Jerusalem English Theater (JET) Community

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

Tag: Jerusalem

  • The Day of Rest

    Usually, one of the busiest times for theater is the weekend. Shows are performed Friday evening and Saturday. However, in the Jerusalem English theater community we never perform Friday evening or Saturday day. Why is this? Because many of our actors, directors, and producers are Jewish and keep Shabbat, the day of rest. We also have Muslims and Christians in our shows. Muslims hold Friday as their day of rest and many Christians hold their day of rest on Sunday. Almost all our shows are done Sunday evening through Thursday evening with the occasional show on Saturday night. Even during the Jewish holidays we do not perform. Our productions have Jews, Christians, Muslims, Secular, Orthodox, people who believe in religion and people who don’t believe in religion joining together on stage. We all perform together, telling stories.

    This break, while not only allowing for all of the actors to perform without worrying about respecting their day of rest on the weekend, has created a special time for the community. Starcatcher, which opens “In The Heights” tonight and that has performances Saturday night, next Thursday and Saturday night with an added performance on Wednesday the 6th of March, started a special tradition. They have a “Cast Shabbat” where everyone gets together Friday night and Saturday day for festive Shabbat meals and gets to spend time together outside of the context of rehearsal and the show. It does not matter if you are religious or secular, even though all food is made to accommodate everyone. Some other companies or individuals have taken this upon themselves as well with a recent Cast Shabbat with the “West Side Story” cast of Beit Hillel and a Cast Shabbat with the “Hanna Senesh” cast of J-town Playhouse. Even when people are no longer in a show together, they still sometimes get together for Shabbat meals.

    Recently a professional tour of Soul Doctor came to Jerusalem and they also did not perform on Shabbat. Special Shabbat meals were planned for the cast and it was an amazing experience for all.

    Our community is special and we have created special experiences where people from all different backgrounds meet together. These Shabbat gatherings have created wonderful moments for all and help keep our community thriving. No matter what religion you keep or what you believe in, these meals and the times of rest together have been something very meaningful to our community.

  • Why Community Theater?

    Why Community Theater?

    What is Community Theater?

    Community theater is for aspiring actors who want to develop their craft but may not get the chance to do so on the big screen or major professional theater venues. It is for directors and playwrights who want to realize their vision on stage without having to sacrifice their day jobs.  Community theater is for people who love to act, direct, design, write, sing, dance and participate and still are devoted to their careers and families. Community theater gives these artists a healthy art and life balance. It can be a springboard for a professional career, but those who remain in community theater are fulfilled and active even if they don’t end up on a cover of a magazine or on a theater company’s payroll.

    Community theater, as the name implies, is also for the community. It is for audiences who want to see the kinds of shows they would usually have to venture far and wide to enjoy.  Audiences can attend local performances and see classics, new plays and musicals performed by people they know and new faces. Community theater also allows audience members to take a chance and check out a show they might not ordinarily see and treasure the experience.

    We bring families together on the stage. We help create friendships that extend beyond the world of the plays. We give audiences experiences they can share together in real time. We educate, we encourage, and we enjoy our time together.

    Let’s celebrate the theater community in Jerusalem. It is one of a kind.