In the most recent production of “The Braid,” in honor of both Asian Pacific Heritage and Jewish Heritage, the question was posed, “What do I do with All this Heritage?,” with the show’s title so aptly chosen. The answer to this question, in my humble opinion , is “You keep it alive and vibrant. You talk about it. You present shows and music such as this rich, eloquent show. You don’t escape it, but rather embrace it.” And that is exactly what the Braid Theatre, under the helm of director Susan Morganstern, and producer David Chiu, has done, in this profound show. The various vignettes discuss commonalities between Asian and Jewish culture, such as a rich history, an enlightened culture, a strong yearning for family traditions and belonging, the importance of education and lifelong learning, respect for elders, respect for tradition, tolerance for new traditions, and even love for food, whether chopped liver or chop suey! And although all of these wonderful things have brought these two cultures together, unfortunately, the horrible conundrum is that they’ve both faced discrimination and unjust racism as well. But injustice can bring us together even more. The show is a fabulous tribute to being Jewish, or Asian, or both, or simply, human. I left the theatre feeling enlightened and thankful for a show that truly covered a lot of bases, that is sung, recited, and performed by a stellar, extremely talented ensemble, including Lillian Mimi McKenzie; Kaitlyn Tanimoto; Victoria Rani; Kimberly Green; and Kenzo Lee. I have to admit that my expectations of the show were already extremely high, since every Braid show is of the utmost caliber, and my expectations were pleasantly exceeded! The opening song,performed by Lillian Mimi McKenzie, is truly a standout musical number, with lyrics so poignant and original, truly setting the mood for the entire show that followed. Next, we are introduced to “Hebrew Lessons,” written by M.J. Kang, where a young ‘Rafaeli Kim’ (played by Kaitlyn Tanimoto) wishes to join in and not miss out on the after school Hebrew classes her friends attend; while another coming of age story is “My Muslim and Jewish Coming-of Age Ceremony, written by Maryam Chishti, based on her true life, growing up in New York, with both cultures, learning how truly intertwined they really are. A beautiful melding of Asian and Jewish culture, was written by Marshall Bennett, called “Somewhere Between Acceptance and Love,” which tells of his return visit and ultimate reconnection with Korea, the country of his birth/adoption.
Another theme in this multi layered, multi cultural collection of stories is when Chelsea Eng explores her Jewish identity in “How to Raise a Jewish Child,” and learns of the beauty and richness of both her cultures and how to impart those blessings to the next generation.
Yes, we are all different and unique with our own individual story, but what binds us together, is our humanity, compassion, and acceptance of ourselves and others as we aspire to be the best versions of ourselves on this so called journey of life. “What do I do with All this Heritage?” is a multi colored, multi layered picture portrait of a question so many face. The audience is privileged to learn from such distinctly different personalities of the featured stories, portrayed so impeccably and realistically by the actors and actresses. Of particular note, is the story, written by Lulu Fairman, whose early experiences of growing up in India, and her compassion for others less fortunate than herself, embraces her very being of a person imbued with loving kindness to her fellow people each and every day of her life. In a Q&A/talkback following the show, as is the Braid ‘tradition,’ the relationship between the talent and the writers was discussed. One actor quickly responded, “We get their pieces and during rehearsal really break it down, pulling out all the tangible, visceral images, mixing the personal experiences with some script interpretation.” Adding to this concept of team collaboration, writer Maizy Stern, who wrote, “So, I’m Not Jewish?,” stated, “When writing, I try to put other people in my shoes, trusting the process, yet not expecting a lot and was completely blown away by the end results.” Marshall Bennett concurred, stating, “my story’s pretty heavy. My most particular desire and surprise was to have the actor really depict my story and even look like me!”
In sharing her humor and really adapting it, in her delicious tale of “Black Sesame Challah,” Kathy Kobayashi explained, “my daughter encouraged me to write my story…and, yes, my favorite food really is black sesame challah.” Her story left the audience hungry for more delicious frolics. Lulu Fairman found the whole evening to be, in one word, “surreal.” At first, she was a loyal subscriber to the Braid’s productions, and now, her story is onstage! Perhaps, Rabbi Ed Feinstein, of Valley Beth Shalom, summed it up best. “ These actors and writers have given us their hearts and souls, in a world of precious little listening and recognition of common struggles. This show is a beautiful telling of two marginalized groups, both with such rich vibrant histories, wishing their stories to be passed down through the generations.” This statement immediately resonated with co-producer and writer, Jenni Rudolph, who shared, “We want our stories to be told. It’s not all heaviness and pain, but also so much joy. Inner turmoil, combined with intense joy. There’s so much to love about being an Asian Jew!”
This production is a ‘must see, do not miss’ experience, yet again, meeting the high standards of the Braid, in presenting visceral stories and sagas, a most dynamic art form, that will keep you yearning for more.
Bonnie Priever Curtain Up 