Evidence of my FOSSE connection: the Playbill on my Bat-Mitzvah cake

Dear Friends and Family,

     I write to you from 30,000 feet, flying from Denver after one of my best friend’s wedding. I actually find flying zen. The rumbling white noise, the mattress of clouds below, the obligatory disconnection from the world outside the plane… all makes it feel like time is suspended. I write best on planes. I think clearly. The noise of the engines blocks out the noise in my brain, which makes it a perfect time to reflect. Now is the time for that since Rosh Hashanah begins Monday evening, the start of another Jewish new year.

     For those of you who have been reading along for a while, you know that I believe you can press “start” on a new year any day you choose. Still, the formal New Year feels special. And this restart button feels particularly necessary with so much continued turmoil and strife in our world. So I ask you to reflect with me: What served you in the past year? What did not? Who was invaluable in helping you get through the tough times? Who could you not bear to celebrate without? What would you like to explore this year? What have you been putting off?

     What served me in the past year was listening to myself and my body. I have discovered new dimensions to my writer’s voice in my work on Medium. I’ve had time to dedicate to my podcast (Season 2 is coming!). I have a regular sleep schedule! I have learned to consider project offers judiciously and choose the ones that best fit.

     My recent guest-host appearance on Stars in the House counts as one of those! The web series hosted by Broadway personality Seth Rudetsky and his husband, James Wesley, has raised over $1 million for The Actors Fund over the past 18 months. They needed an understudy, and I got to live my 12-year-old dreams by hosting a reunion with members of the original Broadway company of Fosse. I’ve been obsessed with the show since I saw it as a kid (yes, it was my Bat-Mitzvah cake as pictured above). You can watch it back below. We had a phenomenal conversation all about the stories behind the music and the movement. Why do they slouch in Fosse’s famous “Steam Heat” from The Pajama Game? What is “Crunchy Granola Suite” actually about? I got the answers, plus amazing stories about legends Gwen Verdon and Ann Reinking.

     I have more talkbacks coming up! In honor of the 20th anniversary of 9/11, Broadway On Demand will air Anne Nelson’s play The Guys about first responders. I will host the post-show talkback (available whenever you screen the play). For those of you in New York City on September 16, after breaking my Yom Kippur fast I will host the in-person post-show discussion with playwright Rajiv Joseph about his new Off-Broadway play Letters of Suresh Off-Broadway at Second Stage.

     Of course, sometimes I forget what serves me. Recently, a Broadway producer and friend of mine asked me to break the exclusive about her new arts-only streaming platform, Broadstream—you have to check it out. The day I was set to interview four artistic teams back-to-back-to-back-to-back I looked at my calendar and felt overwhelmed, wondering why I had agreed to this. And then I spoke to them. They reminded me how much artist conversations feed my soul, that artists are my people. It was my honor to translate those discussions into this article about the free streaming platform you all need get on NOW. You’ll understand when you read the full piece, but this is the destination for original, high-quality professional art made for the screen.

     Finally, we must ask ourselves how we can serve others. Maybe that’s being a more available friend or maybe that’s volunteering at a local food pantry. My service manifests in my podcast (the change I hope it creates) and in my annual Covenant House Sleep Out. Thank you to all who donated to support my fourth Sleep Out! I surpassed my goal and raised a total of $3,566!! This money supports youngsters experiencing homelessness. During the virtual Sleep Out (thanks Hurricane Henri), we heard moving success stories—like one from Dr. April who experienced homelessness as a teenager and single mom; she became an accomplished psychiatrist. The most impactful part of the night came during a session with staff at Casa Alianza, the Covenant House in Honduras. I asked what Honduras is generally like. Honduras is one of the most violent countries in the world. About 70 percent of the population live in poverty. For the kids who make it to school, there’s one teacher for every six grades. As messy as life in American often feels, this was a perspective check.

     As we Jews enter this official time of perspective-checking, I want to wish everyone a Shana Tovah. I’m so grateful for all of you who read. I’m beyond grateful I got to be at a wedding and have some old-fashioned fun this weekend! Embrace the joy and fun where you can. As always, my recommendations are below along with a special note this month. If you know someone who will enjoy this newsletter, please pass it along. Thank you for reading and cheering me on. Love and all that jazz, Ruthie

A Note From This Woman

I must confide that the news about Texas banning abortions after six weeks of pregnancy (often earlier than women even know they are pregnant) hit my heart hard. I’ve been trying to figure out how to convey the pain, the hurt, the anger, and the fear—and why I feel so much of each. Yes, the hypocrisy of the phrase “pro-life” boils my blood; if you are pro-life that means supporting (a.k.a. proponent of) life, which would imply supporting things that prolong and improve life like better and expanded healthcare; supporting those with disabilities; fighting things that threaten life, like guns and falling buildings (a.k.a. infrastructure). So that’s a piece of the anger, but not really it. I laid awake at night, racking my brain for the comparison that would make anti-abortionists (of every sex and gender) understand. If a law prohibited and punished vasectomies would it ever pass? But there ISN’T a comparable reality. Women’s bodies are unique. I am being punished for the body I was born with.

