basically have pursued the dream my entire life.
As a high schooler, I spent my summers performing at the Interlochen Arts Academy summer camp in Interlochen, Michigan. That is where I became even more determined to pursue this as a career. I performed in musicals, operettas, and Shakespeare. And it was there that I first played Tevye at the age of 17! From there went on to pursue theater at Yale College and then received my Masters at the Yale School of Drama. I’ve been fortunate to build a career and stay busy on stage, television and film. And while it is not always an easy career, it has remained for me completely fulfilling and rewarding.
Originally posted 6-18-18, Reposted 4-1-20
A Conversation With Jennie Eisenhower
By Steven Brodsky
Performances September 18–October 7, 2018
Erma Bombeck was a national presence despite being a self-proclaimed “ordinary housewife”—in the years when that domestic role was accorded greater value and came with much constraint. As a writer and television personality her reach was enormous. Erma Bombeck’s column, it has been reported, at the apex of its popularity appeared in 900 newspapers. She wrote 15 books; many were bestsellers. She contributed to some of the most widely circulated magazines of her time and was a part of the Good Morning America television program for many years. Humor was a hallmark of Erma Bombeck, and her relatability a bridge to fans who identified with her as she addressed circumstances and travails similar to their own. Bombeck wrote from home—the location where many housewife-readers spent much of their own time. Erma Bombeck (as a character in the play that Jennie Eisenhower is directing at the Bristol Riverside Theatre) says, “The key to my writing is that I’m ordinary.” Her ordinariness, candor, humor, insights, terrific writing, personal initiative, and more, made her extraordinary. The one-woman play Erma Bombeck: At Wit’s End, Jennie’s Bristol Riverside Theatre directorial debut, will allow audiences to “meet” Erma Bombeck—the woman much of America knew and adored.
About Jennie: she is a renowned screen and stage actress, has won acclaim for her directorial work, and is a two-time Barrymore Award recipient.
Jennie, how familiar were you with Erma Bombeck prior to being asked to direct this one-woman play at Bristol Riverside Theatre? (Erma Bombeck passed away in 1996.)
I knew the name Erma Bombeck and knew that she was a columnist who wrote about motherhood and family. I had no idea until I began to research Bombeck in preparation for At Wit’s End that many of her one-liners were banging around in my subconscious for years without me knowing they were hers!
What do you most appreciate about the script?
I love that it infuses the biographical elements of Bombeck’s life with her humor and that the majority of the script quotes her directly. With 20 years of columns and 15 books there is so much to draw from and I am glad the authors took advantage of that. I laughed out loud several times during my first pass at the script, which is rare for me. Additionally, though Erma was in the height of her fame in the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s, I feel that the material is still incredibly relevant and compelling today.
How is directing a one-person play different than directing a play with numerous actors?
At Wit’s End is a solo piece that directly addresses the audience. Therefore the audience is a very active second character in the play and a lot of the work that Licia and I are doing won’t come alive until we have people watching. Most of the plays I’ve directed with large casts employ fourth wall realism and don’t actively engage with the audience and as a result feel very different to rehearse.
Licia Watson is portraying Erma Bombeck. What does she bring to the role?
Casting Erma was difficult. I wasn’t looking for an impersonator but I was looking for someone who could capture Bombeck’s unique mixture of earnestness and mischievousness. When Licia walked into the room to audition for us (we did two days of casting in NYC), she was instantly likable. That quality is, I believe, essential to making the show work and something that can’t be forced. Licia is the sort of person who, like Bombeck, I feel I could spend hours chatting with. Hopefully our audiences feel the same way!
What can you tell us about directing Licia in this production?
Licia is a director’s dream. First of all, she arrived on the first day of rehearsal with our 40-page, single-spaced script committed to memory. Because of her diligent preparation we were able to dive right into staging and begin to bring the play to life. Licia is flexible, brings great ideas to the table, and is a great collaborator. She is a wonderful comic technician and lovely person to spend time with. I am so grateful to have her on this project.
What are your favorite theatrical moments in Erma Bombeck: At Wit’s End?
I have two favorites: the first is when Bombeck attempts to impersonate the quintessential ’60s housewife only to nearly vacuum up her child’s hamster. The second is when Bombeck gives really confident and sassy responses to questions during an on-the-road press interview. These are two places where I find the script illustrates Bombeck’s unique personality so well. The juxtaposition of a flustered, can’t-quite-keep-it-all-together housewife and a strong, assertive public speaker—she really was both!—is delightful.
