Mississippi Summer clips – SD 480p
After a successful run in the Greater Seattle Area, a full production of Mississippi Summer is coming to New York in Fall 2024.
Staged Readings at The Lambs Club
Staged readings of Mississippi Summer were well-received by enthusiastic, packed house audiences on February 7 & 10 at The Lambs Club. A full production is in the works for the Fall.
The cast posed for a post-show photo with playwright/director Art Feinglass. Left to right, front row, Mark Gordon, Coren Rhodes, Cassidy Grady, Victoria Freedman. Standing, Sharlene Hartman, Peter Kingsley, Sharon Hope, Oji Miller-Fernandes, Jillie Simon, Bob Greenberg, Art Feinglass, Rocco Spoon Jr. Photo Claudia Unger.
The Rabbi visits civil rights workers in jail.
Ruby hosts Steve and Marybeth.
“Y’all must leave the Dixie Cafe right now!”
Stokely advises Steve.
New York Productions 2024
The Lambs Club
3 West 51st Street, New York, NY
February 7 & 10, 2024
Goddard-Riverside Community Center
Saturday, November 9, 2024 2:00 p.m. & 6:00 p.m.
593 Columbus Ave, New York, NY 10024
And other venues in the New York City area.
“Mississippi Summer” Highlights Jewish Role in Civil Rights Struggle
“Mississippi Summer,” a new play written and directed by Seattle/New York playwright Art Feinglass, looks at the role of Jews in the civil rights movement in the 1960’s South. Based on actual people and events, the play focuses on two idealistic Jewish volunteers who traveled to Mississippi in 1965 to fight for civil rights, the Jewish lawyer who defended them and the heroic local rabbi who played a key role in the struggle.
In the summer of 1965 Feinglass was a young civil rights worker in Jackson, Mississippi, where he and his fellow SNCC (Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee) workers Stokely Carmichael, James Foreman and John Lewis were beaten and jailed by police for their part in the bloody battle to end segregation. The play is based on his personal experiences and on the journal he kept at the time.
“Mississippi Summer” was awarded a 2023 Arts Project Grant from 4Culture and had a successful fall 2023 run in the greater Seattle-Tacoma area..
SEATTLE AREA PRODUCTIONS 2023
Langston Hughes Theatre
Saturday & Sunday October 21 & 22, 2:00 p.m.
104 17th Ave. S., Seattle, WA 98144
Seattle premiere at Langston Hughes Theatre.
The premiere performance was presented by the Seattle Jewish Theater Company on October 21 and 22 at 2 p.m. at the Langston Hughes Theatre. The production was a joint project of Jewish and Black community groups in Seattle, including the Washington State Jewish Historical Society, the City of Seattle Office of Arts & Culture, Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute, the CD Forum for Arts & Ideas, and the Black Heritage Society of Washington State.
Following the premiere, Mississippi Summer toured the Seattle-Tacoma area with performances at Temple Beth Am in Seattle, Temple Beth El in Tacoma, the Stroum Jewish Community Center on Mercer Island and the Shalom Club at Trilogy in Redmond,
The opening scene of “Mississippi Summer”
“Shut your mouth, Jewboy!”
“I’m not afraid of you!”
Temple Beth Am
Sunday, October 29, 2:00 p.m.
2632 NE 80th Street, Seattle, WA 98115
“We shall overcome!”
“Black power!”
“Stop the war!, Peace now!”
Temple Beth El
Sunday, November 5, 2:00 p.m.
5975 S 12th Street, Tacoma, WA 98465
Full house at Temple Beth El, Tacoma.
There is another Pacific Northwest aspect to the story. The civil rights lawyer portrayed in the play is based on the late Dennis Seinfeld a lifetime member of Temple Beth El in Tacoma, who, in the summer of 1965, was a young lawyer working on civil rights in Mississippi. He was the lawyer who bailed the author and his fellow civil rights workers out of jail in Jackson, Mississippi, nearly 60 years ago. (At the time, authorities in Mississippi frowned on people helping African-Americans register to vote.) The author is grateful to Karen Seinfeld, Dennis’ widow, who very generously made his files from that summer available for the writing of “Mississippi Summer.”
“Welcome to the struggle.”
Stroum Jewish Community Center
Sunday, November 12, 2:00 p.m.
3801 East Mercer Way, Mercer Island, WA 98040
Playwright/Director Art Feinglass and Cast of “Mississippi Summer.”Left to right, Mark Abel, Sonja Rose Usher, Mira Marie Goins, Sam Neer, Patrick Tolden, Madison McVeigh, Joshua Graves and Jim Quatier.
Shalom Club at Trilogy in Redmond
Sunday, November 19, 2:00 p.m.
23225 NE Greens Crossing Rd., Redmond, WA 98053
“Sit down, Marybeth!”