The reason I feel so distraught and scared is because this is indicative of how little America values women. Period. If government could get their hands on wombs without women attached, I honestly think they would. This week has brought me back to the terror I felt after seeing What the Constitution Means to Me. That play is vital, but also terrifying because the stories and laws cites in the script prove that the government does not protect me. Which feels like the country I live in, my alleged home does not care about whether I live or die, am healthy or sick, am safe or in danger. I feel like a pest—bothersome and crushable.

These two moments in What the Constitution Means to Me have been ringing in my head:

"I knew abortion became a crime in the late 19th century around the same time the government decided white women were not having enough babies— around the time they started forcibly sterilizing women of color and indigenous women. I knew that rich white women in this country had always been able to get abortions and would always be able to get abortions. I knew that Gloria Steinem and Susan Sontag and Billie Jean King had had abortions. I knew that Penny from Dirty Dancing had had an abortion! And I knew that when Jennifer Grey asked her dad Jerry Orbach to save Penny’s life after her back-alley abortion that she was asking a lot because it was the 1960s and Jerry Orbach could have been arrested for getting anywhere near an abortion, and I knew that this is how we were supposed to understand that Jerry Orbach was a good man, and also how we knew that Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze’s love was real."

"Jessica Gonzales had received a restraining order against her violent husband. A month later, he kidnapped their three daughters. Gonzales, terrified, repeatedly called the police for help. She called seven times and then she went to the station twice in person. Not only did the police refuse to help her, they did not even bother to file a report. By morning, Mr. Gonzales had murdered their three daughters. Jessica Gonzales sued the Castle Rock Police Department for failing to show up to protect her and her kids. The state of Colorado had recently passed legislation that required police to arrest a person who had violated a protective order. So Jessica Gonzalez very bravely took her case all the way to the Supreme Court. This court, led by Antonin Scalia, effectively killed this legislation and also gutted the Violence Against Women Act, which by the way has expired, by ruling that the police did not have a constitutional obligation to protect Jessica Gonzales or her children. … What does it mean that the document [the Constitution] will not protect us from the violence of men?"

And let's be clear, the decision to prioritize the unborn over women is directly related to the decision not to protect women in other circumstances. I can make arguments about specific cases of medical necessity or rape or incest, but that’s nonsense. Because the circumstances DO. NOT. MATTER. The option for abortion is a matter of autonomy. Do I and other people with uterus’ get to be a self-determined person or not? Right now, it feels like not. I hope you’ll join in the fight to prove me wrong. Text SB8 to 22422, visit PlannedParenthood.com, or check out this article for ways to ensure people, regardless of uterus, are safe and free.

Recommendations: 

*If these recommendations inspire you to check out something new, I’d love to know! Tag your post about it with #ruthierecommends.

1. Pass Over. What a way for Broadway to come back. The new play by Antoinnette Chinonye Nwandu takes place in “the (future) present / but also 2021 CE / but also 1855 CE / but also 1440  BCE.” As a version of Waiting for Godot and yet something original, the three-person play follows Moses and Kitch as they “fixta get off dis block.” It’s an exploration about supremacy, code-switching, assimilation, power, redemption. Nwandu’s words are poetry brought to narrative life by Danya Taymor’s top tier directing (watch this woman) and the masterful cast. Namir Smallwood, Jon Michael Hill, and Gabriel Ebert—holy crap. I had high expectations for all; I’ve been obsessed with Namir since seeing him in Pipeline. They all exceeded my expectations. Here’s what I’ll say: I saw the show twice and my mind did not wander at all both times. They coaxed my full presence out of me. If you can do that, you deserved all the sold-out houses and all the awards. Tickets here.

2. Merry Wives. A second live theatre recommendation! The Public’s Shakespeare in the park plays through September 18. Adapted by Jocelyn Bioh (yay School Girls) and directed by Saheem Ali, this version sets Shakespeares mischievous wives in South Harlem in a community of West African immigrants. Read the synopsis before you watch, but then it all really does make sense. These actors get Shakespeare and thanks to their skill delivery, you’ll understand them as if they were speaking modern English. It’s a buoyant, colorful, and fun night out. For free! Enter the lotto.

