Jerusalem English Theater (JET) Community

All you need to know about English-language theater in Jerusalem

Tag: Community Theater

  • Bringing it All Together: New Proposals for Jerusalem English Theater Companies

    This spring, representatives from a number of Jerusalem’s English speaking theater companies met to discuss ways to create a stronger connection between production companies and participants in the Jerusalem English theater scene. JET meetings have been going on for over a year and a half and will be continued on a regular basis.

    Beth Steinberg and Ira Skop of Theater in the Rough proposed that each company should have a turn at leading meetings and present topics that are important to them. The intention is to do this on a rotation basis. Theater in the Rough demonstrated new ways to organize JET processes and shows in the community through analytics and charts.

    One obstacle many companies and participants face are scheduling conflicts. While some conflicts are inevitable, those at the meeting discussed ways scheduling can be facilitated through the use of a shared calendar to edit or add events. This will enable greater visibility into potential conflicts concerning auditions, rehearsals and performances and can make scheduling easier for everyone involved in productions. There is already a public calendar that is available for viewing on the website and is updated by JET administrators. The private calendar is intended to allow companies to share information before it goes public. JET representatives stressed that they will not move anything from the private to the public calendar without the permission from the individual companies.

    Once the information about shows and scheduling is shared, JET will be better able to spread the word about individual shows on the JET website and on the Facebook page. The meeting included proposals to create more efficient communication between the companies through monthly emails and possibly a WhatsApp group.

    Finally, all attendees of the meeting agreed with the idea of having a community picnic in June or July at Bloomfield gardens. All of those already in the community and those wishing to get involved are invited. At the picnic, companies will have the opportunity to present themselves and allow those who attend to become better acquainted with English speaking theater in Jerusalem.

  • A Place to Call Home: Guest post by Rachel Sofaer

    A Place to Call Home: Guest post by Rachel Sofaer

    When I think about the impact that community theatre has had on my life, the answer is one you may not expect. Of course, I love the actual process of being involved with a show, from the auditions to the rehearsals and the performances. Theatre has been my hobby since I was a kid and I’ve been involved with a number of different companies. However, what is different about the English community theatre scene in Jerusalem is that we are about more than the show. There is a sense of unity being among Israelis, many of which are Olim or children of Olim.

    As an olah who made aliyah five years ago, this community has been my rock. I first discovered them when a friend told me about auditions for A Chorus Line, being produced by Encore Youth and Starcatcher. At the time, I was studying at a midrasha in Bat Ayin, which was rather isolated and, beyond the beautiful surroundings, there wasn’t much to do. I jumped at the opportunity to audition for this show, but I didn’t know what to expect. I arrived at auditions not knowing anyone, but people were welcoming and there was a friendly atmosphere.  I had the best audition of my life and I had a great feeling about this production. Little did I know that this would be my first of five shows working with Starcatcher. I had found my people.

    After my first show, I wanted to see what else was out there so I went on to work with AACI and Beit Hillel and meet more people. When someone first moves to a country, it’s difficult to make friends and feel immediately comfortable. I believe that having a strong support system around you is vital. I made aliyah after living in Israel for a year, and one of the biggest reasons that made me feel I could be at home here was the theatre community. I didn’t feel like I was on my own because I not only saw my cast mates at rehearsals, but also at Shabbat meals and weekday hang outs. One of these get-togethers actually led me to meet my husband, Jojo, who came to see J-Town Playhouse’s production of Second Star to the Left. We happened to sit next to each other at dinner on closing night, he told me he was single, and we hit it off right away. All right, all Chicago references aside, it was a significant night for me, and one that wouldn’t have happened without the fact that theatre people have the urge to spend 24/7 together during a run.

    Since that night, we have enjoyed countless chagim and Shabbatot together with our mutual friends from the theatre. We are both olim with a small number of relatives in Israel, so these people have really become like our family. People have given us advice about living in Israel and have always welcomed us into their homes (thanks Kaufmans).

    I strongly encourage anyone that is looking for a wonderful group of people to not only perform with, but to build a life with, to check out the Jerusalem community theatre scene. It has been a life-changing experience for me and one I am eternally grateful for.