Chagall in School by James Sherman

CHAGALL IN SCHOOL by James Sherman (Beau Jest, The God of Isaac, The Ben Hecht Show), February 8 – 17 at The Kentucky Center – MeX Theater.

CHAGALL IN SCHOOL, a dramatic comedy, presents the story of Marc Chagall, one of the 20th century’s. greatest artists, following the social change after the Russian Revolution. Born into a working class Jewish family, Marc, with his wife and muse Berta (changed to Bella later), realizes his dream of founding an art school in his beloved Vitebsk, for both Jewish and non-Jewish artists — an impressive feat for a society with deep antisemitic roots. Challenged by the arrival of Kazimir Malevich, the most famous artist in Russia at the time, Marc is forced to question how and why art is created. CHAGALL IN SCHOOL shows the inimitable power of art, embodying aspirations, beauty and love, and how art can lead to connection, creativity and freedom!

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE: Opening Night is Thursday, February 8 at 7 pm; continues through Saturday, February 10 at 7pm; Matinees on Sunday, February 11 and Wednesday, February 14 at 2pm; Evening performances continue on Wednesday, February 14 – Saturday, February 17 at 7 pm

BUY TICKETS

JAMES SHERMAN playwright of CHAGALL IN SCHOOL- The author of many acclaimed plays, including: “The God of Isaac”, “Beau Jest” (later adapted as a movie starring Lainie Kazan), “From Door to Door”, “Jacob and Jack”, and “The Ben Hecht Show” (his solo performance piece). Beginning his professional career as a writer and performer with The Second City in Chicago, he then began his long association with the Tony Award winning Victory Gardens Theater in Chicago and he was a Founding Member of the Victory Gardens Playwrights Ensemble. His works have been published and are regularly produced by theatres throughout the United States and have also been seen in Canada, Mexico, South America, England, Germany, Austria, Poland, Turkey, South Africa, Australia, China, and Korea. James currently teaches Playwriting and Improvisation at Columbia College Chicago and The Theatre School at DePaul University.

CAST:
Marc Chagall- Andy Szuran; El Lissitsky- Grayson Beverly; Vera Ermolaeva- Katie Graviss; Alexander Romm- Erik Moth; Yuri Penn- Tom Luce; Berta Chagall- Sophia Pietrkowski; Berta Chagall u/s- Bernie Stone; David Yackerson- Clint Nowicke; Kazimir Malevich- Paul Carney

PRODUCTION TEAM:
Director- David Y. Chack is Producing Artistic Director of ShPIeL-Performing Identity in Louisville, Chicago, and Los Angeles. He has produced in Washington, D.C., Boston, and New York. He is adjunct professor of Jewish and Holocaust Theatre at The Theatre School at DePaul University, Chicago. Nominated for Best Director by Broadway World for “Indecent” at the Henry Clay in Louisville, his most recent Louisville production was “H*tler’s Tasters” by Michelle Kholos Brooks at Kentucky Performing Arts. He has written for American Theater, The Forward, HowlRound and the Harold Pinter Review. He is a theatre consultant for Taube Center for Jewish Life in Poland and for the Illinois Holocaust Museum.

Production Designer- Patrick Jump Stage Manager- Kelly Scott
Projection and Audio Design- Roxell Carr Administrative Assistant- Holly Kissel

ShPIeL is a proud recipient of grants from the Jewish Heritage Fund of Louisville

Community sponsors and partners include: Kentucky Performing Arts, The Speed Art Museum and Keneseth Israel Congregation
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