Review: The Book of Joseph at Everyman Theatre

By Jason Crawford Samios-Uy

Running Time: Approx. 2 hours and 15 minutes with one intermission

(l-r) Megan Anderson, Helen Hedman, Beth Hylton, and Bari Hochwald. Credit: ClintonBPhotography

There are secrets in every family whether close or estranged. There are untold stories and questions we may have about or family we just let go of because we either don’t want to know or we don’t know where to find the information and with the current rage of DNA testing and ancestry more and more folks are finding answers to the questions they have about their own families. Everyman Theatre’s latest offering, The Book of Joseph by Karen Hartman is Directed by Noah Himmelstein and is based on the book The Life of Joseph A. Hollander and His Family by Richard Hollander. It is a journey of discovery of a man who was a father, son, brother, uncle, and husband who kept his past in letters and documents that tell an

The Cast of The Book of Joseph. Credit: ClintonBPhotography

extraordinary story of the bonds of family and an unconditional love.

In a nutshell, The Book of Joseph concerns itself with the story of Joseph Hollander, a Polish immigrant who happens to be Jewish, and his correspondence with the family he left behind during World War II, as the Nazi Party took over most of Europe. The story is told by his son, Richard, as he discusses the book he wrote about these correspondences he discovered after the death of Joseph. The thing is, it took years for Richard to read these correspondences because of the fear he had of what he might find out about his family after noticing the Nazi emblems on the letters in his father’s briefcase. Richard had managed to tell the story with kid gloves, glazing over the horrible parts and concentrating on the good parts, while possibly adding a bit of his own optimism. However, Richard’s son, Craig, is determined to get the truth about what happened, even if it means facing a darkness that has been hidden within the family.

Daniel Ettinger’s Set Design is, once again, impeccable, and helps move the story along nicely allowing for easy exits and entrances with thoughtful use of projections and dark colors to express the poignancy of the story. The turntable that takes the audience from one setting to the next is clever and makes for smooth transitions between scenes. Ettinger has created yet another successful design.

(l-r) Wil Love, Beth Hylton, Hannah Kelly, Danny Gavigan, and Bari Hochwald. Credit: ClintonBPhotography

Working in tandem with the Set Design, the Sound Design by Elisheba Ittoop and Lighting Design by Cory Pattak is superb and sets the mood of not only entire production but each scene as well. Pattak uses rays of isolated light and subtle dimming of light to represent the dreariness and uncertainty in the story as well as brightening to express the more uplifting points. Working with the lighting Ittoop’s sound design blends perfectly into the production and may not be noticeable until she wants you to notice it which makes for an intelligent design. Her original compositions are faintly heard in the background during certain scenes, but are fitting and well-thought out. Together, these aspects of light and sound do not hinder the production and performances but enhance and help them along.

David Burdick rarely disappoints and his Costume Design for this production is no different. His attention to detail is immaculate and, being a period piece that requires a specific style, Burdick’s design is spot on. His choice of wardrobe for each character gives them an individuality and the modern and bygone era styles are presented flawlessly and transitions smoothly from one scene to the next. Kudos to Burdick for his work on this production.

Noah Himmelstein takes the helm of this superb production and presents the story clearly with a focused vision. It’s obvious he has a great comprehension of the text, the characters represented, and the message of the story. Himmelstein has amassed a balanced, well-rounded cast with a chemistry that is second to none and his staging is engaging, making for spot on pacing that is just about perfect. Himmelstein should be applauded for his impeccable work on this production.

Danny Gavigan as Joseph (foreground) and Cast. Credit: ClintonBPhotography

Commenting on the performance aspect of this production, it’s worth mentioning that, according to this story, the Hollander family is a family driven by strong women, with Joseph being the only male amongst supportive females. Hellen Hedman as Berta, the matriarch of the Hollander family, plays her character as a woman who has an unencumbered faith in family and puts on a show of strength for her daughters and only son. Hedman is comfortable with her role and plays it with confidence.

