DAUGHTER OF THE WICKED tells the story of Shanit Keter Schwartz returning to her homeland in search of her missing sister, a victim of the Yemenite Children Affair.
Lions Bay Productions will present DAUGHTER OF THE WICKED, a new play written and performed by Shanit Keter Schwartz. Director Zeke Rettman, who received the NAACP Award for "Best Direction" of the critically-acclaimed production of Ragtime at The Hudson Theatre, will stage the original one-woman show.
DAUGHTER OF THE WICKED features original cello music by nine-time Oscar-nominee and Grammy Award-winner James Newton Howard whose credits include The Hunger Games, Maleficent, The Dark Knight, among others. Performances begin March 4, 2022 and will play through April 10, with the official press opening on Saturday, March 5 at the Odyssey Theatre (2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd.) in Los Angeles. Tickets go on sale Thursday, January 20, 2022 at www.OdysseyTheatre.com.
DAUGHTER OF THE WICKED tells the story of Shanit Keter Schwartz returning to her homeland in search of her missing sister, a victim of the Yemenite Children Affair. She looks back at her upbringing as a Yemenite Jewish girl in the newly formed country of Israel, paying special tribute to her Kabbalistic mystical Rabbi father, as she comes to terms with her tumultuous past. This riveting new play features an original soundscape of authentic Yemenite tin drums and flutes composed by Israeli composer Lilo Fedida to transport us from the sands of Yemen to the tin huts of the Israeli settlement camps to life in the projects. James Newton Howard's cello composition will support the Kabbalistic texts that guide us through the story.
"Shanit Keter Schwartz will take audiences on a journey and emotionally connect us with her personal story and Israel's past," said Zeke Rettman, Director of Daughter of the Wicked. He added, "They will follow her as she navigates her relationship with her enigmatic Yemenite father and as she searches for the truth of her missing sister who was taken and a victim of the Yemenite Children Affair. Through Shanit's engaging style of storytelling, we will know her strength, loss, perseverance, independence, and her homecoming, and we will experience the struggles of the Jewish people that came to build the new state of Israel."
Playwright and actress Shanit Keter Schwartz said, "I wanted to illuminate a story of cultural diversity in my new one-woman show Daughter of the Wicked. This is an immigrant story that many audience members will relate to - the essence of that spirit that brought us all to this country and help to define it in the most beautiful way. I want to connect to those who have experienced the pain of loss and with those who may have been discriminated for the color of their skin and who may think that being 'dark is inferior.'" She explained, "I hope that when audiences see my play that they will have the courage to overcome their struggles and come to terms with their past and that they will take away the message of what it means to be free, and the challenges that confront us all in maintaining that freedom."
"It has been my great honor to contribute music to Shanit Keter Schwartz's remarkable one woman show, Daughter of the Wicked. I tried to musically reflect the passion, pain, vulnerability and power of this incredible story- a composer's dream," said composer James Newton Howard.
In addition to playwright Shanit Keter Schwartz, director Zeke Rettman and composer James Newton Howard, the creative team for DAUGHTER OF THE WICKED also includes Yemenite themed-music by Lilo Fedida, choreography by Kate Coleman, lighting design by Chu-Hsuan Chang, media and sound design by Fritz Davis and stage management by Steve Pope.
DAUGHTER OF THE WICKED is produced by Benton Stilwell of Lions Bay Productions.
DAUGHTER OF THE WICKED begins performances on March 4, 2022 and play through April 10, with the official press opening on Saturday, March 5. Performances will be held at the Odyssey Theatre, 2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd. in Los Angeles. The performance schedule is Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights at 8:00 pm; and Sunday matinees at 3:00 pm. Tickets prices start at $35.00 and will go on sale to the general public on Thursday, January 20, 2022. Groups of eight or more are available through the Odyssey Theatre box office at 310-477-2055. For more information visit www.OdysseyTheatre.com or call 310-477-2055.
Videos