Description
CHARACTERS
“M”-The protagonist, who is introduced as a pint-sized 5th grade student at Chofetz Chaim, a Jewish seminary in Kew Gardens, New York. Following his suspension in the 6th grade, M returns as a 12-year old 7th grader undergoing bar-mitzvah studies who performs a community razing, open-mike liturgical scatology. In the last act some 17 years later, he is a struggling comic impressionist and aspiring dramatist who has reconciled with his lifelong antagonist, Rabbi Schichter, and with whom he is engaged in preparing a stage version of their experiences at Chofetz Chaim.
A (Aaron)-The play’s narrator and M’s closest friend.
Rabbi Schichter-M’s antagonist, a rabbinic supervisor and disciplinarian at the Chofetz Chaim seminary. He will also work, briefly, as M and A’s sixth-grade home room teacher, where he experiences a relapse of his childhood epilepsy. After resigning, he undergoes a traumatic drug episode; in recovery, he becomes an addiction therapist in the orthodox community, where he encounters M. He will later be appointed dean of students at Chofetz Chaim.
Rabbi Weiss-A senior rabbinic instructor at Chofetz Chaim who will also serve as M and A’s fifth-grade home room teacher.
Yossi and Eli Cohen-The two brothers first work as high school proctors and later manage “Wisensheimers,” a comedy club where M will perform.
Rav Avraham Karasik and his son Dovid-Ravi Karasik is head of the P.T.A. and attends M’s comedy performance. Dovid is a classmate of M and A’s who will also attend the comedy act at “Wisenheimers.”
Max and Beth Silverstein-Former owners of a Catskills resort, they, along with the Karasiks, comprise the audience for M’s open-mik at “Wiesenheimers.”
A select cohort of half-a-dozen 5th and 6th grade classmates of M and Aaron will be featured in the play’s opening and closing playground scenes and in several hallway and classroom settings.
RUNNING TIME
Approximately 75 minutes
PREVIEW
Preview available here
