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Shmuel Goldstein is an actor who has performed with Theater and Theology, Theater in the Rough, The Stage, Center Stage, Acco Festival and Hadera Festival. He has been involved in the JET community since 2017!! We asked Shmuel some questions and would like to share his answers with you. 

JET: What is your favorite theater memory?

SG: Playing two roles in Measure for Measure, and getting the best formal reviews I have ever received.

JET: What is the hardest part about being an actor? 

SG: Not knowing how a play or production will be received. Sometimes the material that I think is really good gets a lukewarm reception (like Spelling Bee), and sometimes a production that I think is bizarre or a bomb will be a hit (like the musical film clip Little Citizen – אזרח הקטן ). Go figure.

JET: What was the most rewarding show you have done? 

SG: From a topic point of view – Almost Heaven . From a professional point of view – All My Sons.

JET: How do you prepare for different roles?

SG: Lines, obviously, but also research into the role. For example, I once played King James of Aragon, and did quite a bit of research on him.

JET: What is your pre-show routine? 

SG: Get there on time, be well rested. Hydrate, but make sure I stop about half an hour before the show. Physical warm ups (stretches), and vocal warm ups (scales, even for non-singing roles).

JET: How have you changed as an actor throughout your career? 

SG: The first thing that has changed is that I do many roles in Hebrew (Almost Heaven – כמעט גן עדן and Trio Acrobat were both in Hebrew). Character-wise, I used to be a rogue-ish type, but now I’m more avuncular or even a clown type.

JET: What is your dream role and why?

SG: Joe Keller in All My Sons came close to it, as I was the lead in a dramatic play. But if we could re-do something like Kind Hearts and Coronets (where Alec Guiness played SIX roles), that would probably be it. I came close in Measure for Measure, playing two quite different roles.

JET: Feel free to share anything else about your experience with the JET community!

SG: In addition to theater, I do quite a bit of work on film. One film was actually filmed in Jerusalem, at the King David Hotel. “Exodus 91” – about Operation Solomon, Israel’s operation to bring in the Ethiopian Jews in 1991. Directed by Micah Smith, it is a docu-drama that combines historical footage with contemporary footage that we filmed. I portrayed Bob Houdek, an American diplomat who was instrumental in moving the operation forward. Upon doing the research on Mr. Houdek, it turned out that he is not only still alive, but active as well in an advisory capacity. I found his contact information and called him up and we had a great conversation. Very pleasant fellow. Micah had not been in contact with him, and so I made the connection between the two. It was so impressive that Micah decided to take the production team to the US to interview Mr. Houdek. The interview became an important part of the movie, and Mr. Houdek introduced Micah to another key player – an Ethiopian diplomat named Kassa, who was living in the US. They got the interview with Kassa just on time, as Kassa passed away two months later. On a recent visit to the US, I too, actually went to visit Bob and Mary Houdek at their home. 

This is connected to JET because I was recommended to Micah by Yael Valier, who directed me in Theater and Theology’s Divine Right. So, you see, “theater” is not only theater, everything is connected. 

Amihai Kipnis is a newer member of the JET community. He has directed and acted in two Crossroads Theater Shed Young Playwrights and Performers Festivals. He has also been part of the recent Encore productions of Hello Dolly and H.M.S. Pinafore. We have asked Amihai some questions and would like to share his responses with you. 

JET: Why did you get involved in acting? 

AK: It’s a great artistic and expressive pursuit. I have always enjoyed putting on a spectacle, and have had a tendency to explore the drama of different situations in my life. Thinking back, theater provided a platform for me to explore my creativity, and to involve myself in projects which allowed it to flourish.

JET: What is your favorite theater memory? 

AK: It was my first all out production, in high school, and I was heavily invested in it. After months of working on it, getting used to all the jokes, the plot, and the character dynamics, getting on stage and bringing all that hard work in front of an audience felt incredible. I will never forget the rush when I got on stage, and the way the audience reacted to our show and to my character. It felt incredible that our hard work resonated with so many people. 

JET: What is the hardest part about being an actor?

AK: The sincerity and openness it requires. When I act, I have to be completely emotionally open with myself, and allow myself to be vulnerable. It’s about trusting myself with the character and open[ing] myself up to it. It’s extremely challenging and never ending. You always have to feel, you cannot just shut yourself out. But as hard as it is, it is worth it. It’s so rewarding to see both you and your character grow and become intertwined. You get to learn from it, and to understand people better, because of the openness it requires from you. Oh, and scheduling is terrible, it’s definitely a challenge.

JET: What was the most rewarding show you have done?

AK: I think I’d have to go back to that high school production. It was the biggest, most complex role I’d ever played, and it was the most challenging and required the most work to get down. But it taught me so much, and I will forever cherish that old, cynical, stubborn character that helped me learn so much about myself. 

JET: How do you prepare for different roles?

I usually start by going over the lines and identifying the wants, and the motivation behind them. Then, through the process of rehearsal, I develop certain characteristics about the character: how they walk, how they talk, how they conduct themselves and so on. During all of that process, I bring myself into the character, and try to imagine myself as them – how would I act, what would my reactions be, how would I feel, taking into account the difference between me and that character. Oh and never watch another iteration beforehand unless you are confident in your [portrayal]: [you’ll] end up copying and not acting. 

JET: What is your pre-show routine?

AK: Spend time with the rest of the cast, hype each other up, and keep the energy up. That? And pooping, which I’ve learned is important before hours on stage. 

JET: How have you changed as an actor throughout your career?

AK: I’ve definitely become more compassionate and patient with other people. It’s also become easier for me to express myself both socially and artistically. 

JET: What is your dream role and why?

AK: Ariel from the Little Mermaid, because there is something about that wide eyed naïvete that’s appealing to me. Other than that, I think I’d go with Othello. He’s charismatic, yet complex, and his story is sooo tragic. I also would love to play Macbeth, as I think it would be so rewarding to play a character that’s plotting his own demise, and is constantly scared and worried. 

JET: Feel free to share anything else about your experience with the JET community!

AK: You guys rock!