“Segregation is the Law in the State of Mississippi.”
“Give her back the plate!”
Assistant Director Lauren Marshall, right, confers on the script.
Art directs understudy Joshua Greene in the marching scene.
“We Shall Not Be Moved”
Seattle – King County’s 4 Culture grant agency has awarded a 2023 Arts Project Grant to the Seattle Jewish Theater Company for the production of “Mississippi Summer.”
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STAGED READING, MARCH 27, 2023
A staged reading of “Mississippi Summer,” was presented at the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute in March in cooperation with the Washington State Jewish Historical Society, the Black Heritage Society of Washington State and the Central Distinct Forum for Arts & Ideas, where it was well-received. The full performances of the play will premiere in Seattle and Tacoma in October and November.
The cast of the “Mississippi Summer” staged reading, front row, Lauren Marshall who read the stage directions, Madison McVeigh, who read the role of Judith Rosen, a civil rights worker from New York, and Juliette Jones, who read the role of Marybeth Johnson, a civil rights worker from Denver. Standing, Mark Abel, who read the role of Jackson Police Officer Bob Graham, Chandry Abreu, who read the role of Ruby Simmonds, a civil rights worker from Jackson, Mississippi, Art Feinglass, the play’s writer and director, Randy Alverenga, who read the role of civil rights leader Stokely Carmichael, Fox Matthews, who read the role of Steve Liebowitz, a civil rights worker from New York, and James Quatier, who read the role of Jackson Police Officer Caleb Prince.
Scenes from the Reading
(Photos Matt Waller)
On a march, Marybeth tells the police, “We’re not afraid of you!”
Confrontation.
Officer Graham questions Judith.
Officer Prince with Steve at the Jackson City Jail.
Stokely launches the Black Power movement. Steve takes another path.
For more information about the play and/or the production, contact SeattleJewishTheaterCompany@gmail.com
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“ARRIVALS, A SEPHARDIC – ASHKENAZI LOVE STORY, “
NEW YORK PRODUCTION, FALL 2022
Following the success of its week-long Off-Broadway run, Arrivals written and directed by Art Feinglass ,had an Encore Performance, at the Center for Jewish History, 15 W.16th Street, Sunday, November 20, 6:00- 7:30 p.m.
“What if he’s just pretending to be a Jew?” Left to right, Amelia Bell, Mariana Mott Newirth, Coren Rhodes, Paul Lutvak and Edoardo Miranda.. Photo by Karen Feldman.
Tickets at Arrivalsnyc22.eventbrite.com. Art has arranged a friends and family discount, use promo code, ARTNYC22.
“Tu mansanas, your apples.” Left to right, Amelia Bell, Lynn Diamond and Edoardo Miranda. Photo by Karen Feldman.
A hit with audiences in Seattle and New York , Arrivals is a Jewish Romeo and Juliet story about a Sephardic man from Turkey and an Ashkenazi woman from Russia who meet and fall in love in 1902 Seattle but find their love forbidden.
“I want that we should marry.” Left to right, Amelia Bell and Edoardo Miranda.. Photo by Karen Feldman.
The historically based story is presented with drama, warmth and humor as it explores issues of diversity and inclusion at the turn of the twentieth century, issues that resonate today.
“Get out of my store!” Left to right, Paul Lutvak, Mariana Mott Newirth, Amelia Bell and Edoardo Miranda. Photo by Karen Feldman
An Arrivals musical is currently in the works. A video of the New York performance will be available shortly.
From The Program
Mark Gordon Stage Manager. Due top Covid, the role of Anna was sometimes played by Lynn Diamond. The role of Rose was sometimes played by Mariana Mott Newirth. The role of Hershel was sometimes played by Ben Culpepper.
ARRIVALS was a hit with audiences in Seattle and Tacoma in the spring. This Fall the Seattle Jewish Theater Company is partnering with the American Sephardi Federation and the Sephardic Jewish Brotherhood of America to present ARRIVALS at the Center for Jewish History in New York.
Information and tickets at, americansephardi.org/events
Written and directed by SJTC artistic director Art Feinglass, and based on historical events, ARRIVALS is a Jewish Romeo and Juliet love story. The year is 1902 when Marco Cordova, a poor, young Jew from Turkey, comes to Seattle, the first Sephardic Jew to arrive in the city, determined to make his fortune. He soon meets Bayla Keigelman, a fragile Jewish girl from Russia who is haunted by memories of a vicious pogrom. Despite the cultural gulf between them, they fall in love but find they must confront forces that declare their love forbidden.
ARRIVALS will be performed at the Center for Jewish History in New York, October 30 – November 6, 2022.
