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The Jewish Community Center of Cleveland
in association with Cuyahoga Community College Eastern Campus Theatre Arts Department presents
November, 2006 |
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 publicity picture Brian Zoldessy as “Hershel” |
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Excerpts from the Chagrin Valley Times review…
By Bob Abelman “seriously funny” “Director Fred Sternfeld stages this play with a light hand. He astutely allows the material to be what it is … a sitcom” “Brian Zoldessy … hands-down hilarious and endearing”
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Cast of Characters * member – Actors’ Equity Association |
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| Excerpts from the Sun Press review … by Jarrod Zickefoose “Modern Othodox has laughs and meaning” “Director Fred Sternfeld moves the production along at a good clip. There’s not a dull spot to be found” “Brian Zoldessy’s physical humor and spot-on timing command the bulk of the laughs” “entertaining and thought-provoking, making us laugh while asking fundamental questions about what it means to be not just Jewish, but human. “cloaked in humorous riff after humorous riff, Goldfarb’s play is really a quest for meaning” |
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| Excerpts from the Free Times review… by James Damico “chuckly palatable and — rarely these days — inoffensive” “Director Fred Sternfeld’s hand is commendably measured and unforced” “The abundantly accomplished Brian Zoldessy … a humorous and menschy creation, accurate in observation and appealingly humane. As Ben, Larry Nehring continues to refine his good-guy, not-without-faults normality, combining a comfortable masculinity with a yearning sense of incompleteness” “The less-experienced ladies are attractive and promising. Lara Mielcarek’s Hannah exhibits a direct focus appropriate to the forthright doctor” “As the impossibly ideal Rachel, Holly Facer has a sly, impish sexuality that makes the ideal worth striving for” “Modern Orthodox may ultimately be a sitcom, but at least it provides a reasonable excuse for couch potatoes to enjoy a legitimate night out” |
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 Brian Zoldessy as “Hershel” and Larry Nehring as “Ben” |
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Production Staff Producer & Director – Fred Sternfeld Associate Producer of Modern Orthodox & Director of CCC Eastern Campus Theatre – Brian Zoldessy Set Designer / Technical Director – Ben Needham Costume Designer – Aimee Kluiber Light Designer – Trad A Burns Sound Designer – Richard Ingraham Stage Manager & Properties – Deanna Caudill Assistant Stage Manager – Darcy Lindner In-House Technical Director, CCC Eastern Campus Theatre – Martin Bluestein Scenic Artist – Heather Cool Light Board Operator – Deanna Caudill Sound Board Operator – Bruce Amsel Stage Crew & Dressers – Josh Morgan, Adam Wallaart, Desirae Geiger, Jack Matuszewski, Michael Fields, AJ Novak, Steve Newman, Marvin L. Mallory, Joey Cayabyab House Manager – Judie Amsel Book holder – Mark Cipra House Management & Concessions – East Campus Theatre Classes Tri-C House Technicians -Jeanetta Ho, Jeremy Dobbins, Marcus Dana, Adam Wallaart |
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 publicity picture Holly Facer as “Rachel” and Brian Zoldessy as “Hershel” |
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Excerpts from the Cleveland Jewish News review… “It’s good to laugh at yourself every now and again…The Jewish Community Center’s Arts & Culture program gives us a chance to do just that with its first play of the ’06-07 season: “Modern Orthodox.” “light-hearted” “it certainly seemed to tickle the opening night crowd’s collective funny bone” “Cute and funny” |
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 publicity picture Brian Zoldessy as “Hershel” |
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| Excerpts from The Cleveland Plain Dealer review… by Carolyn Jack “Director Fred Sternfeld does the best anyone could … helping his actors create moments of two- and even three-dimensional emotional resonance” “Brian Zoldessy as Hershel, the merchant; Larry Nehring as Ben, the financial adviser; and Holly Facer as Rachel, Hershel’s blind date, all work hard to seem truly human” “Lara Mielcarek, as the doctor and Ben’s love, Hannah … aided by Goldfarb, who makes this role the most thoughtful, open and original of the four, Mielcarek discovers in Hannah believable depths of bewilderment, sexuality and compassion” |
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 Brian Zoldessy as “Hershel” |
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Excerpts from the Chagrin Valley Times review…
By Bob Abelman “Larry Nehring, a very gifted and accomplished comedic performer … playful, engaging and always interesting to watch” “The same is true for Lara Mielcarak, as Hannah. Her character is a strong, independent feminist counterpoint” “Holly Facer … is a yofy and zaftig shana punim (definition: beautiful and buxom pretty face) … with wonderful comic timing” “Modern Orthodox is a funny, punch line-laden love story that is far from coma-inducing” |
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 Lara Mielcarek as “Hannah” |
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Excerpts from the Cleveland Jewish News review… “The production’s strength lies in the energetic and comedically adept performances of Zoldessy and Nehring as Hershel and Ben, respectively. Both actors have excellent comic timing and commit themselves fully to every ridiculous act, farcical moment and wisecrack” ”Zoldessy manages to make his Hershel so sweet you forgive the character’s pushiness, and he absolutely shines in the awkward moment of Hershel’s first kiss” “As the emotionally worn-out Hannah, Mielcarek … adorable … very bubbly” ”As Hershel’s sex-obsessed Orthodox blind date Rachel, Holly Facer is amusingly lusty”
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 Larry Nehring as “Ben” and Lara Mielcarek as “Hannah” |
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Excerpts from the Cleveland Jewish News review… ”Ben Needham’s set nicely combines the literal and the figurative. A brightly-colored Star of David painted with images of New York City, Jewish tradition and Jewish popular culture hangs above Hershel and Ben during their initial meeting. When the set shifts to reveal Ben and Hannah’s suitably realistic apartment, the Star of David splinters into three pieces that border the set until they come back together at the play’s conclusion” ”a fun, little romp through the lives of three confused Jews trying to find love in the 21st century” |
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 Lara Mielcarek as “Hannah,” Brian Zoldessy as “Hershel” and Larry Nehring as “Ben” |
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 Lara Mielcarek as “Hannah” and Brian Zoldessy as “Hershel” |
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 Larry Nehring as “Ben” and Brian Zoldessy as “Hershel” |
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 Larry Nehring as “Ben,” Lara Mielcarek as “Hannah”and Brian Zoldessy as “Hershel” |
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 Lara Mielcarek as “Hannah”and Larry Nehring as “Ben” |
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 Larry Nehring as “Ben,” Brian Zoldessy as “Hershel” and Lara Mielcarek as “Hannah” |
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 Larry Nehring as “Ben” and Lara Mielcarek as “Hannah” |
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 Larry Nehring as “Ben” and Lara Mielcarek as “Hannah” |
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 Larry Nehring as “Ben” and Lara Mielcarek as “Hannah” |
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 Larry Nehring as “Ben” and Lara Mielcarek as “Hannah” |
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 Brian Zoldessy as “Hershel” |
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 Brian Zoldessy as “Hershel” and Lara Mielcarek as “Hannah” |
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 Lara Mielcarek as “Hannah” and Brian Zoldessy as “Hershel” |
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 Lara Mielcarek as “Hannah” and Brian Zoldessy as “Hershel” |
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 Lara Mielcarek as “Hannah” and Brian Zoldessy as “Hershel” |
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 Lara Mielcarek as “Hannah” and Brian Zoldessy as “Hershel” |
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Furniture courtesy of Kitay’s Furniture & Design
5055 Richmond Road Bedford Heights, OH 44146 216-220-5014 phone 216-595-9885 fax |
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