Boston Conservatory at Berklee musical theater senior Mia Goodman directs Joshua Harmon’s Bad Jews.
Three grandchildren gather in New York City after the funeral of their beloved grandfather, Poppy, who has left behind a treasured piece of religious jewelry. As the cousins wage war on one another, uncomfortable questions about their religious faith and family history bubble to the surface. Bad Jews is a poignant comedy about family, legacy, and what it means to be Jewish in the 21st century.
Program Information
Welcome Note
Welcome, all! On behalf of the Boston Conservatory at Berklee student directors, we'd like to thank you for joining us this evening. Directing these shows has been an amazing learning experience for all of us, and we truly couldn't do this without your support. We would like to thank the Conservatory for giving us this platform to present work outside of the musical theater repertoire that is unique to each of our individual backgrounds. Please enjoy!
—Student Directors
Director's Note
"Am I a Jew? Yes, I'm a Jew. But I'm not, I really have no religion, you know what I mean? I'm just Jewish in that it, like, oozes out of my pores uncontrollably."
—Sarah Silverman
It has been such a joy to spend our last semester at Boston Conservatory co-directing this wonderful piece of theater together. In light of recent events in the theater community, it is more important than ever that Jewish stories be represented onstage. At its core, Bad Jews is about family and the complex relationship between who we were in childhood and who we choose to become. These characters grapple with some tough questions about what being an American Jew in the 21st century means, and how cultural traditions can divide us or bring us closer together. We have learned so much from working with our incredible cast throughout this process. Enjoy the show!
—Mia Goodman and Nora Hurley, Bad Jews co-directors
Cast
Daphna – Bella Giannetta-Friedman
Jonah – David Rosenthal
Liam – Alex Poletti
Melody – Payton Hines
Production Credits
CREATIVE TEAM:
Directors – Mia Goodman and Nora Hurley
Stage Manager – Brooke Wilkins
Lighting Designer – Olivia Monarch
Sound Designer – Max Polsky
Intimacy and Fight Choreographer – Angie Jepson (assisted by Rachel Da Silva)
CONCERT SERVICES STAFF:
Senior Manager of Concert Services – Luis Herrera
Concert Production Coordinator – Matthew Carey
Concert Production Manager – Kendall Floyd
Manager of Performance Technology – Wes Fowler
Performance Technology Technicians – Sara Pagiaro, Goran Daskalov
Special Thanks
To Chris Webb, Angie Jepson, and our wonderful directing class!
Boston Conservatory thanks audience members for viewing this program information online. This paperless program saved 165 sheets of paper, 18 gallons of water, and 15 pounds of CO2-equivalent greenhouse gas emissions.
