Anat Gov's BEST FRIENDS Returns Off-Broadway

ISRAELI ARTISTS PROJECT have announced following a sold-out run at Rattlestick theater, the return engagement of award-winning Israeli playwright Anat Gov's BEST FRIENDS, the longest-running comedy in Israel and winner of the prestigious Israel National Theater Award for Best Comedy in 1999, directed by Hamutal Posklinsky-Shehory.

BEST FRIENDS will be performed in both English and Hebrew (by the same actors) in a limited engagement as part of the Stav Festival at the Theater at the 14th Street Y (344 East 14th Street at First Ave). Performances begin Wednesday, October 4 at 7 p.m. and continue through Saturday, October 28. Tickets are $25-$50 and are available at https://www.go-out.co/venue/stavfestival.

BEST FRIENDS tells the saga of a friendship between three women over 3 decades. Sophie, Tirzah and Lelly met in their high school bathroom in the late 1960s. From that inauspicious beginning, a life-long friendship was born. Now, twenty years later, these best friends are brought together when Sophie and Tirzah have not spoken to one another for nearly two years, and Lelly tries to reconcile the two by bringing them to discuss "a matter of life and death." The friends are seen in all phases of their lives and friendship, with flashbacks throughout the years starting from their youth until their forties.

Told with humor, heart, and biting wit in scenes that go back and forth in time, BEST FRIENDS is about three women who are forced to examine their friendship and discover themselves in the process.

"I've been involved with many Israeli theater productions as part of the estate of my father, Ephraim Kishon, who was also a prominent Israeli playwright", says Amir Kishon. "Israel is blessed with playwrights that offer unique, yet universal, commentary about life's key themes. Anat's BEST FRIENDS heartfully captures the essence of female friendship across time and her conclusion is surprising. I am sure that after seeing this play, like me, audiences may want to go home and call one of their longtime friends and say, 'Hi!'"

Anat Gov has been one of the leading fresh female voices in Israeli theater. Her work addresses some of life's toughest questions, God, death, and friendship. Recently, My Happy Ending, her play about her experience battling cancer was made into a Hollywood movie starring Andie MacDowell. Anat passed away from cancer in 2012. Before her passing, Gov spoke of her writing of BEST FRIENDS, "I really wanted to write a play only for actresses, as a compensation to the fact so few good roles are available for women."

The production stars Addi Gefen (Swan Lake Rock Opera) as Young Tirza, Karin Hershkovitz Kochavi (Fool for Love) as Sophie, Maia Karo* (War Stories) as Lelly, *Adi Kozlovsky (The Vocapeople, New World Stages) as Tirza, Yael Shavitt (The Record, The Public Theater) as Young Sophie and Maya Shoham (Girl, The Idealist) as Young Lelly. The swings are Dafi Cramer (A Bright Room Called Day, Purchase Repertory Theater) and Te'ena Klein (Ajax in Iraqu). *Equity Members - Equity Approved Showcase

The production, assistant directed by Lotan Eny, features scenic design by Liron Barel, costume design by Arbel Rabi, and lighting design by Hamutal Posklinsky-Shehory. The sound designer and stage manager is Anat Kriger. Publicity by Katie Rosin/Kampfire PR.

BEST FRIENDS plays the following schedule through Sunday, April 2:

Performances in English:

Wednesday, October 4 at 7:00 pm

Thursday, October 5 at 7:00 pm - Press Performance

Friday, October 6 at 12:00 pm - Opening Performance

Friday, October 13 at 7:00 pm

Sunday, October 22 at 1:00 pm

Monday, October 23 at 7:00 pm

Monday, October 25 at 7:00 pm

Performances in Hebrew:

Saturday, October 7 at 7:00pm - Press Performance

Thursday, October 12 at 7:00 pm

Friday, October 20 at 7:00 pm

Saturday, October 21 at 9:00pm

Thursday, October 26 at 7:00 pm

Friday, October 27 at 7:00 pm

Saturday, October 28 at 7:00 pm

Tickets are $25-$50 and are now available online at https://www.go-out.co/venue/stavfestival. Tickets may also be purchased in person at the theater a half-hour prior to the performance.

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