Review: THE IMMIGRANT at The New Jewish Theatre

The promise of the American Dream has brought immigrants to the United States for centuries. Mark Harelik’s THE IMMIGRANT tells the story of a young Russian Jew who immigrates to America through the port in Galveston, Texas and settles in a sleepy little town with a population of just over 1,000. Selling bananas for a penny each, he meets Milton and Ima Perry, a banker and his wife, creating a lifelong relationship. 

THE IMMIGRANT, currently playing at the New Jewish Theatre is the charming story of Haskell Harelik and his post-immigration life in Hamilton, Texas. Directed by New Jewish Theater Artistic Director Rebekah Scallet, The Immigrant examines the relationship between a Baptist couple and Haskell’s Jewish Family who moves into their neighborhood. Rich in acculturation, this drama tells a real-life account of how love and acceptance will change the lives of others.  

Scallet’s brisk direction keeps the two-and-one-half hour play moving quickly. She uses her actors to move the set and prop pieces on and off the stage as they enter and exit. While this is mostly effective, there are some occasions where the set change takes slightly too much time. The stage is flanked by two modest households, one belonging to the Perry Family and the other belonging to the Harelik Family. The action takes place in the remaining open space between the homes and Scallet does an amazing job blocking the four actors to shrink the space and create real intimacy. Scallet tells a compelling and emotional story and elicits phenomenal performances from her actors. Her work with the actors and dialect coach John Wilson helps build complex and layered characters with believable accents that are distinctly southern and Eastern European. 

The heartbeat of this production stems from the lovely and charming performance of Mindy Shaw (Ima Perry.) Shaw vanishes into Ima with a honey-dripped southern accent wrapped in kindness and a sweet naivete. She convinces her suspicious and stern husband to offer a room to the young immigrant she befriends and eventually develops a deep love for him and his family. Shaw’s performance is a wonderful characterization of a woman who is a humanitarian and sees beyond the differences in another person. While all four actors deliver remarkable performances, Shaw’s is beyond wonderful. She captures the audience’s affection in her first scene, and she holds them close throughout.  

Dustin Lane Petrillo (Haskell Harelik) delivers a fully realized performance playing Haskell from the time of his arrival in America as a frightened, hard-working immigrant though his adult life as a confident businessman. Haskell’s presence and expressions light up the stage as he attempts to sell bananas speaking Yiddish sprinkled with a handful of English words. It is Petrillo’s warmth and friendly facial expressions that capture Ima’s concern and slowly softens Milton’s gruff exterior and mistrust. Petrillo makes Harelik loveable, connecting his character to Ima. It takes the immigrant’s diligent work ethic to soften Milton doubts and make Harelik relatable. Petrillo’s physical acting choices convey the endurance required to survive on pennies from hard work, and that is why the audience connects to Petrillo’s character and roots for his success. 

David Wassilak plays the strongly opinionated Milton who develops a soft spot for Haskell. Wassilak delivers both a kind and heartbreaking performance due to strong held opinions that he refuses to budge on. His staunch performance is the crux for the maturation of the young Haskell to a successful businessman who gains the courage to challenge Miton’s strong opinions.   

Finally, Bryn McLaughlin does fine work as Haskell’s wife Leah. Her fear is palpable when she arrives in American unable to speak English as a stranger in a foreign land. She effectively conveys her disapproval of Haskell shirking Jewish tradition as he attempts to assimilate to life in small town Texas. It is her friendship with Ima that eventually leads to her comfort in her new world. Her insistence on keeping her Jewish faith creates a reverse acculturation for both Ima and Milton. She teaches them Jewish tradition as the only family in a Christian society.  

The performances of these four actors are the reason New Jewish Theatre’s production of The Immigrant cannot be missed. Each of their impassioned performances stir sentimental emotions that create exquisite storytelling. The quartet works magnificently together to share the true story of Haskell’s immigration to the United States and how he created better a life for his family. This production, and THE LEHMAN TRILOGY last month at The Rep, honor the stories of Jewish immigrants who found their successes in a new world.  

The Immigrant plays The New Jewish Theatre through Sunday, October 29th. Click the ticket link below for more information.  

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