Poster art created in collaboration with Queer Jewish Artist Ava Berkwits, inspired by the work of Keith Haring and Marc Chagall
In the spring of 2024, I had the opportunity to direct Falsettos through U-M Theatre and Drama's affiliate organization, Basement Arts. While I gained many technical skills through the process, it was most valuable to me because it cemented my love for a dramaturgy-led directorial approach.
As a queer Jewish artist I am deeply attached to Falsettos. It portrays the intersection of communities I hold dear with overwhelming compassion. Candidly, one concern I had in pre-production was having actors with varying exposure to Judaism and Jewish culture play Jewish characters. With anti-Semitism soaring it was a scary time to invite people with varying levels of understanding into the story. I feared we wouldn’t have time to educate and properly address the nuances of portraying Judaism.
Two weeks in, I replaced a rehearsal with a cast and crew Shabbat dinner. This immersive dramaturgy experience started with a presentation on jewish culture, the AIDS epidemic, and other topical focuses of Falsettos. What began as an educational pursuit melted into an invaluable evening of community. We shared a Jewish meal (in part cooked by my mother and grandmother), said kiddish, and shared traditions, stories, and curiosities with candid and courageous vulnerability. We left that evening with a better understanding of each other and of the story we had the privilege of telling.
This epitomizes the kind of empathy building from the inside out that defines my values and priorities as a director.
Images courtesy of Ellie Vice
Images courtesy of Ellie Vice
Images courtesy of Ellie Vice
Images courtesy of Ellie Vice
Images courtesy of Ellie Vice
Images courtesy of Ellie Vice
Images courtesy of Ellie Vice
Images courtesy of Ellie Vice
Images courtesy of Ellie Vice
Images courtesy of Ellie Vice
Images courtesy of Ellie Vice
Images courtesy of Ellie Vice
Images courtesy of Ellie Vice
Images courtesy of Ellie Vice
Images courtesy of Ellie Vice
Images courtesy of Ellie Vice
Images courtesy of Ellie Vice
Images courtesy of Ellie Vice
Images courtesy of Ellie Vice
Images courtesy of Ellie Vice
Images courtesy of Ellie Vice
Images courtesy of Ellie Vice
Images courtesy of Ellie Vice
Images courtesy of Ellie Vice
