[NoHo Arts District, CA] – The new one-person show The Road to Masada – Antisemitism and Me, created, written and performed by Mitchell Feinstein, and directed by and developed with Jessica Lynn Johnson, premieres at the Solo Stars Series on Sunday, December 17.
Mitch Feinstein revived his love for theatre and acting later in life and has created several solo shows, all of which I have seen. I have always been very impressed by Mitch’s literary approach to his stage work. He writes like a novelist. His lifetime of experiences and study has created a lover of words and memory and the combination of his life well lived and his thoughtful purposeful pondering on the fascinating people who populated it results in riveting, moving monologues and a singularly cinematic ability to paint scenes on the barest of stages.
Solo work has to be truly excellent to hold the gaze of your audience. To draw us in, to keep us focused, and to make us care. Mitch’s work is always this way for me and he now returns to Solo Stars to share another beautifully written and deeply personal story and I had some questions for him…
Hi Mitch, this is not your first solo show, you seem drawn to the genre. Why does it work so well for you?
I have no simple answer other than I seemed compelled to write and perform. Since I star and produce the shows, I get to make sure that I will be cast in the lead. Seriously, I feel blessed to have such a creative outlet, where I can express myself.
The world seems so broken by bigotry, why was this a subject you wanted to explore?
A year ago, when I finished performing my second show about my dad, I had open time that I wanted to fill with creative effort and at the same time I was taken aback by the steep increase in antisemitism that was being reflected in the news. I thought if I could explore the roots and causes of antisemitism, I might be able to present people with some information that would counter the hate.
How did you develop the story and the method to discuss antisemitism?
As with all my shows I just sit down and start writing. As I wrote a section. questions would come up about how antisemitism first began, what it mean to be Jewish, how has the hate spread. I would then start researching wherever I could find some answers and would incorporate the research into the story.
What’s happening in the Middle East and, more specifically in Israel, has made this play and all forums more important than ever, but did you hesitate at all about performing the show?
I had written what I thought was the final draft of this show before October 7 and when the current conflagration began, I had to rethink many scenes. I wanted to be fair to both sides of the Israel-Palestinian fight, but at the same time, I didn’t want to cower in my objective assessment of cause. In truth, I have some trepidation that some people will think that the way I’ve depicted the current political antisemitism of control of the state of Israel is not as they see it.
Art is a way to face ourselves and our collective history. How does writing about this subject help you and our community?
All I can do is my present what I feel is my best version of truth and that this will cause people to think about their base assumptions. So much of antisemitism, and all race hate, is based on misconception and flat lies, that it is important for us, as an audience, to look at the author’s presentation of truth, and compare it to their own truth.
What advice do you have to anyone wanting to create a solo show?
If you have any idea or thought, jump into the pool and start paddling. It’s fun. Just write the first scene you see in your head. Once you begin the process the story will come along.
I’m always hopeful that we can be open and set aside preconceptions in theatre, what was the motivating factor for you with this particular show?
The truth is my motivation was to keep busy and to keep creating art. I love theatre, I love writing, and I hope that this presentation shines some light on the history and causes of antisemitism, and by proxy on all forms of racial hate. It is only by facing the truth of history can we as a society acknowledge past wrongs and move forward.
Please tell me anything else you would like to say about the show, solo theatre, art connected to religion and culture.
Presenting a discourse on antisemitism, especially in a one-person show, is intimidating. I hope that the audience finds my presentation worthwhile and thought provoking.
I congratulate Mitch on another production. I will be reviewing the show, so you will find that review on nohoartsdistrict.com a few days after his performance. You can find Mitch’s play, The Road to Masada – Antisemitism and Me, at The Zephyr Theatre in West Hollywood at 12pm on Sunday, December 17.
Tickets:
When:
Sunday, December 17 at 12PM
Where:
The Zephyr Theatre
7456 Melrose Ave. West Hollywood, CA 90046
Here are the links to reviews I wrote for Mitch’s previous shows, which I thought were both wonderful.
My Father’s Eyes https://nohoartsdistrict.com/my-fathers-eyes-review/
For Love Or Money https://nohoartsdistrict.com/for-love-or-money-theater-review/