3. Respect. Director Liesl Tommy (Tony-nominated for Broadway’s Eclipsed) outdoes herself with this bio-pic of Aretha Franklin starring Jennifer Hudson. The movie focuses on Aretha’s early years, beginning when she was only a child through the production of her gospel album Amazing Grace in 1972. Somehow, Liesl managed to weave the story of Aretha as a person and the story of the making of her music. (Usually, you get one or the other in these films.) You’ll get every song you want to hear—“Respect”, “Think”, “Amazing Grace”—and so much more understanding of this Black woman’s life. The talent is out of this world. Forest Whitaker plays her father, Audra McDonald her mother, Heather Headley is a dear family friend, Mary J Blige is Dinah Washington, Broadway Tony nominees Saycon Sengbloh and Hailey Kilgore play her sisters. Aretha’s story will awe you, pain you, and then strengthen you. If you still haven’t seen it, go.

4. The Rose Code. It’s been a book-heavy summer for me—which makes me so happy. Historical fiction is my favorite and I devoured this gem by Kate Quinn. The novel delves inside Bletchley Park, the very real site where Britain’s greatest minds cracked German military codes, through the story of three extraordinary women: Osla, Mab, and Beth. Osla is a lightly fictionalized version of the real Osla Banning, who was Prince Philip’s girlfriend before Princess Elizabeth! That adds some crazy juice to the mix. Beth and Mab are both based off of real women and Quinn completed mountains of research to lend the story authenticity. The suspense of cracking codes, the pressures of war, the British perspective, the entangled love lives of these women, and their sisterhood make this one of my new favorite books. (And I desperately want to visit the real Bletchley Park, restored by Duchess Kate whose grandmother actually worked there.)

5. Fountains of Silence. Did you know that while Germany had Hitler and Italy had Mussolini, Spain had its own dictator, Francisco Franco? I’m ashamed to say I didn’t know. What’s worse, I didn’t realize that Franco ruled from 1939 until his death in 1975. I felt like I was walking the streets of this fictional but vivid Spain in the 1950s. Daniel Matheson just graduated high school in Texas. His father, an oil magnate, and his mother, originally from Spain, take him on a trip to her homeland for the summer of 1957. Daniel is a photographer, a natural observer and driven storyteller. When he meets his assigned maid Ana at the Hilton hotel, he cannot rest until he learns her every detail. Author Ruta Sepetys crafts a gorgeous love story woven with political suspense. Highly recommend.

6. Groundwork. Sadly, war-torn countries are not only ghosts of our past. In the wake of the resurgence of violence in Israel and the Palestinian Territories this past May, the New Israel Fund and Alliance for Middle East Peace launched this new podcast. The first three episodes cover Mixed Cities, where people often talk about co-existence between Israelis and Palestinians, but where there are actually strong ethnic divisions. Listen to on-the-ground accounts from Israeli and Palestinian activists in Jerusalem, Lod, and Haifa. These are the first-hand accounts you need to hear to understand the dynamics and realities of the present-day conflict. Each episode is only 30 minutes and well worth it.

7. Diary of a Future President. With all the chaos and pain in the world, I just need a bit of simple joy. So I turn to youth TV. I un-ironically watched the full two seasons of this Disney+ series and un-ironically loved it. The pilot starts at the end with Elena Cañero-Reed swearing on a Bible to uphold the Presidency of the United States. Her mother send her old diary to her as a gift and we rewind to Elena’s 12-year-old self. There is something charming and pure about middle-schoolers. I love watching Elena navigate her own ambition, watch her Mami navigate being a grown-up single mom with a new boyfriend, and watch her brother Bobby navigate a lot of teen shit. It’s perfect and sweet and I love it.

Keep an eye out for…

Ni Mi Madre at Rattlestick Playwrights Theater; I saw this solo show just before leaving for Denver and it is an impactful look at motherhood, especially Latinidad and motherhood. The rest of these are pre-recommendations, works that have not yet begun performances but are on my radar. In order of excitement: The Lehman Trilogy begins performances on Broadway September 25 after a COVID delay from 2020. The story of the Lehman brothers, the drama received absolute raves in London and from its Park Avenue Armory run. Jocelyn Bioh’s Nollywood Dreams opens Off-Broadway this October (October 21) at MCC Theater after its COVID delay. The playwright of School Girls; Or, the African Mean Girls Play next tackles the scene of Nigerian Hollywood. Finally, Lackawana Blues hits MTC on Broadway September 15. Written, directed, and performed by Tony-winning director Ruben Santiago-Hudson (Jitney), the story of Santiago-Hudson's own upbringing by Miss Rachel. Now, it comes to New York with original music by Bill Sims Jr. (also Jitney) and Blues Hall of Fame guitarist Junior Mack. 

My Philosophy

I believe in art's power to create change. Art—particularly theatre—can help us reflect, determine, and, sometimes, change our beliefs. I hope that you all continue to engage with the storytelling and art around you—wherever you are and whatever level—and that you entertain different points of view. Advocate for your principles while always leaving room to hear others and evolve. Let's stay engaged, thoughtful, and active. 

As always, if you need show recommendations or if you have theatre questions, please get in touch! I LOVE to answer. Keep tabs on RuthieFierberg.com. 

Thank you for your enduring support.