The 32nd Lipinsky Family San Diego Jewish Arts Festival JFest, which celebrates performances exploring Jewish history, people and ideas through the arts, will kick off next weekend with the Whole Megillah New Jewish Play Festival, a series of bold, new scripts that are “unapologetically Jewish.”
In past years, JFest has unfolded over several months and at multiple locations, with a diverse mix of programming that includes the Whole Megillah play series. But this year, the play festival will stand alone, and the rest of the festival’s other activities will be announced at a later date. Last year’s JFest featured music, comedy, cultural events, the annual Women of Valor and Klezmer summit presentations and a headlining concert by famed actor-singer Mandy Patinkin.
This year’s Whole Megillah will be presented over three nights on Wednesday, Thursday and April 6 at the Old Globe in Balboa Park. The staged readings will be presented in the Globe’s in-the-round Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre. All three plays will showcase contemporary Jewish stories designed to encourage conversations and reflection on shared histories, struggles and triumphs.
“JFest has always been a place where new, bold voices in the Jewish community can share their stories unapologetically,” said Rebecca Myers, the festival’s producer, in a statement. “This year’s lineup is an exciting beginning to a festival that will celebrate the depth and complexity of Jewish life, culture and history in a way that is both thought-provoking and entertaining.”
Here’s the lineup for the Whole Megillah festival:
‘Variations of Crossing The Alps’ by Deborah Yarchun
Becks Redman directs this pandemic-era family history drama. Rachel delves into her grandparents’ World War II survival story while displaced during the pandemic. As she immerses herself in their experiences — escaping the Nazis and traversing the battlefields of Soviet Russia — Rachel confronts her emotional battles, especially with her non-Jewish partner. The play examines the hunger to understand family history, the complexities of survival and the often-difficult truths that come with it. It explores intergenerational trauma and identity. 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 2
‘The Treehouse’ by Gwydion Suilebhan
Doug Oliphant will direct this emotional drama set in present-day America. Four childhood friends reunite to sit shiva for the toxic father figure who failed to teach them how to mourn or love. They gather in a dank basement filled with unresolved secrets and past failures. The play will explore the complexities of friendship, family and the burdens of unaddressed grief. 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 3
‘Chagall’ by Yale Strom and Todd Salovey
JFest founding artistic director and playwright Todd Salovey directs his musical that features a 15-song, klezmer-inspired score and lyrics by Yale Strom. The musical celebrates the life and art of Russian-French painter Marc Chagall and his wife, Bella. It chronicles their journey from their beloved homes in Belarus and Southern to America as refugees. It’s a story of love, creativity and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity. The performance will feature a live klezmer band. 7:30 p.m. April 6
THE WHOLE MEGILLAH NEW JEWISH PLAY FESTIVAL
When: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday (“Variations of Crossing The Alps”); Thursday (“The Treehouse”); and April 6 (“Chagall”)
Where: JFest at the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, the Old Globe, 1363 Old Globe Way, Balboa Park, San Diego
Tickets for each play are sold separately: $23-$45, with discounts for JFest , students and military
Info: 619-234-5623
Online: sdjfest.org
