“Not That Jewish”
At a Los Angeles kitchen table in 2007 three women hatched a plan to welcome and encourage contemporary stories by Jewish women and to adapt them theatrically, giving them life in front of a live audience. Harking back to the age-old idea of women hosting culture of the day in their homes, sparing the expense of a theater, sets, costumes, and props, Jewish Women’s Theatre focuses on presenting powerful stories in unexpected and convenient venues. Presentations include stories, poems, comedic monologues, songs, and art. Now, in its 12th season, JWT seeks stories celebrating a diverse Jewish population, regardless of gender, generation, degree of Jewish observance, ethnicity, cultural background, or sexual orientation, drawing on audiences of all ages, both women and men, mostly Jewish, but not all. Some notable shows are: “Saffron & Rosewater”—about the Persian Jewish immigrant; “Stories from The Fringe”—trailblazing stories of women rabbis; “Eden According to Eve”—bible stories from a female perspective set in contemporary times; “Chutzpah & Salsa—the Latino Jewish experience, and more. You can enjoy several brief clips of comedy writer Monica Piper’s commissioned one-woman show, “Not That Jewish” here: jewishwomenstheatre.org/notthatjewish.