Golem Stories
by Edward Einhorn
directed by Glory Sims Bowen
ORIGINALLY PERFORMED:
October 2004
In Conjunction with FHB Theater Productions
Part of Spotlight On's Halloween Festival
At Chashama, 121 West 42 Street
Winner of Best Play in festival (Playwright's Award)
Set in 16th century Prague, the play not only examines the legend of the golem (a man made from clay) but also other Jewish legends of the supernatural. It is both a ghost story and a love story, set in the domestic atmosphere of the Rabbi's home, while the world around is full of violence.Golem Stories features historical figures Rabbi Loew, an important scholar of Jewish law and the Kabbalah, and King Rudolf II, the highly unusual King of Bohemia best known for his obsessions with alchemy. It focuses even more on the women of Rabbi Loew's household-his wife and two daughters. In the center of it all, of course, is the golem, who is not the lumbering monster everyone, including the Rabbi, expects him to be.
CAST
Joseph/Golem: Chris Rummel
Rivka: Morgan Dover-Pearl
Rebbetsin: Lela Frechette
Maharal: Jerry Mond
Devorah: Diana Cherkas
King Rudolf: Harry Klein
Moshe: Maxwell Zener
Thaddeus: Michael Whitney
Puppeteers: Cristopher Betz, Talaura Harms, Molly Light, Elizabeth Anne Wood
PRODUCTION TEAM
Playwright: Edward Einhorn
Director: Glory Sims Bowen
Original Music: William Niederkorn
Assistant Director: Caroline M. Costa
Stage Manager: Renee Hollenback
Assistant: Jennifer Spinello
Lighting Design: Aaron Mason
Scenic Design: Cemre Durusoy
Assistant Scenic Design: Susan Pislak
Costume Design: Kathleen Leary
Puppet Design: Berit Johnson
Sound Design: Christopher Brooks
Reviews
“Golem Stories’ skillful direction, enthusiastic young cast, and fresh approach to the well-known story of the Golem of Prague give the play an energy and excitement that many larger scale productions don't have ... In it simplicity and directness, Golem Stories is a reminder of the supernatural quality of the theater, which can transform the most basic elements of speech and play into something magical.”
— The Jewish Standard
“Edward Einhorn has skillfully written a fairy tale and love story for adults. His writing gives the players great opportunities, such as Rifka's fake mad scene which is executed with great aplomb. The style is an absurd fantasy; and as the best of the absurd genre, more than a hint of truth is borrowed from the real world.”
— Stage Pages
“Einhorn should be commended for seeking the deeper meaning behind the Golem legends.”