In the same vein, Bari Hochwald plays Mania, the eldest sister, and she plays it in a way that makes this character relatable to anyone who has an older sister, like myself. She seems to portray this character as an obligated caretaker, as many eldest children feel, having a nice blend of being both strict and stern as well as compassionate for her family. The match with Everyman Theatre Resident Company member Wil Love as Salo, her husband, is brilliant and Love’s portrayal of a loving and supportive husband with a gentle demeanor is believable and charming.

Bruce Randolph Nelson. Credit: ClintonBPhotography

Beth Hylton, an Everyman Theatre Resident Company member takes on the role of Klara, Joseph’s next eldest sister who seems to be a tough cookie, as well as Felicja Hollander, the first wife of Joseph. Playing these two vastly different characters is a representation of Hylton’s impressive skills as she plays Klara with a rough-around-the-edges but soft on the inside kind of sister and mother who manages to get along no matter what life throws at her and the snooty, uptight Felicja. Kudos to Beth Hylton on a remarkable performance. Along with Hylton’s Klara, Hanna Kelly tackles the role of Genka and the gender-bending role of Boy Arnold. Much like Hylton, Kelly’s portrayal of these roles is a natural and believable switching flawlessly between the anxious and nervous young immigrant, Boy

Arnold, and the young, optimistic, and hopeful Genka.

Megan Anderson and David Gavigan. Credit: ClintonBPhotography

Two highlights in this production are Everyman Theatre Resident Company members Megan Anderson and Daid Gavigan. Anderson takes the roles of Dola, Joseph’s sister to whom he seems to be closest, and Vita, Joseph’s second wife and lifelong love, and Gavigan takes on the titular role of Joseph, the man who kept correspondence with his family and tried to help them immigrate to the United States for as long as he possibly could. Anderson brings her usual energy and confidence to her roles that make her a joy to watch and she has a tight grasp on her strong, independent characters making for a remarkable performance. Gavigan, too, understands the nuances of his character, a conflicted and worried young man who is desperate to help his family. He has a good presence and is confident in this role and it makes for a fantastic performance that is the backbone of this production.

Bruce Randolph Nelson as Richard and Elliott Kashner as Craig. Credit: ClintonBPhotography

Rounding out the cast are two more highlights – Elliott Kashner as Elliott, Joseph’s grandson, and Everyman Theatre Resident Company member Bruce Randolph Nelson as Richard, Joseph’s son. Both these actors bring the modern into this production amidst the flashbacks and memories and they do it seamlessly and they both have a deep comprehension of their characters and the text. Nelson brings a certain levity to this poignant piece that fits in perfectly without making a mockery of the story and his rollercoaster of emotions is clear making for an authentic performance that is a delight to experience. Kashner, who enters later in the piece, is absolutely believable with a great mix of flippancy that makes you want to smack him, a yearning to know his own history, and a compassion for his father. He has a confident presence on stage and it makes for an admirable performance, overall.

Final thought… The Book of Joseph is a poignant, heart-wrenching look into the life of one family during the turbulent and uncertain times during WWII. The story is well framed and structured even though it hops through time, it’s easy to follow in the way the script is laid out. It’s a story that incorporates hope, regret, love of family, survival, and moving on under extreme circumstances. It also has a certain amount of levity mixed in with the tragedy that gives the audience emotional peaks and valleys that make for great theatre. It reminds us of the untold stories of war and strife that don’t come to light until years later when those involved are long gone and we only have letters and documents to put the pieces of the past puzzle together. The performances are extraordinary and the script is well put-together making for a thoughtful and entertaining production as a whole. Once again, Everyman has not disappointed and you don’t want to miss this final production of the 2017-18 season.

This is what I thought of Everyman Theatre’s production of The Book of Joseph… What did you think? Please feel free to leave a comment!

 The Book of Joseph will play through June 10 at Everyman Theatre315 W. Fayette Street, Baltimore, MD. For tickets, call the box office at 410-752-2208 or you can purchase them online.

