Putting Jewish Characters on Stage
Drama
Date Published: February 1, 2024
Showing diversity is the best way to undermine the negative stereotyping of
Jewish people. The five plays in this book illustrate why stereotypes of any
description don’t work.
In Shylock Revisited, the main character won’t give up his efforts to make
the merchant of Venice, Antonio, pay what he owes. In “Good Deeds”
a screen writer, Salka Viertel, pays the price for helping Nazi era Jewish
artists escape from Europe.
Harry Houdini takes on a reluctant con woman in Margery Meets Harry.
Educating Henry Adams has the queen of Tahiti convince the U.S. historian,
Henry Adams, to help her write a family history that leaves out her Jewish
heritage. And finally, in The Optimist, a Jewish college professor discovers
that the world goes beyond the logical solutions he thinks will solve all
problems.
About the Author
Roy Schreiber started out as a history professor and switched to play
writing. At one time he was a member of both the American Historical Society
and the British Royal Historical Society. Currently he belongs to the
Dramatists Guild and is a Network Playwright with Chicago Dramatists. For
several years he has been a reader/evaluator for the Jewish Plays
Project.
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