Photo Flash: Stage West presents David Ives’ New Jerusalem

It's 1656, and a large number of Portuguese Jews have found asylum in Amsterdam from the Inquisition. There's just one caveat: no Jew may speak of religion to the Christian Dutch. All seems to be in harmony-until Baruch de Spinoza starts airing some pretty radical ideas about God, and it comes to the attention of the city fathers. Now he has to answer for his "crimes" in David Ives' intelligent (and often humorous) New Jerusalem, the Interrogation of Baruch De Spinoza at Talmud Torah Congregation: Amsterdam, July 27, 1656, which begins at Fort Worth's Stage West on Thursday, January 5.

Baruch de Spinoza has been schooled in the writings of the Torah and the Talmud from an early age. The protégé of Saul Levi Mortera, he has been expected to become a rabbi himself in time. Ironically, however, his deep intelligence and thirst for knowledge have led him to question the accepted doctrine of both the Jewish and Christian establishment. And the regents of Amsterdam are finding that their tolerance has limits, as Spinoza is spreading his questions and theories among the young. And so they put it to the leaders of the Jewish congregation: get him to recant, or excommunicate him-or we will take action. And so he is summoned before leaders of both communities.

David Ives acknowledges that nothing is known about these proceedings, only that they occurred and that Spinoza was cast out. But out of what is known, he has created a fascinating sort of courtroom drama. And he gives us a central character who is brilliant and passionate, gentle and self-deprecating, whose ideas would have a major impact upon Western thought. The result is a piece which transcends dry intellectualism, sparkling with tension, ideas, and Ivesian wit.

David Ives was born in Chicago in 1950. He received an MFA in Playwriting from Yale, and is perhaps best known for his evenings of one-act comedies All in the Timing (winner of the Outer Critics Circle Playwriting Award) and Time Flies. Other plays include Venus in Fur, The Liar (adapted from Corneille's comedy and winner of the Charles MacArthur Best Play Award), Is He Dead? (adapted from Mark Twain), The Heir Apparent (adapted from Regnard), Polish Joke, and New Jerusalem (winner of the Hull-Warriner Award). A former Guggenheim Fellow in playwriting, he lives in New York City.

New Jerusalem, directed by Jerry Russell, will introduce some newcomers to Stage West audiences, as well as featuring some familiar ones. Appearing as Spinoza will be newcomer Garret Storms, whose credits include Agamemnon/Thersites in Troilus and Cressida at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Artistic Director Jim Covault will play Spinoza's mentor, Saul Levi Mortera. Russell Dean Schultz, most recently seen as George Henry Lewes in A Most Dangerous Woman at Echo Theatre, will play the regent of Amsterdam, Abraham Van Valkenburgh. Barrett Nash, Georgeanne in Five Women Wearing the Same Dress at Contemporary Theatre of Dallas, will play Clara, Spinoza's love, with Samuel West Swanson, just seen as Sergius in Stage West's Arms and the Man, as his best friend Simon de Vries. Spinoza's contentious sister Rebekah will be played by Angela Owen, whose credits include Metellus in Julius Caesar at Level Ground Arts. And Stage West fave Michael Corolla, whose most recent appearance was as MR. Jackson in Talking Pictures, will play Gaspar Rodrigues Ben Israel, a member of the synagogue board.

The set will be designed by Jim Covault. Costume design will be again be handled by Michael Robinson and Dallas Costume Shoppe, who provided costumes for our production of Arms and the Man, Jeeves in the Morning and Talking Pictures. Michael O'Brien will design the lighting, with set décor and props by Lynn Lovett.

New Jerusalem will preview Thursday, January 5 at 7:30 and Friday, January 6 at 8:00, and will run through Sunday, January 29. Performance times will be Thursday evenings at 7:30, Friday and Saturday evenings at 8:00, with Sunday matinees at 3:00. The opening night reception will be Saturday, January 7. Ticket prices range from $26 to $30, with discounts for students and seniors. Preview tickets are priced at only $15. Pay What You Can performances will be Sunday, January 8 and Thursday, January 12. Food service is available 90 minutes prior to performances (reservations are necessary), and all Friday nights after January 6 will feature the $35 Prix Fixe Special. Reservations and information are available through the Box Office (817-784-9378), or on the website, www.stagewest.org.

Photo credit: Buddy Myers

Samuel West Swanson & Garret Storms

Jim Covault & Garret Storms

Garret Storms & Barrett Nash