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December 10, 2004/Kislev 27 5765, Vol. 57, No.15
Plays celebrate ties that bind
JENNIFER GOLDBERG
Staff Writer
Chanukah - it's about freedom, about determination and about celebration. In today's world, it's about family - gathering with the relatives over a menorah and a good meal.
The latest Arizona Jewish Theatre Company offerings, "Beau Jest" and "Jest a Second," are a warm and hilarious look at the pitfalls and triumphs of family life.
The plays, written by Jim Sherman of Chicago, depict two episodes in the life of the Goldman family. Sarah Goldman, a Jewish woman in her 20s, never dates anyone Jewish, and she's tired of hearing about it from her parents. In "Beau Jest," she hires Bob, a professional actor, to pose as her Jewish boyfriend when her parents and brother come over for Shabbat dinner.
Sounds like a perfect plan, right? Wrong: Bob's not Jewish, although he did have a role in "Fiddler on the Roof" once, he tells Sarah proudly. The rest of the play is inspired hilarity, as the Goldmans kvell over Sarah's catch, brother Joel begins to doubt Bob's identity, and Sarah finds herself falling in love with yet another gentile.
"Jest a Second" finds the Goldmans a few years later. Bob has converted, and he and Sarah have married. A baby is on the way. When the family reconvenes for another special occasion, this time it's Joel who has the secret. And once again, Bob is called on to play a part.
"Beau Jest" was an unexpected hit for Sherman when it was first produced in 1989; it ran for two years off-Broadway in New York, and has since been performed all over the world.
"I wish I knew," why "Beau Jest" was such a hit, Sherman says, "because if I knew the formula, I would do it all the time.
"Part of it is because the characters in this play, the people in this family, really love each other. ... It's kind of unusual. A lot of playwrights these days are just writing plays about how horrible life is. I like to write plays in which people love each other."
That's not the only reason, says Janet Arnold, AJTC managing director. The plays "are such fun. And (the characters) are people all of us know. He has an amazing gift with dialogue, and a wonderful ear for contemporary folk."
Sherman says "Beau Jest" was born in a unique way: "Lots of people tell me funny stories. Years and years before I wrote 'Beau Jest,' this guy told me a story about once being asked to pretend to be this woman's Jewish boyfriend. It was an anecdote that he told me over lunch one day."
"Jest a Second" was inspired by another one of Sherman's friends. When Sherman started to write the play, he realized that the characters from "Beau Jest" would be perfect for the story.
"Beau Jest" and "Jest a Second" are the first plays AJTC has ever done in repertory, which means they will be performed on alternate days. On Sundays, the cast will perform "Beau Jest" in the afternoon and "Jest a Second" in the evening. While "Jest a Second" is technically a sequel, the two plays stand on their own, and audiences will understand what's going on.
Arnold reports that while it was challenging for the cast to learn two plays at once (an extra week of rehearsals was added), the fact that virtually all the characters are the same allows for great character development.
"Once you learn the character, it's a little easier to move on," she adds. AJTC will also hold a special fund-raising event the evening of Dec. 25; as a nod to the Jewish Christmas tradition of Chinese food and a movie, there will be a special performance of "Beau Jest" accompanied by a catered kosher Chinese meal.
In the busy and often stressful Chanukah season, "Beau Jest" and "Jest a Second" are a welcome reminder of the importance of family.
"Family is always there for you when times are tough," Arnold says. "Regardless of their little idiosyncrasies, they really do mean the best for you."
Sherman adds, "Even though there are problems, and even though there are conflicts, most of what the characters do in these plays are motivated by love."
He quotes one of his favorite Woody Allen movies, "Broadway Danny Rose": "It's about acceptance, forgiveness and love."
A good holiday message, if ever there was one.
Details
- What: "Beau Jest" and "Jest a Second"
- When: Dec. 18-Jan. 9
- Where: Playhouse on the Park, inside the Viad Corporate Center, 1850 N. Central Ave., Phoenix
- Cost: $26-$28
- Call: 602-264-0402
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