It’s just twelve days before the curtain rises on A Dramatic Affair, Bet Ha’am’s 2021 annual spring gala. It will be presented virtually at 8 PM, Saturday, May 1. Excitement is building with members of the Mad Horse Theater Company rehearsing our trio of very short world premiere pieces by three of Maine’s best-known playwrights:
Tikkun Olam, by Brent Askari
A humorous and insightful examination of how one congregant’s crisis of faith results in some unexpected advice from his rabbi.
June 20/20 reVision(s): A Fire Diary, by Bess Welden
A brand new, totally untested solo performance text-in-progress of truer than true tales about whiteness, Jewishness, and what she inherited from her father.
The Male Gaze, by Monica Wood
A woman feeling overlooked by her husband asks an older neighbor for advice. Be careful—very careful—what you wish for.
Visit www.bethaam.org/gala for all the latest details.
Emcee David Bass Clark, Q&A moderator Andrew Kosak, and ASL interpreters Anna Dunbar and Meryl Troop are all preparing their parts. Event Co-chairs Michael Levine and Toby Rosenberg have been working doggedly behind the scenes to assure this exciting event goes smoothly.
It is uncertain if this Chadashot article will reach you in time to register last minute and enjoy the live event from the comfort of your home on May 1. If you missed the event on May 1st, we welcome any contributions you are generous enough to make to support our work.
The Covid pandemic’s unpredictability has colored our planning from the beginning. Who knew in the fall of 2020 if by May 1 the world would be congregating freely? Could we chance planning a live event? We chose to create a virtual program and knew it would have to be compelling enough to warrant your time even if live options beckoned. An 8 PM start time allows for an outdoor day capped off by an at-home evening of terrific entertainment.
Bet Ha’am’s annual spring gala has featured the literary arts since 2018. It is our great delight to interact with Maine’s talented community of writers. This year we upped the ante, added a dramatic twist and are engaging with Mad Horse Theater Company who will work their magic to present our three original short plays zoomishly. We are looking forward to enjoying A Dramatic Affair. We hope you will join us.
This is by no means a complete list of those who helped to create the event. That will come soon. But many thanks are due the following:
Committee co-chairs: Michael Levine and Toby Rosenberg (when Michael joined the team as co-chair his experience of having run Acorn Theater was a great asset. He knew just where and when to place publicity, and how to make connections to the Maine Theater community.)
Script reviewers: Michael Levine, Cary Libkin, Benn May, Howard Rosenfield, Kira Wigoda
Fund Raising Team: Sylvia Most, Tom Rosen, Toby Rosenberg, Catherine Share
Artistic Director of Mad Horse Theater: Mark Rubin
Social media publicity: Garth Ebner
Special advisors: Donna Landau, Rachel Lefkowitz, Mark Stone
Office Support: Karen Hindall, Teri Berenson
Graphic design: Zach Hindall
Special thanks to our Hosts:
Stu & Louise Abramson
Sherrie Bergman & Donald Quaid
Jamie & Lee Broder
Amy Brusselback & Mark Farrell
Mylan & Maya Cohen
Elaine Falender & Gordon Gayer
Dan Fishbein & Ilene Schuchman
Jay Geller & Cathy Breen
Robert Morrison & Dana Gold
Ben Grant & Caroline Eliot
Sari Greene & Eric Boutiette
James & Karen Harris
Steve & Lynda Hubbell
Andrew & Jennifer Kosak
Andrea Krasker Gavin, Chip & Sophie Gavin
Donna Landau
Martin Lodish & Kristin Schardt
Ellie & Charlie Miller
Jeremy Moser & Laura Kittle
Lisa Munderback & Susan Paris
Perry & Sharon Newman
Anonymous
Gene & Alice Peters
David & Jen Polisner
Dan & Ann Rose
Elizabeth Rosen
Tom Rosen
Toby Rosenberg
Diane Boas, Barry Schklair & Ben Schklair
Catherine Share
Elaine & Stephen Smith
David Soley
David & Cindy Stein
Mark & Deb Stone
Nathan & Sarah Szanton
Lee & Lisa Tabenken
Jerry Olshan & Lynn Urbach
Bill & Jodi Welch
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