Yamulkas in Berlin 7:30

Ronald Reagan in Bedtime for Bonzo

“The mob hysteria over pedophiles has reached epidemic proportions and driven parents to panic. Today's Just Williams, today's Huck Finns, today's Swallows and Amazons are deprived of the freedom to roam that was one of the delights of childhood in earlier times (when the actual, as opposed to the perceived, risk of molestation was probably no less).”
― Richard Dawkins, The God Delusion “”

Falsetto Land by William Finn and James Lapine (1989)
 

The Plain Facts

1. Length:74 pages


2. Genre:Theater Production...
3. Characters:
• Marvin - Michael Rupert
• Trina - Faith Prince
• Jason - Danny Gerard
• Whizzer- Stephen Bogardus
• Mendel- Chip Zien
• Dr. Charlotte- Heather MacRae
• Cordelia  - Janet Metz
4. Setting: (Watch a Scene Here)
• When the audience enters, they see a huge three dimensional "1981" on stage.  Two huge flashlights-the kind used to land planes at airports.  are seen at the back of the stage behind the numbers.  We cannot see who is manipulating them, but the lights are slowly prescribing the dimensions of the stage.  Then the flashlights are turned into the eyes of the audience. 
• One could do a Berlin Wall type graffiti on the wall.  1980's feel.  Maybe a portrait of Ronald Reagan with Bonzo the Chimp.

So, what's It About Man?

Growing up in a family being Jewish, with a dad that is gay, a best friend that is dad's lover, next door neighbors are lesbians, and he asks what is the miracle in being Jewish?

Vegetable Juice

First Words

Mendel: (Acting as our tour guide.) Homosexuals. 

Final Words

Mendel:
Homosexuals,
Woman with Children.
Short insomniacs.
We're a teeny tiny band.
Lovers come and lovers go.
Lovers live and die in fortissimo.
This where we take a stand.
Welcome to Falsettoland.

Literary Review

IT was a new thing for me to read something that had all the words rhyme, and should be sung to get the full comprehension.  However, the play did have a heart beat no matter how schmaltzy. 

Turnip Tips 

Words Defined:




word	definition
Trayf	adjective Judaism .
deyenu	It would be sufficient. A Jewish saying that originates from the passover cedar.
schmaltz	Yiddish word for a work of art that is excessively sentimental, sappy or cheesy.

One can find the story in Fateful and Multiplying 9 Contemporary Plays from the American Jewish Repertoire.This outstanding collection
showcases nine of the finest Jewish playwrights, including Elizabeth
Swados, William Finn and James Lapine, Herb Gardner, Jeffrey Sweet, Jon

Robin Baitz, Emily Mann, David Mamet, David Margulies, and Allan Havis. 

One can buy this book in paperback from Alibris for one dollar.