The Rabbi's Mission - boundaries blur in Shulman's sold out premiere sequel stage play

I pulled two chairs out of the lobby and brought them down in front of the stage, pressed them close against the wall and the raised floor of the sparing set. I spread my belongings out across them, lest someone else without a seat would try to take mine. The premiere of The Rabbi’s Mission, written and directed by Art Shulman, was a sold out show. A number of people were turned away for lack of seating.

There is no superfluous word or motion in a Shulman play. I would be close enough to feel every nuance.

Three years ago Rabbi Jacob (Paul Michael Nieman) left the Temple Judea, resigning amidst a flurry of dissent for his shocking personal choice - to fall victim to the charms of Theresa, a shiksa, a non-Jewish woman, after seven years of being alone since the passing of his beloved wife.

He was too liberal, too progressive, too modern, too much a threat to the survival of the Jewish culture, religion, tradition and population to continue on as the Rabbi of a mature and devout synagogue.

In The Rabbi’s Mission, we reconnect with Jacob, now Chief Administrator at the Victory Rescue Mission, his followers (friend Al played by Stan Mazin, and assistant Richard (J. Kent Inasy)) still devout, still flocking to his drab office where paperwork finds its home on the floor as well as his desk, but is rarely addressed. The set leaves no distractions save for the framed picture of his late wife, with whom, it is no secret, he converses regularly.

The acting has to be strong. Even forceful. Every drama that unfolds will come through the always-open door of the Rabbi’s office where, despite being surrounded by individuals who often confess their lack of belief in any God, his friends uphold him as none other. He is, by their definition, forever, the Rabbi.

Throughout the play multiple levels of human emotional and theological complexity emerge, layer, collide. If Rabbi Jacob was too liberal for his former role, then clearly the new generation of “cultural Jews” (including David portrayed by James Haley) must be viewed as the swift and certain death of everything Judaism is, was and will be. He, the child of traditional Jews who now denounce the existence of God in any form, and add insult to injury with inter-racial as well as non-religious marriage, must be dealt with.

But how? They bring to the table their own understanding of life, and the universe, and it cannot be dismissed easily. Arguing his case for a life without God, David articulately addresses the reasons why religions exist, confronting the Rabbi with his uncomfortable conclusion. “No one becomes religious because it is logical.”

And then, enters Theresa (Rebecca Westberg). After a three year absence, she arrives unannounced to rekindle emotions and memories, and to reveal that she will, in two weeks, have a conversion ceremony. The shiksa will become a Jew. Liberal Rabbi Jacob is confronted with his own moral dilemma. He cannot reconcile the differences in their definition of God. He cannot accept Theresa as a real Jew.

Brilliantly written, The Rabbi’s Mission leaves very few philosophical stones unturned in the first act, and offers no one the comfort of an unchallenged understanding of anything. What appears to be a simple solution to a straight-forward problem never is. We are asked, repeatedly, to examine presumably opposing values. We cannot help but be drawn into the fray and questioned on a personal level at every twist and turn.

But the true lioness of this story has yet to roar.

The second act absolutely explodes with powerful drama as philosophy meets reality head-on. Cultural, traditional and religious choices become matters of life and death as the Rabbi is pressed to counsel David and his fiancé Marci (Shalonda Shaw), a young non conformist couple, to reconsider their desire to marry. James Haley and Shalonda Shaw deliver performances easily worthy of the veterans they share the stage with, and we are, once again, challenged, obligated, forced to reconsider everything.

The actors pour an unwavering high energy performance onto the stage from the opening act to the closing scene. There are no weak links in the plot or its execution.

I believe each time I see a Shulman play I leave the theatre a slightly more evolved human being. The Rabbi’s Mission continues Art’s tradition of blending culture, intellect and a deep sensitivity for the human condition in all of its real and self-induced complexity to the stage in a way that makes us relate to even the most eccentric of characters. It is genius, powerfully portrayed. Two thumbs up. Bravo. Mazel tov Mr. Shulman.

(Footnotes from the floor…my unique vantage point, smooshed against the wall and the stage, allowed me to occasionally shift my gaze to the audience, and beyond to watch the workings of the lights and sound. I spied a gentleman unfamiliar to me, Jordan Hoxsie, working confidently, easily slipping from sound and light booth to the floor and back again with the grace and agility of youth and an obvious love for the art, craft and mechanics of theatre. We hope to see you again Jordan).

The Rabbi’s Mission runs July 8 though August 27, 2017 at T.U. Studios, 10943 Camarillo, North Hollywood 91602, in the NoHo Arts District. For tickets, information and reservations, please call (818) 285-8699 or purchase tickets online at TheRabbisMission.com

About the author…I was born in Wurzburg Germany, the daughter of an American Army soldier and a German/Russian mother. I am a member of the southern California Native American community and was invited some years back to see Art Shulman’s epic production Not One More Foot of Land which portrayed one of the most influential and controversial figures in the history of the Cherokee Nation during the Trail of Tears. I was and remain in awe of his ability portray a culture he is not a part of and which so few people understand. He is also the author of Tyrus Carson’s Ride (https://www.amazon.com/Tyrus-Carsons-Ride-Art-Shulman/dp/1533412537) a coming of age novel equally infused with an uncanny ability to tell an engaging story from multiple cultural perspectives. I don’t write bad reviews…if something doesn’t move me, I just ignore it. To date, I have not seen a Shulman play that has left me uninspired. I am the founder of Redbird, a Native American and environmental non profit association which hosts the annual Children of Many Colors Native American Powwow, coming up July 14-16 at Moorpark College (Ventura County, California). We welcome everyone to join us for this cultural celebration. For more information visit our website, www.RedbirdsVision.org, or our facebook event:

https://www.facebook.com/events/250635145370214/?active_tab=about