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Everyman Theatre Blends Global Perspectives, Women’s Voices, and Truth-in-Storytelling for Transfixing, Entertaining 2017/18 Season


Everyman Theatre announces their 2017/18 Season and it’s filled with pieces by award winning authors as well as local folks, as well! Looks like an exciting season!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 21, 2017
 
Lineup Delivers Thought-Provoking Combination of Story and Character
Baltimore, MD – Following up on a successful year accentuated by record-breaking subscribership and trailblazing new work, Everyman Theatre announces the six-play lineup for its 2017/18 Season, celebrating actor-driven storytelling through a lens of global diversity and stories inspired by true-life events.
The season includes acclaimed works from four women playwrights, including the poignant, lauded Intimate Apparel, from two-time Pulitzer winner Lynn Nottage, Lauren Gunderson’s ruckus revisionist comedy, The Revolutionists, set during the Reign of Terror, only the second production of The Book of Joseph, the locally-inspired new play by Karen Hartman, and a co-production of Julia Cho’s deliciously touching drama Aubergine, in association with Olney Theatre Center.
Everyman will also stage two revivals next season, including Eugene O’Neill’s Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning masterpiece, Long Day’s Journey Into Night and, as previously announced, the gripping, Tony Award-winning drama M. Butterfly, by David Henry Hwang.
“Several overlapping themes organically emerged during the course of designing our newest season,” said Founding Artistic Director Vincent M. Lancisi. “From uplifting personal and collective legacies to unexpected truths hidden and discovered, Everyman Theatre’s 27th season gives voice to characters and experiences that are not ordinarily heard. Audiences can expect acting and storytelling of the highest caliber, along with a satisfying, stimulating mix of genres, tones and points of view. These are six amazing works designed to illuminate, startle, and surprise—come early, often, and with friends!”
“Whether it’s bold new work that inspires you, the incredible talent of our Resident Company of actors, or our mantra, ‘great stories, well told,’ Everyman’s newest season delivers on the core strengths that we—and our audiences—hold most dear,” said Managing Director Jonathan K. Waller. “Creating opportunities, experiences, and dialogues around great theatre is why we are here, and, through our mainstage, education and community engagement programs, we are delighted to provide so many ways for audiences to join along.”
Everyman Theatre 2017/18 Season:
M. Butterfly
By David Henry Hwang
Directed by Vincent M. Lancisi
September 6 – October 8, 2017
East meets west. Fact meets fiction. Illusion meets reality. When a powerful French diplomat becomes enchanted with a divine Peking opera star, little can quell the thirst of their intoxicating desire—but this diva is hiding more than her true identity. Celebrating its 30th anniversary this season, David Henry Hwang’s torrid and timeless Tony Award-winning M. Butterfly brings hide-and-seek to the stage in a gripping fable that proves the allure of fantasy and the power of obsession are a recipe for betrayal.
Intimate Apparel
By Lynn Nottage
October 18 – November 19, 2017
Wearing her heart on her sleeve while sewing intimates for her clientele, Esther is the talented African American seamstress in turn-of-the-century New York who has built a savings for herself making beautiful undergarments—while earnestly daydreaming of new beginnings, romantic possibilities, and the lingering affection she shares with a Jewish fabric merchant. But when an egregious deception cuts short heartfelt desires, can class, culture and circumstance outmatch the strength of human spirit? Inspired by a true story, Intimate Apparel is a heart-rending contemporary work in the style of an enduring classic—from the first female playwright to win two Pulitzers.
The Revolutionists
By Lauren Gunderson
December 6, 2017 – January 7, 2018
East Coast Premiere
Greetings from the French Revolution—where heads will roll. When you put former queen Marie Antoinette, assassin Charlotte Corday, playwright Olympe de Gouges, and Caribbean spy Marianne Angelle in a room together, literally ANYTHING can happen—especially big laughs! France’s fight for equality and freedom propels itself to modern times with this bold, brave and blisteringly funny new work about feminism, legacy and standing up for one’s beliefs. Who runs the world? The jury’s still out, but these girls sure as hell changed it.
