Philadelphia Weekly

Stars of David

Despite the many new plays that come out of Philadelphia, only one in the past 20 years has gone on to win a Tony Award for best new play (Philadelphia Theatre Company’s production of Terrence McNally’s Master Class). However, PTC may once again find fame and fortune on Broadway with the company’s new world premiere musical Stars of David. Developed at the company’s ambitious new-play festival PTC @ Play last spring, the musical draws on Abigail Pogrebin’s best-selling book Stars of David: Prominent Jews Talk about Being Jewish, a collection of 62 interviews that Pogrebin conducted with some of the world’s most famous Jews. PTC producing artistic director Sara Garonzik says the show has changed dramatically since last spring and that librettist Charles Busch (the flamboyant actor/playwright and author of the brilliantly funny Tony-nominated comedy The Allergist’s Wife) is still tinkering with the final version. Each of the 12 interviews included in the show have been transformed into songs by a team of composers and lyricists that include Tom Kitt (Next to Normal), William Finn (Falsettos), Marc Shaiman (Hairspray), Duncan Sheik (Spring Awakening) and the recently deceased Marvin Hamlisch, who contributed one of the last songs he ever wrote to the project. Described by Garonzik as a poignant and occasionally humorous look at the diversity of Jewish identity, a cast of four portrays the dozen interviewees featured in Stars, including such notable figures as Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, playwright Tony Kushner, activist Gloria Steinem and comedienne Joan Rivers. -J. Cooper Robb

8pm. $51-$76. Through Nov. 18. Suzanne Roberts Theatre, Broad and Lombard sts. 215.985.0420. philadelphiatheatrecompany.org
 

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WHEN
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Recurring: ONCE

TIME & PRICE
8pm. $51-$76

WHERE
Suzanne Roberts Theatre , Broad and Lombard sts., Philadelphia, PA
One time only on 10/17/2012. .

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