NJ Rep Presents World Premiere of TWO JEWS WALK INTO A WAR, 12/10 - 1/10
By: Jessica Lewis Nov. 11, 2009
The New Jersey Repertory Company located at 179 Broadway in Long Branch is proud to present the National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere of Seth Rozin's Two Jews Walk into a War. December 10, 2009 through January 10, 2010.
Two Jews Walk into a War is a funny and poignant play set in a dilapidated old synagogue in Kabul during the final days of the Taliban regime. Ishaq and Zeblyan are the last two surviving Jews in all of Afghanistan. The problem is, they hate each other and spend their days hurling insults at one another while struggling to recreate the sacred Torah. Could it be that the salvation of Afghanistan's Jewish community is left in the hands of a Middle-Eastern odd couple? Inspired by a true story, Two Jews Walk into a War is directed by James Glossman and stars Reathel Bean and John Pietrowski. (Co-produced with Playwrights Theatre.)
Click to hear the real last Jew in Afghanistan - 12 Sep 07
SETH ROZIN (Playwright) is the author of several plays, including Men of Stone (produced by Theater Catalyst in 2001, nominated for a Barrymore Award for Outstanding New Play, published by Playscripts, Inc.), Missing Link (produced by InterAct Theatre Company in 2002, nominated for a Barrymore Award for Outstanding New Play), Reinventing Eden (showcased by the National New Play Network in 2005, produced by InterAct in 2006), The Space Between Us (readings at Abingdon Theatre in New York and InterAct), Black Gold (showcased by the National New Play Network (NNPN) in 2006, productions at InterAct, Phoenix Theatre in Indianapolis, Prop Thtr in Chicago, Arts West in Seattle in 2008), and Two Jews Walk Into a War.... He has also written the book, lyrics and music for a new musical entitled A Passing Wind: The (Mostly) True Story of Joseph Pujol, about the rise and fall of the world's greatest "fartiste." Seth is the recipient of two playwriting fellowships from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, two Barrymore Award nominations for Outstanding New Play, the 2007 Smith Prize from the NNPN, as well as a 2002 new play commission from the Foundation for Jewish Culture. He is the founder and Producing Artistic Director of InterAct Theatre Company in Philadelphia, where he has directed over 45 productions, including the world premieres of Thomas Gibbons' Permanent Collection, Bee-Luther-Hatchee, Black Russian, A House With No Walls and 6221. He served as President of the National New Play Network from 2002-2006.
James Glossman (Director) Upcoming projects: The Price (w/Orson Bean & Stephanie Zimbalist), Shadowland Theatre, NY; Bluff (w/John Astin), BoarsHead Theatre, MI; benefit performance of Noël Coward's final play A Song at Twilight (w/Kelly Bishop, Maryann Plunkett & Paxton Whitehead), Luna Stage Co, NJ. At NJ Rep: Circumference of a Squirrel, Tour De Farce, as well as various readings for the NJ State Arts Council. Other recent projects: Death of a Salesman (w/Frankie Faison); David Wiltse's Sedition and The Good German, both co-productions of Shadowland and Playwrights Theatre (where he is Associate Artistic Director); Mrs Warren's Profession (w/Paula Prentiss & Prentiss Benjamin); The Value of Names (w/Jack Klugman, Dan Lauria & Liz Larsen), George Street Playhouse, NJ & Falcon Theatre, L.A.; The Gin Game (w/William Schallert); All My Sons (w/Richard Benjamin & Paula Prentiss); world premiere of Guillermo Reyes' Sunrise at Monticello at Playwrights; Immoral Imperatives (w/Malachi Throne & Laura Esterman), WHAT, Cape Cod; and the east coast premiere of Jeff Daniels' Guest Artist (w/Larry Pine & Anthony Blaha); rediscovered and directed lost American political thriller Spread Eagle (w/Ed Asner, Sharon Gless, Jamey Sheridan, Fred Savage), L.A. Theatre Works. Adapted & Directed Kate Atkinson's Whitebread-Award-winning Behind the Scenes at the Museum (for which he was named Best Director of the Year by the Star-Ledger), Jim Lehrer's novels Kick the Can, The Special Prisoner (w/William Schallert) and Flying Crows, as well staged workshops Mr Lehrer's play The Will and Bart Show with Edward Asner, Josef Sommer, Donald Moffat, Frances Sternhagen, Pamela Payton-Wright, and John Astin. In April, directed first staged reading of Unexplored Interior, Jay Sanders' new epic play about the Rwandan genocide, at The Public Theater, with a cast including Boyd Gaines, Frankie Faison, Marlyn Afflack, Dion Graham, and Fritz Weaver as Mark Twain. Flying Crows and The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg available from Dramatic Publishing www.dramaticpublishing.com.
Reathel Bean (Ishaq) most recent Broadway role was in Tony Kushner's Caroline, or Change, His other Broadway plays include Our Town, with Paul Newman; Inherit the Wind, with George C. Scott; and the musicals, Big River, Baby, and Doonesbury. He has recently appeared at Playwrights Theater of NJ, Shadowlands Theater, and Luna Stage. In addition to other work in regional theaters and a number of films, he has appeared in all three of the Law and Order series, The Third Watch, Ed, and Spin City.
JOHN PIETROWSKI (Zeblyan) is the artistic director for Playwrights Theatre of New Jersey. At PTNJ, he has directed the Workshop Productions of Sally's Porch by Russell Davis, I See My Bones by Kitty Chen, Sister Calling My Name by Buzz McLaughlin and three shows in Rowing to America: The Immigrant Project. He has also directed productions of Acts of the Apostles, Mark's Gospel, and Genesis at PTNJ, the latter piece also moving to productions at the Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland and the Lamb's Theatre in NYC. Other New York productions include four short plays by Fred Stroppel and Any Friend of Percy D'Angelino Is a Friend of Mine, by Jason Milligan, at the West Bank Cafe, Song of Grendelyn by Russell Davis, at The Public Theatre and Alice's Fourth Floor, I See My Bones for Urban Stages, and other plays at the Actor's Outlet and Arts Club Theatre. He has directed two radio plays for the WNYC Radio Stage Consortium, St. Joe's Takes the Radio Stage and The Rehearsal, both of which have aired on National Public Radio. He also directed the stage adaptation of The Rehearsal, by J. Rufus Caleb, at the New Harmony Project. His two plays Black Madonna and The Buda have been performed at PTNJ, Foundation Theatre, Loaves and Fish Theatre and Arts Club Theatre. Mr. Pietrowski was also the Program Coordinator of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation Theatre Program for Teachers and Playwrights from 1988-94. A graduate of Northwestern University's Performance Studies Department, he also holds a Masters of Public Administration degree in non-profit management from Seton Hall University and teaches acting, directing and theatre history at Drew University and Fairleigh Dickinson University.
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