TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE Opens NJT'S Third Decade

The New Jewish Theatre will begin its 3rd decade of Theatrical Excellence with an adaptation of Mitch Albom's well-loved book, Tuesdays with Morrie. The play will run October 4-22. Albom adapted the play with playwright Jeffrey Hatcher from his book of the same title. It quietly tells the story of the renewed relationship between sports columnist Albom and his former Brandeis professor and mentor, Morrie Schwartz.

Sixteen years after graduating from Brandeis, Mitch has become a successful sports columnist for the Detroit Free Press, having forgotten all about his one-time mentor. One evening he happens to catch a segment of Ted Koppel's "Nightline" and recognizes the voice of his old professor. Through the interview, Albom learns that Morrie is suffering from ALS (Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) or Lou Gehrig's disease, a degenerative neurological disease that is fatal. Having promised Morrie at graduation that he would "keep in touch" (which he has not), Mitch decides to call Morrie and then to fly to Massachusetts to visit.

And so begins the weekly Tuesday visits that Mitch makes to Massachusetts to visit Morrie. After a hiccup in the beginning, but then over the next 14 Tuesdays, not only do they reconnect on a very strong personal level, but Morrie, ever the teacher, is able to impart to the arrogant Albom valuable life lessons and wisdom in his final stage of life. So Mitch's first simple visit turns into a weekly pilgrimage with a last class in the meaning of life.

We become like flies on the wall as we listen in on these visits and we cannot help but be moved as Tuesdays with Morrie is a touching, life-affirming and deeply emotional drama told with a generous dose of humor.

The St. Louis Chapter of the ALS Association will moderate several post performance audience talk backs with the actors, director and other personnel from the production.

Anna Pileggi directs the production which features, Jim Anthony* as Morrie and David Wassilak as Mitch. Tuesdays with Morrie will run October 4 - 22 in the JCC's Wool Studio Theatre, 2 Millstone Campus Drive. Tickets are $36 - $44 and are available at newjewishtheatre.org or 314-442-3283. Season tickets are also available as well as our new FLEX Passes.

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