What the Jews Believe
Written and directed by Mark Harelik
“What the Jews Believe” is a heartfelt, coming-of-age memory play told by the 12-year-old Nathan (Logan Weibrecht) as he prepares for his bar mitzvah as an only child in the only Jewish household in a small town in central Texas in the 1950s. It’s based on the real-life upbringing of playwright Mark Harelik, who also directs, and is a sequel of sorts to his earlier play “The Immigrant” about his Jewish Russian grandfather.
Mr. Harelik creates several story lines. Nathan’s father, Dave (Benim Foster), is a non-practicing, secular Jew; he resisted being bar mitzvahed but he insists Nathan is for “continuity.” Besides the religious angle, the dominant plot line that emerges is the late-stage cancer of Nathan’s mother, Rachel (Emily Donahoe). A counseling session with a visiting rabbi (Robert Zukerman) goes badly. Rachel’s’ aunt, Sarah (Cynthia Mace), who’s been taking care of Nathan, intervenes. Her spiritual counseling is fundamentalist Christian Science. Mr. Harelik packs a lot of cross-cultural conflict into two acts.
Fortunately, playwright/director Harelik — also an accomplished actor (Broadway credits include “The Normal Heart” and “Light in the Piazza”) — has cast his play perfectly and gets the best from every performer. Ms. Mace’s performance, however, is the outstanding; she has impeccable timing and creates a perfect character study of zeal tempered with both genteel demeanor and steely purpose. And the young Mr. Weibrecht, recruited from the local Lenox Memorial Middle and High School, has a stage presence that matches all the other seasoned performers. We should be seeing more of him on Berkshire stages.
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What the Jews Believe, produced in association with the American National Theatre, plays at the Unicorn Theatre, Route 7 in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, through Sunday, Oct. 20. For information and tickets, see the Berkshire Edge calendar, call the box office at 413-997-4444 or go to berkshiretheatregroup.org.