UC SANTA CRUZ ARTS & LECTURES presents
A TRAVELING JEWISH THEATRE in
"God's Donkey: A Play on Moses"
DETAILS
» TWO PERFORMANCES ONLY: Saturday April 6, 2002 at 8pm &
Sunday, April 7, 2002 at 3pm
» UCSC Theater Arts Mainstage
» Admission: $23 Adult; $19 Students & Seniors w/ ID; $13 UCSC Students w/ ID
» UCSC Ticket Office: 831-459-2159 / On-line: events.ucsc.edu/artslecs.
UC Santa Cruz Arts & Lectures presents A Traveling Jewish Theatre in God's Donkey: A Play on Moses on Saturday April 6, 2002 at 8pm and Sunday, April 7, 2002 at 3pm at the UCSC Theater Arts Mainstage. Re-visioning the story of Moses, God's Donkey questions the "conventional wisdom" that has, from this ensemble's perspective, encumbered the narrative for centuries. Examining the most basic assumptions of the modern world-view, the existence of history, national identity, individual choice and the uniqueness of individual experience, A Traveling Jewish Theatre finds connections where others see division. Digging into a variety of biblical translations and commentaries the company presents a wealth of surprising and revelatory images which are powerful, refreshing and full of humor. Using burlap, head scarves, a couple of rocks and a few other minimal costumes and props, Aaron Davidman and Eric Rhys Miller transform themselves in this two-man performance into multiple characters, including God in sunglasses, a daunted Moses, a kvetching slave, a midwife and other figures. Daniel Hoffman's live music sets the tone and lends to the expressive range and emotional pull of the play with feverish fiddle solos, blues on electric guitar, Hebrew chants and Broadway-style production numbers (Hoffman also enters the stage, becoming a powerful third "voice"). God's Donkey was co-written by Aaron Davidman, Eric Rhys Miller and the play's director Corey Fisher.
The audience is invited to stay after the performances for Meet-the-Artist discussions.
This presentation supported in part by Ow Family Properties.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Now in its 21st season, A Traveling Jewish Theatre (ATJT) is a unique artist-led ensemble that has created a body of work which defies categorization. In the polyglot tradition of Jewish culture, the company speaks many languages. It speaks poetry and it speaks story. It speaks secular Yiddish humanism and ecstatic mysticism. It speaks world history and women's wisdom. It speaks jazz and sacred chant. It speaks Jewish and it speaks American. Since its founding in 1978 ATJT has created 12 original works for the theatre, the sources for which have ranged from the legends of the Hasidim to the assassination of Trotsky; from Yiddish poetry to the reclamation of women's wisdom; from the healing nature of storytelling to the challenge of interfaith marriage and from the politics of the Middle East to African-American/Jewish relations. Searching for the living images that burn themselves into our consciousness, ATJT avoids dealing with social or political issues in isolation. It recognizes that the roots of theatre lie in the realm of the mythic, the sacred and the communal; and that theatre can be an instrument of healing for people and cultures.
INTERVIEW CONTACT
To request an interview please fax or e-mail your request to:
Helene Sanghvi York, Managing Director, ATJT
Fax: (415) 399-1844 / Phone: (415) 399-1809, x301
E-mail: helene@atjt.com
PHOTOS
Color and black & white images
are available via e-mail
by contacting Moon Rinaldo:
moonr@cats.ucsc.edu or (831) 459-4058
UCSC ARTS & LECTURES CONTACTS
Moon Rinaldo
A&L Publicity and
Production Coordinator
831.459.4058
moonr@cats.ucsc.edu
or
Michelle Witt
A&L Director
831.459.2941
mwitt@cats.ucsc.edu
TICKETS
UCSC Ticket Office
831.459.2159 (v/tdd)
A&L GENERAL
Mailing Address:
D106 Porter
1156 High Street
Santa Cruz, CA 95064
A&L fax: 831.459.4521
A&L e-mail: artslecs@cats.ucsc.edu
A&L on-line: events.ucsc.edu/artslecs
UC Santa Cruz Arts & Lectures is committed to presenting artists of national and international reputation to Santa Cruz County and beyond.
The 2001-02 Arts & Lectures Season presented in partnership with the Santa Cruz Sentinel, KUSP 88.9FM, New Leaf Community Markets and Continental/Seaway Inns.
