New season features memoir of music and survival
Harold Green Jewish Theatre Company celebrates Bar Mitzvah in 2020
An extraordinary memoir of music and survival is coming to the Harold Green Jewish Theatre Company.
Grammy-nominated pianist Mona Golabek tells the remarkable true story of a young Jewish piano prodigy who escapes the Nazi regime to pursue her dreams. Astonishingly, Golabek plays her mother, Lisa Jura, in the production and brings to life her heart-wrenching Kindertransport journey through the power of music in The Pianist of Willesden Lane.
. “The story enters the hearts of all theatregoers, no matter background or age,” says Golabek, whose awe-inspiring performance includes some of the world’s most beautiful music. “Everyone identifies with my mother, her dream of music during one of the darkest periods in history, and more importantly, a story of man’s humanity to man.”
The poignant production is just one in an amazing lineup for the upcoming 2019/2020 season at the Harold Green Jewish Theatre Company (HGJTC), an affordable and exciting experience that transcends all cultures and generations. For the first time, a $99 HGJTC subscription is being offered for those ages 36 and under to enjoy great theatre with stories that resonate with their lives.
There’s so much to see and celebrate at HGJTC in 2019, including the company’s 13th anniversary Bar Mitzvah celebration. Everyone is invited to a season of thought-provoking Jewish plays that culminates with a celebrity-filled Bar Mitzvah Party fundraiser with dinner and dancing on May 21, 2020.
“Our upcoming season will feature plays that look at the struggles and triumphs of young adults now and at key moments of the past century,” says David Eisner, co-artistic director at HGJTC. It’ll leave people talking: “Like all great theatre, we look to raise questions by challenging our audience with relevant issues of today.”
The excitement kicks off Sept. 14, 2019, with the timely and explosive play, Actually , which looks at two millennials at college fighting for the truth after a night of passion. Running through to Sept. 29, 2019, playwright Anna Ziegler examines the very current topic of sexual consent. Directed by Philip Akin and starring Tony Ofori and Claire Renaud, HGJTC will be producing the play in association with Obsidian Theatre Company. Running Nov. 4–17, The Pianist of Willesden Lane promises to be a stunning musical journey of connection and inspiration under Hershey Felder’s direction — it has played to rave reviews in London’s West End as well as on Broadway.
HGJTC is also proud to feature the Canadian premiere of The Great Divide, scheduled to run from April 25–May 10, 2020. Written by Alix Sobler and directed by Avery Saltzman, the richly-informative production features the struggles of young immigrant women at the turn of the century who move to the new world looking for a better life.
Rounding off the Bar Mitzvah season — and a great magical show for the entire family — is Vitaly: An Evening of Wonders , running May 31– June 14, 2020. Vitaly is one of the most unique and innovative illusionists in the world and HGJTC patrons will be amazed as he combines the art of illusion with stories of growing up in Israel.
HGJTC is also offering a free Israeli play reading series, as part of Spotlight on Israeli Culture, celebrating some of Israel’s most influential playwrights, including Hannoch Levin, Anat Gov and A.B Yehoshua.
HGJTC co- artistic director Avery Saltzman says it is expected to be a magical season for HGJTC, embracing all wonders of Jewish storytelling: “Live theatre is vital to creating connections and keeping stories alive. It’s tough to reinvent stories but we do it uniquely, theatrically and relevantly.”
Subscription packages for the 2019/20 Harold Green Jewish Theatre Company Season are now on sale. To purchase, go online at hgjewishtheatre.com or call 416-733- 0545 or 416-932-9995.
“The upcoming season features plays that look at the struggles and triumphs of young adults nowand at key moments of the past century.”