“ARRIVALS, A SEPHARDIC – ASHKENAZI LOVE STORY, “
SEATTLE PRODUCTION, FALL 2022
Playwright and Director Art Feinglass, center, with the cast of “Arrivals” Left to right, seated, Rolando Cardona, Fox Matthews. Standing, Mark Abel, Grace Midland, Art Feinglass, Maren Patrick, Shelby Schill and Albert Israel.
“Arrivals” was a hit in the Seattle -Tacoma area in April and May, with audiences at every venue engaged and enthusiastic.
Fish peddler Marco (Rolando Cardona) invites shopkeeper Bayla (Maren Patrick) to a rendezvous.
In the post-show conversations with the playwright and cast, the audience had high praise for the actors and noted the relevance of the 1902 story to contemporary life.
Bayla (Maren Patrick) is the object of affection for Hershel (Fox Matthews, center) and Marco (Rolando Cardona).
Seattle theater critic Miryam Gordon wrote an insightful background article and glowing review,
https://miryamstheatermusings.blogspot.com/2022/05/sephardic-jewish-community-in-seattle.html
Seattle Sephardic Community Gets a Theatrical Treatment
An excerpt:
Art Feinglass, the founder and artistic director of Seattle Jewish Theater, wanted
to do plays that contain all kinds of Jewish lifestyles and went looking for ones he
could produce about Sepharadim. What he found was … nothing. And in fact, he
was told that if he wanted to produce such a play, he’d have to write one! And… so
he did! He did several years of research about the Jewish community in Seattle.
Playing off the classic forbidden love story, Feinglass crafted a play about
introducing Marco Cordova, a poor young Jew from Turkey, who comes to Seattle
in 1902, the first Sephardic Jew ever to arrive in the city, determined to make his
fortune. He soon meets Bayla Keigelman, a fragile young Jewish woman from
Russia, who is haunted by memories of a vicious Russian pogrom. Despite the
cultural gulf between them, they fall in love but find they must confront forces
that declare their love forbidden.
The story was based on a certain amount of truth, as well, of the first young
Sephardic men who arrived in Seattle, two cousins who became fishmongers.
Feinglass has managed to craft a charming tale with truth and tragedy comingled
with warmth and hope and love, all infused with real life history that would never
come to the stage without his dogged commitment to reflect all of the different
cultures of Judaism in his company productions.
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Seattle Jewish Theater Company performances of “ARRIVALS” have been enthusiastically received by audiences in Seattle and Tacoma.
“Meet me at Colman Dock.”
The ARRIVALS cast and playwright engage in a post-show Q&A with the audience.
At post-show Q&A’s the cast came in for high praise at Temple Beth Am and Congregation Ezra Bessaroth in Seattle and at Temple Beth El in Tacoma.
“Get out of my store!”
Next up is a performance for residents and friends of The Shalom Club at Trilogy in Renton on Saturday night May 7 and the Microsoft Auditorium at the Central Library in downtown Seattle on Sunday afternoon, May 8 at 2:30 for which admission and parking are free and no reservations are necessary.
Spring 2022 Performance Schedule
Sunday, April 10, 2 p.m. Temple Beth Am & Congregation Beth Shalom, Seattle Tickets at: https://templebethamseattle.shulcloud.com/form/alovestory2022
Sunday, May 1, 2 p.m. Congregation Ezra Bessaroth, Seward Park, Seattle Tickets at givebutter.com/WSJHSArrivals
Monday, May 2, 7 p.m. Temple Beth El, Tacoma, Free to Temple members & the community
Saturday, May 7, 7 p.m. Shalom Club at Trilogy, Redmond
Sunday, May 8, 2:30 p.m. Central Branch, Seattle Public Library, Downtown Seattle
“Your bride will love it.”
The SJTC presents plays that explore aspects of the Jewish experience.
The cast of ARRIVALS, left to right, Fox Matthews, Grace Madland, Mark Abel, Shelby Schill, Maren Patrick, and Rolando Cardona.
Written and directed by SJTC artistic director Art Feinglass, and based on actual events, Arrivals is a love story that unfolds against the backdrop of early 1900’s Seattle and the arrival of the first Sephardic Jewish immigrants
Bayla and Rose with the merchandise.
“This is di mameh and der tateh.”
The year is 1902 when Marco Cordova, a poor young Jew from Turkey, comes to Seattle, the first Sephardic Jew ever to arrive in the city, determined to make his fortune. He soon meets Bayla Keigelman, a fragile young Jewish woman from Russia, who is haunted by memories of a vicious Russian pogrom. Despite the cultural gulf between them, they fall in love but find they must confront forces that declare their love forbidden.
“ARRIVALS, A SEPHARDIC – ASHKENAZI LOVE STORY, “
NEW YORK WORKSHOP, SUMMER 2019
ARRIVALS was workshopped at acting studios in New York in summer 2019 and performed as a staged reading that was enthusiastically received by the audience.
