1st Stage: Indecent

 Written by the amazing Paula Vogel, it's the true story of a Yiddish playwright named Shlomo Asch, who writes a play in Warsaw at the turn of the 20th century.  It is deemed too provocative to produce, but many who read it are deeply touched, and so he sets off to tour the play.  It is a sensation in Berlin, and Bratslava, Budapest and Constantinople.  It's so well received that he brings it to America and new York City's Broadway.  Where it meets a swift and self-righteous death at the hands of the morality police.  The play is titled "God of Vengeance," and it is set in a brothel run by a Jew who's pious trappings and middle class life-style are paid for by his sex workers.  He as a virgin daughter whom we tried to keep shielded from the whore house, but she meets and falls in love with one of the girls there.  When her father discovers the liaison he condemns his daughter to a life as a prostitute and throws his Torah in the garbage exclaiming that he doesn't need God because he's got money!  

It's a sort of two for one.  The play within the play.  It's also densely written and a tour de force of controversial ideas from history that are as relevant today as they were in 1908, 1921 or 1938...  This production was 1st Stage doing what it does best, creating beautiful, intimate theatre with actors who are talented and drawn to the format.  The set was relatively simple yet with a few surprises, including the iconic lesbian lovers playing in the rain (real water pouring down upon them) scene that brings the whole tale to a close.

The cast worked like one, and with all of the coordination required to make the work, they'd have to.  However, it was more than mechanical precision, they produced a vibe that made you feel like they genuinely loved what they were doing and with whom they were doing it.  Each member had their moments.  For my part it was good to see familiar faces like Lily Burka, Nicole Halmos and Stephen Russell Murray.  But my favorite was Ethan J. Miller who played the Narrator/stage hand, Lemml.  I first encountered Miller in a child's role way back in 2017 in an Arena Stage production of "Watch On The Rhine" by Lillian Hellman.  He was kid and I didn't give it much thought.  Then he reappeared as a young man in "The Chosen" here at 1st Stage back in 2023.  He'd been away getting a theatre degree in Minnesota.  This time he left an impression.  Now, he's one of a couple dozen actors who when I see their name associated with a play or musical, I know I'm going to get a wonderful performance.  This offering was no exception.  In spite of him still being the youngest member of the ensemble, his character evolves into the moral conscience of the entire show.  A feat he made seem easy.

Glad to see the run has been extended through the end of the month.  This one is a definite go.

The show opens with the cast resurrecting from the ashes in order to tell their story.

Did I mention there's dancing?  Oh, and singing--there's singing, too!

[L-R: Ben Ribler, Stephen Russell Murray, Lauren Hart, Ethan J. Miller, Nicole Halmos, Lily Burka and Zach Brewster-Geisz]

Staging the final scene of the play within a play 'God of Vengeance'.  L-R: Zach Brewster-Geisz as Otto, Lily Burka as his daughter, Chana, and Nicole Halmos as his wife, Vera.

The lovers: Halina (Lauren Hart) and Chana (Lily Burka) as Lemml (Ethan J. Miller) looks on.