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Why I Chose This Play

Why I Chose This Play

My love for Hannah Moscovitch’s writing—so truthful and precise—was reason enough to program Old Stock. Add to that the exceptional—unbelievable—performance by Ben Caplan, the simple and smart staging by Christian Barry, and the music— the fabulous music—and how could I not choose this play—?!

I had already chosen it once before—for our 2019 SPARK Festival. During that run, my admiration of its craft and my love of its content only grew and intensified.

Hannah’s quiet and deeply sensitive scenes, imagining her great grandparents’ romance, juxtaposed against Ben’s larger-than-life performance, are, under Christian’s expert direction, perfectly partnered in a beautiful dance. Amazingly, these elements—so different from each other—are never at odds. Rather, each part of the equation seems essential to the balance of the overall piece, and each makes the other shine more brightly.

I find it difficult to describe this unique piece of theatre. It seems impossible that it exists—and at the same time, it has a feeling of inevitability: these three fine artists had to come together, they had to tell this story, and they had to tell it in this way. Which is why I love it. Which is why I chose it. And which is why I want to share it with you again.

—Michael Shamata, Artistic Director