The New York cast of “Arrivals” with the playwright, center.
As part of the work shop process a table read of the script for “Arrivals” was held at Polaris North Studios in Manhattan.
Director Bob Kalfin and playwright Art Feinglass, center, presided over a table read of “Arrivals”at Michael Howard Studios in Manhattan that included, at left, New York actors Allen Rickman in straw hat and Yelena Shmulenson-Rickman.
Thank you!
I am grateful to the many people who generously shared their knowledge and personal experiences in the creation of ARRIVALS. The play is the culmination of several years of research aided by historians of both the Sephardic and the Ashkenazi immigrant experience in America as well as extensive interviews with people from both communities.
Much gratitude is due to Howard Droker, co-author with Jacqueline Williams and Molly Cone of the wonderful and very helpful history, Family of Strangers, Building a Jewish Community in Washington State, who took me on a personal tour of the historically Jewish areas of Seattle.
Key to telling the story of the Sepharadim in Seattle has been Cantor Ike Azose, a great font of wisdom on Sephardic history and culture, who met with me numerous times and coached cast members on the Ladino vocabulary and songs in the play.
I am also grateful to the wonderful members of the Ladino study group the Ladineros, who shared their personal stories and memories with me, including, Luis Antezana, Sol Azose, Ralph Adatto, Jack Altabef, Victor Amira, Regina Barkey Amira, Kathy Barokas, Leatrice Gutman, Al Cordova, Jack Cordova, Lilly DeJaan, Morry Mochkatel, Cheryl Lundgren, Al Shemarya and Marlene Souriano Vinikoor.
Thanks is due, as well, to the many people whose shared stories and insights were invaluable in creating the play, including, Beth Alhadeff, Emily and Ty Alhadeff, Stuart Eshkanazi, Cynthia Flash, Jane Isenberg, Albert Israel, Michael Israel and Paula Podemimski.
And thank you to Simcha Kruger in New York and to Wendy Marcus in Seattle for their generous help with the Yiddish vocabulary and for coaching cast members on the Yiddish dialog and song in the play.
Lisa Kranseler and her staff at the Washington State Jewish Historical Society and the Washington State Jewish Archives were especially helpful with the historical research for the play, as was Dr. Devin E. Naar, Chairman of the University of Washington Sephardic Studies Program.
For their invaluable help in the workshop development of Arrivals in New York I am very grateful to Bob Kalfin, Alexa Kelly, Yelena and Allen Rickman, Gabrielle Berberich and the actors at Michael Howard Studios, and Leslie Lynn Meeker and the actors at Polaris North Studio.
And a very special thank you to Lynn Diamond who was been encouraging and supportive, as always, of ARRIVALS.
Art Feinglass, Artistic Director, Seattle Jewish Theater Company
For more information contact, SeattleJewishTheaterCompany@gmail.com.
Hot Off the Press
Kibbutz Story
I’m pleased to announce that a short story of mine, “Arieh Paz” written during my days as a member of Kibbutz Lahav in the Negev in the 1970’s, has been published in the latest edition of Fig Tree Lit, Click on the link conta.cc/3uKNx6c and scroll down to see the story. It appears in my forthcoming memoir/collection of fiction and nonfiction, “Kibbutz Stories.”
This photo accompanies the story. I’m the guy driving the tractor.
Celebrate Channukah and Passover with Children’s Books
by SJTC founder and artistic director Art Feinglass
When Talya and Aitan find a lost and lonely magical talking dreidel, they’re off on an exciting Chanukah adventure to find the little dreidel a new home. Along the way they meet a curious squirrel and a noisy crow, and learn how to play the dreidel game. But will they find the Lonesome Dreidel a good home in time for Chanukah? Beautifully illustrated, this is an engaging story for children ages 2-5 that includes a guide to playing the dreidel game.
Why is this seder night different from all other seder nights? Because tonight their search for the missing afikoman takes Milo and Eli on an adventure into a magical world where their toys come to life.
The seder cannot be completed until they retrieve the afikoman, but to do that they must hike a mountain trail, push through a jungle and cross a lake to a distant castle. On their adventure they engage in a banana fight with a troop of laughing monkeys, help a friendly snake find its lost tail and fend off an attack by the dreaded “thingamabobs.” Join Milo and Eli on their exciting quest in The Afikoman Adventure. Beautifully illustrated, this is an engaging story for children ages 3 – 8.
The Lonesome Dreidel and The Afikoman Adventure are available on Amazon at,
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=arthur+feinglass.
For more information contact:
Art Feinglass, Artistic Director
Seattle Jewish Theater Company
SeattleJewishTheaterCompany@gmail.com