Zibby Owens is bringing On Being Jewish Now to the stage.
The entrepreneur, editor and media mogul has partnered with The Braid to stage an adaptation of the best-selling anthology book that was collected and published as a way to represent the Jewish experience amid the rise of global antisemitism in a post-Oct. 7 world. The production will open in Los Angeles on March 22, before moving on to other cities as a mini-tour of Southern California and the Bay Area. It will also be presented as an online production via Zoom.
On Being Jewish Now spent 27 weeks atop the USA Today bestseller list. It features essays from Jewish writers, thinkers and cultural voices, and those works will be turned into an ensemble performance for the stage show that will feature “a small cast dressed in plain black clothing.” From the creative team: “On Being Jewish Now’s theatrical version dramatizes what, until now, has been rarely depicted onstage: the interior, lived experiences of Jews confronting the emotional fallout of a world reshaped by conflict and hate.”
The show includes personal narratives from writer Joanna Rakoff, actor Mark Feuerstein, spiritual leader Rabbi Sharon Brous, novelist Jeanne Blasberg, writer and journalist David Christopher Kaufman, journalist Keren Blankfeld, children’s author Courtney Sheinmel, author Rebecca Raphael, author Alison Hammer, writer-director Jeremy Garelick, and novelist Elizabeth L. Silver. The show will be directed by The Braid’s producing director Susan Morgenstern. It’s currently casting but will some performers have already been set including Abbe Meryl Feder, Benmio McCrea, and A.J. Meijer.
“It gives me goosebumps thinking about all the personal, moving stories I’ve read and edited now coming to life, especially in front of an audience. I always imagine people hearing the stories but being in a room together, a true community, and sharing the experiences will be so incredible. I can’t wait,” said Owens, who added that it’s a struggle being Jewish as of late. “Every Jewish person I know has had to redefine what it means given the rapidly shifting landscape around us. This show and the book are intimate reflections which somehow then become universal. We’re all questioning. Let’s question and explore together. Let’s double down on hope. Let’s investigate the impact of rising hatred. Let’s unite. Celebrate. Shine.”
Added Ronda Spinak, founder and artistic director of The Braid: “Our goal is to give voice to the unscripted interior lives of American Jews in this moment. In bringing Zibby’s acclaimed book to the stage, I hope the Jewish community feels seen, and in doing so, be a unifying force in a deeply divided world.”
More information about the tour can be found here.
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