Block · one region of the page, as the scanner read it. It may hold a whole story, part of one, several, or an advertisement; stitching blocks into articles is the next step. Text is supplied OCR.
Page 2 · column 4 of 9 · from the scan, no model involved
compelling presence to the dance segments. Mitch Mercurio and Stephen Shaffer completed the dance troupe who were captivating whenever they were on stage.
One suspects that each character would be interesting to get to know as an individual. The poetic nature of the dialog seems not to allow us to get too close to the human nature of the character, but rather to see him or her as defined by their ideas and opinions. Nathan, portrayed by Howard Coon, is an ascetic and a powerful character. We are struck by the strength of his resolve to overcome illness by dietary strictness and touched by his relationships with his aging father and his young son. Benjie, a friend of Nathan’s from college, played by Michael Conifey, seemed most at ease with the Seder celebration. Sid Gottleib as Nathan’s and his wife Raida's professor from college, was perfectly cast with his sense of fun and academic levity. Nathan’s aging father, Abba, ably portrayed by Waldron O’Connor, gave us a glimpse of the wisdom and confusion of old age, Nathan’s children, Zaki and Sharon, Jesse Reynolds and Isabel Ford respectively, deserve praise for their contributions. Raida, Nathan’s wife, was portrayed by Donna Lowe Yowell whose lovely soprano voice added depth to the musical numbers.
Elijah the Prophet, in Jewish tradition, is the long expected messenger of the final redemption of mankind from all oppression. In the play’s most moving scene, Zaki is sent to open the door for Elijah. He pleads, when told that the prophet has not come after an appropriate amount of time, that the door be allowed to remain open a little longer. The adults leave the table and join Zaki and Sharon, hoping that Elijah will enter the home and renew their hope. For a moment, the audience too believed that Elijah just might appear.
Actively renewing hope through lively discussion and shared ancient ritual, is the distillation of the message of “Next Year Jerusalem". Carla Eugster’s play invites us each to form personal conclusions.
93.4%