Betsy Aidem, Francis Benhamou & More to Discuss PRAYER FOR THE FRENCH REPUBLIC at 14Y

2024 Tony Award nominee Betsy Aidem will join her fellow cast members Francis Benhamou, Ari Brand, and Ethan Haberfield on Tuesday, May 21 at 7pm at the 14th Street Y for a conversation about the 2024 Tony Award nominated Best Play, Prayer for the French Republic. Moderated by New York Times culture writer Marc Tracy, this lively discussion will explore the play’s themes of Jewish identity, French culture, and Zionism in times of rising antisemitism.

This event is part of 14Y’s Spring Season of Jewish Culture. As a Jewish Community Center, 14Y offers a variety of opportunities for people to discover, explore, and connect with Jewish life. Visit www.14streety.org to purchase tickets to Broadway at 14Y or to learn more. 

ASL Interpretation for this event will be provided by Inclusive Communication Services. This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council.

About the Participants:

Betsy Aidem: Broadway: Prayer for the French Republic (2024 Tony nom.) Leopoldstadt (Tony, Best Play), All The Way and Beautiful. Nikolai And The Others and Road (Lincoln Center Theater), The Metal Children and Mary Rose at Vineyard, Celebration at Atlantic, Crooked at WP, Final Follies at Primary Stages. Stone Cold Dead Serious at Edge, Doubt and Appropriate at Westport, Romeo and Juliet at Chicago Shakes, Circle Mirror Transformation at Huntington, All The Way at ART, Mama’s Boy at George Street. TV: “Inside Amy Schumer,” “SVU” (recurring), “Bull,” “Madame Secretary,” “The Americans,” “Orange Is The New Black,” etc. Film: Margaret, Irrational Man, A Vigilante, The Greatest Showman. Awards: Richard Seff 2022, Lucille Lortel nom., Outer Critics Circle nom., Irne nom., BWW Award, Drama Desk Ensemble, Obie Sustained Excellence of Performance. Directing: A Doll’s House Part 2 at George Street. 

Ari Brand’s NYC theater credits include Prayer for the French Republic (MTC); My Name is Asher Lev (Off-Broadway); The Neil Simon Plays (Broadway); The Lucky One (Mint); Black Tie (Primary Stages); Romeo and Juliet (NYSF); Much Ado About Nothing (NYCT); Scenes from Childhood (written by Ari Brand, 14th St Y). Other theater: Bad Jews (Geffen Playhouse); Arabian Nights (Berkeley, KC Reps); Last Night of Ballyhoo (Bay Street); Diary of Anne Frank (Westport); Diner (DTC); My Name Is Asher Lev (Long Wharf). Upcoming TV/Film: Beautiful and Neat Room(feature). Past TV/Film: “Blue Bloods,” “FBI: International,” “Fosse/Verdon,” “Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “The Other Two,” “FBI; White Collar,” To the Flame, Listen. B.A. Wesleyan University; BADA; LABA Fellow.

Francis Benhamou made her Broadway debut as Elodie in Prayer for the French Republic, after originating the role Off-Broadway. She won the Lucille Lortel and Drama Desk Awards for Best Featured Actress and was also nominated for an Outer Critics Circle Award. Her Off-Broadway credits include Selling Kabul (Pulitzer Prize Finalist), The Profane(Playwrights Horizons), the Obie award winning Invasion!, I Call My Brothers (The Play Co.), and Motel Cherry (Clubbed Thumb/New Georges). Her film and television credits include Arranged, Neal Cassady, Breaking Upwards, Listen up Phillip, “Inside Amy Schumer,” “Daredevil,” “Life & Beth,” and “Dear Edward.” Francis is a graduate of the Maggie Flanigan Studio. 

Ethan Haberfield returned to Broadway in Prayer for the French Republic after making his debut at the age of 10 in Mary Poppins. Regional Theatre: Oliver (Paper Mill Playhouse); Wrinkle in Time (Playmakers Repertory Company); To Kill a Mockingbird (Shakespeare Theatre of NJ). Film/TV: “Saturday Night Live” (NBC); We Have A Ghost (Netflix); The Other Two (HBO); Sinister (Blumhouse). Ethan grew up in NYC and attended High School at Professional Children’s School, then went on to get his BFA in Acting from The University of Michigan. 

Marc Tracy is a New York Times reporter, based in New York. He covers film, television, popular music, theater, books, art, and other cultural disciplines. He is drawn to stories exploring the debate about appropriation and the ways arts and culture frequently become flash points. 

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