When and why did you decide that you wanted to make acting and directing a career path?
I was very theatrical as a child and loved to sing, act and put on shows for my family, forcing my brother and sister to work as co-stars, lighting technicians—whatever the production demanded! Next, I auditioned for middle and high school musicals and plays. I loved all of that so much I decided to major in theatre at Northwestern University and then pursue theatre for a living. I didn’t pursue work as a director until I had been in the business for about five years. Though as a child I was starring in and directing all of the family shows I created, for some reason it didn’t occur to me that I could be a director professionally. Perhaps it was because I subconsciously internalized the fact that most famous directors (with notable exceptions, of course) were male while I was growing up? Or because none of the shows I was in on campus at Northwestern were directed by women? For whatever reason, directing didn’t seem to be a possibility for me until I had been at it awhile and I became more confident as an artist.
What supported you in that decision and what obstacles were in your way?
I had an incredible opportunity to run a magnet arts high school music theatre program in Florida when I was 27. I needed a change and wanted to get away from my work as a musical theatre performer and get out of New York City. That year in Florida I directed two giant musicals and realized I was not only capable of directing but also passionate about it. When I moved from Philadelphia to Florida about 10 years ago I did so with the intention to direct professionally and have had the opportunity to do so at some wonderful theatres in this region. The Philadelphia theatre scene seems to understand that artists have many facets and isn’t as apt to pigeonhole people into one aspect of the industry like some of the larger markets are. Because of that, I have been able to wear many hats, so I am very grateful to the Philadelphia community and specifically Bristol, the Walnut, The Media Theatre and The Arden (so far!).
What aspects of Erma Bombeck’s celebrated “ordinariness” resonate with your own experience?
Motherhood is the great equalizer. I don’t care if you’re the queen of England, a movie star or a pro tennis player—if you’ve had a baby (and I have!), you’ve been thrown up on, kept up all night, and felt both love and frustration beyond what you ever imagined is possible. We are all ordinary when it comes down to the deep love we feel for our kids and how little control we have over their actions or how the world will mold them. That’s why Bombeck’s humor is so enduring.
What do you most admire about Erma Bombeck’s life work in and outside of her role and responsibilities as a housewife?
It’s ironic that when people bring up Erma, the first thing that comes up is “housewife.” Her brand and the humorous writing that made her famous is all about her role as a housewife, but she was a full-time working mother! I admire so much about her and am awed by her ability to raise three children and accomplish so much while doing so. I am grateful to Bombeck for her tireless work campaigning for the ERA. Her political activism not only made an important contribution to woman’s rights but also allowed her fanbase to witness a feminist who was still comfortable embracing the traditional role of homemaker and mother. I think she sent an important message about feminism to American women: that being a feminist didn’t necessarily mean one should divorce their husband, leave their kids, burn their bra or join a commune. A woman could be a stay-at-home mom and still demand the same respect and the same rights awarded to men.
If you would have had the opportunity to meet Erma Bombeck when you were a teenager, what questions might you have asked her?
I actually really wish I could meet Erma now, being a mother. I am endlessly fascinated by women who are able to manage having children and busy careers and what their secrets are. Also, I only have one child—women that have multiple children and are able to do more than get laundry put away blow my mind. So I would have had a lot of questions to ask Erma about how she did it all. It’s a shame she wasn’t with us longer as I would have loved to have met her.
What experiences in your life shape you the most as a performing artist and director?
I believe all artists are shaped by their life experiences and we inevitably bring parts of ourselves to every project we undertake. Every show I direct or perform in requires me to draw from different experiences I have had. On this particular show I am definitely drawing from my own experiences as a mother and as a feminist—and also as the daughter of an incredible mom (Julie Nixon Eisenhower) who raised three kids, was an impeccable homemaker and was STILL able to write a non-fiction book and become a New York Times bestselling author while we were all under the age of 10! This show is definitely for her.
Ticket information about the Bristol Riverside Theatre’s production of Erma Bombeck: At Wit’s End is available at: www.brtstage.org.
Posted Sept. 5, 2018
A Conversation with Playwright Lauren Gunderson
By Steven Brodsky
Lauren Gunderson’s plays are enormously in demand. American Theatre said that she is “the most-produced living playwright in America, who reaches that spot on the strength of six separate titles.” One of those is I and You, scheduled for production at People’s Light from March 29 – April 23, 2017. The script won the 2014 Harold and Mimi Steinberg/American Theatre Critics Association New Play Award. The questions and responses will endeavor to avoid spoiler territory; the play is best enjoyed in the absence of foreknowledge of its denouement.