Long Day’s Journey Into Night
By Eugene O’Neill
Directed by Donald Hicken
January 31 – March 4, 2018
What begins as an ordinary summer day at the Connecticut home of the Tyrone family morphs into a night filled with foggy, drink-laced demons where long-buried secrets are revealed – and once exposed cannot be ignored. A long-revered showcase for tour-de-force performances, Eugene O’Neill’s Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning masterpiece (published posthumously) lays bare what we all know to be true: the ardor of familial love cannot always protect you. Long Day’s Journey Into Night is an autobiographical insight into its late, legendary playwright – and a compassionately brutal look at one family’s struggle to fight for and love itself.
Aubergine
By Julia Cho
Directed by Vincent M. Lancisi
Produced in association with Olney Theatre Center
March 14 – April 15, 2018
Mid-Atlantic Premiere
When words fail, a home-cooked meal transcends differences in this touching story of intergenerational connectedness, forgiveness and the sweetest spice of life: love. As a Korean family struggles to relate across emotional and cultural divides, it’s the ingredients they share in common that lead to understanding. A perceptive and lyrical exploration of the act of cooking as a form of expression,Aubergine is a mouthwatering meditation on the beauty of life where hope is no mere ingredient—it’s the main course.
The Book of Joseph
By Karen Hartman – Based on the life of Joseph A. Hollander and his family
Directed by Noah Himmelstein
May 9 – June 10, 2018
East Coast Premiere
Like so many great mysteries, it all began in an attic with a dusty old suitcase… The discovery of a stash of letters stamped with Swastikas opens clues to an untold family history spanning multiple generations in The Book of Joseph—the gripping true story of resilience and truth-tracking determination spanning Baltimore and beyond. Richard Hollander’s book, Every Day Lasts a Year: A Jewish Family’s Correspondence from Poland, is brought to the stage in this mesmerizing new adaptation that restores a family’s uncharted legacy—celebrated by revelation and remembrance.
Tickets:
Subscriptions ($90-305) are now available for the 2017/18 season. Current subscribers must renew their subscriptions by June 18, 2017 in order to retain selected seats. New subscription orders will be accepted starting July 1, 2017. Single tickets go on sale August 1, 2017.
As part of Everyman’s ongoing commitment for making theatre affordable and accessible to a wide audience, new for the 2017/18 season is an expansion of the popular “Check Us Out” subscription package (available exclusively to new subscribers) which includes either Tuesday evening or firstSunday evening performances for all shows, for $100 or less.
Find more information, pricing and buy tickets online (www.everymantheatre.org), by phone(410.752.2208), or at the Everyman Theatre Box Office (315 W. Fayette Street, Baltimore, MD 21201).
About Everyman Theatre:
Everyman Theatre is a professional Equity theatre company celebrating the actor, with a Resident Company of artists from the Baltimore/DC area. Founded in 1990 by Vincent M. Lancisi, the theatre is dedicated to engaging the audience through a shared experience between actor and audience seeking connection and emotional truth in performance. Everyman is committed to presenting high quality plays that are affordable and accessible to everyone. The theatre strives to engage, inspire and transform artists, audiences and community through theatre of the highest artistic standards and is committed to embodying the promise of its name, Everyman Theatre.
MSAC provides financial support and technical assistance to non-profit organizations, units of government, colleges and universities for arts activities. Funding for the Maryland State Arts Council is also provided by the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.
Everyman Theatre is a proud member of the Bromo Tower Arts and Entertainment District and the Greater Baltimore Cultural Alliance.
Vincent M. Lancisi is the Founding Artistic Director of Everyman Theatre; Jonathan K. Waller is the Managing Director. For information about Everyman Theatre, visit www.everymantheatre.org.