What stimulated your interest in theatre?
The words came first. I loved crafting ideas through language even from an early age. I remember being so proud of a fifth-grade creative writing assignment where I wrote about a baseball being pitched in a World Series game (I was a big tomboy and loved Braves baseball). It was from the baseball’s perspective. The ball flew through the night air, cutting through the bright sports lights, spinning dizzily and arrested in the leather glove with a splash of wind and a smack on it’s cheek. I thought I was the first person in history to play with perspective like that.
I also loved acting and my mom will still tell the story of me playing Baby Bear in my kindergarten’s production of “The Three Little Bears” in Spanish. So playwriting was a combination of two things I loved and it’s what has kept me writing to this day.
At age 16, you wrote a letter to the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Margaret Edson. Tell us about the letter and the friendship that ensued.
Maggie is an Atlanta writer and teacher. I was overwhelmed with admiration for her play “Wit” when it came out and wrote her a note out of the blue expressing that. Amazingly she wrote me back and invited me over for tea to talk about writing. I couldn’t believe it. I will never forget the power of that gesture to a young writer. The respect and friendship she offered me set me going with confidence and inspiration. We connect every time I get back to Atlanta and I am deeply honored to call her a friend.
Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass is a vehicle of connection for the two characters in the play. Tell us about your first exposure to that poetry collection and how it affected you.
I remember reading Whitman in high school on a misty fall night in Atlanta sitting on the roof outside my bedroom window. His poetry was so invigorating to me, so rebellious and bold. It was one of the first American literature assignments that felt so charged and scandalous and rule-breaking. But it was also hopeful – even defiantly so. I think his work really affected my sense of what art can do for us. It can surprise, challenge, inspire and energize us to keep being better people and living louder and seeing the goodness and connectedness in all of us. Yawp!
How much fun was it to write about teenagers?
The language is fun, swift, rhythmic. It flows really easily and there is a lot of humor – self-deprecating or sassy. They can withstand emotion better than many adults because they can pivot from one feeling to another. The best part about writing teenagers is that they are at a time in their life where their future adulthood is imminent but inaccessible. They are all hope, idealism, and potential. They can be anything they dream… just not yet. That encourages a kind of grand thinking that is fun to write and also meaningful and nostalgic.
What did you experience in your teenage years in common with either or both of the characters?
I was much more of a nerd like Anthony but way less athletic. I can admit to some of Caroline’s angsty tendencies but I was too much of an optimist to align with her personality.
What are some of the most gratifying comments you’ve received from people who’ve attended “I and You”?
One teenager saw it at a high school matinee and brought her parents and grandparents back with her to see it again! I also love seeing so many young black men on stages across the country in this play. Diversity onstage is deeply important to me and I am proud that this play is a part of that trend towards representation equity in American theatre.
Was the writing process for this script much different than it was for your other plays?
Yes! This play works like a music box – the mechanics must be tight yet fluid to earn the pop at the end. I had to really be conscious of creating honest characters with depth of heart so it’s not just about the surprise. But I definitely knew where it was going before I started writing it. I had to know the ending to craft the story just right.
What locations and conditions do you find conducive to writing plays?
Morning + coffee + quiet.
Tell us about your writing routine.
See above
You were the first playwright to present a Perspectives in Criticism Talk at ATCA’s annual conference. How daunting was carrying out that honor?
It was riveting actually. I was honored to speak to a room full of theatre nerds and everyone was excited to talk about real issues. The first line of my speech was, “Hello my name is Lauren, I am a playwright and you are a room full of critics and this won’t be awkward at all.”
Have reviews of your plays affected your creativity?
No. I have a policy of enjoying the good reviews and ignoring the bad one. Life is too short to feel bad if someone didn’t understand or appreciate your work. So I just think, “onwards!”
Who do you rely upon for constructive criticism of your scripts?
I have some brilliant friends who are writers and I often ask them to read early drafts. But I learn the most from hearing the work in the mouths and bodies of excellent actors. Their ideas and experiences within my work are always the best lessons on its efficacy and authenticity.
Does rewriting tend to be less joyful than composing first drafts?
I love rewriting! It’s like solving a puzzle.
Were there many rewrites of I and You?
There always are. We learned a lot from the first production and continued honing the script after that. A lot of the rewrites were about heightening the tension between the two so it can burst and soften as they really start to connect on a deep, emotional level.
Information about the People’s Light production of I and You is at: www.peopleslight.org.
Posted 3/21/17
