BWW Interviews: Jordan Jaffe On BAD JEWS, The Houston Theatre Scene and Black Lab Theatre

Founded in 2011 by Jordan Jaffe, Black Lab Theatre has earned a reputation for doing fresh, thought-provoking, contemporary plays. BAD JEWS, written by the respected playwright Joshua Harmon, is now playing at the Evelyn Rubinstein Jewish Community Center of Houston. Jaffe directs this production, bringing to light such issues as cultural identity and family dynamics.

Broadway World: You were an Asian Studies major in college at one point. How did you jump from that into theatre?

Jordan Jaffe: I was walking around the Galleria just after my first semester freshman year at Rice University, and a model scout came up to me. After trying modeling and not really quite taking to it, on a complete whim I decided to try taking a theatre class my second semester. I figured it would fun, and a good conversation starter when talking to girls, but I ended up really connecting to it. Needless to say we all know the end of the story.

Many productions of BAD JEWS have been very well received by critics and audiences. What is the appeal of the play? Why do you think it resonates with people?

The play is both very funny and deeply moving, and in a society where we have to constantly watch what we say and worry about being PC I think it's cathartic to watch characters like Daphna and Liam, who literally have no filter around each other, go at it. But the true beauty of this play is found below the surface humor and dramatic tension in how it explores the role cultural identity plays in our lives. As essentially a country of immigrants we are all confronted with the conflict between holding onto our cultural heritage and assimilating into the melting pot that is America. A further question is then raised in whether assimilating fully and intermarrying into a fully universal American ideal would entail losing some of the unique and meaningful elements of our historical ethnic identities. You may find an extra tie into the play if you are Jewish, but the play is truly universal and that's what is so special about it. It amazes me how Josh Harmon (the playwright) could capture a truly specific cultural experience, and present it in such a way that is deeply personal to those who happen to be a member of the community being portrayed and completely relatable to truly anyone who faces the same challenges with their own identity.

As the artistic director of the Black Lab Theatre, what do you look for in a play? What makes you want to take a script and see it manifested onstage?

The first question I ask myself after reading a script is, "Would I want to go see this?" On a superficial level for comedies I look for plays that make me laugh out loud when I read them on the page. It doesn't happen very often, so usually when it does I end up doing the play. Before I pick something though I also ponder deeply on it's themes and messages. I ask myself, "Is this both an important play in terms of our artistic and cultural landscape that people should see now in (insert year)? And will they enjoy the experience of the play?" For me personally it is intensely gratify to watch an audiences react positively to a play I do, so I look for scripts that give me a sense of, "Oh, I just have to show you this."

BAD JEWS is about three cousins who are after a family heirloom that their grandfather, a Holocaust survivor, has left behind. What are some of the themes of this play?

Cultural identity is the big one, and whether or not we should hold onto it or leave it behind. This play specifically looks at "Jewishness", but also it is a play about family conflict in a time of grief. In Daphna and Liam you have two characters with polar extremes in their attitudes toward their cultural heritage, and much of the drama of the play comes from the clash between Daphna's fully connectedness to her faith and Liams detachment and disdain for it.

You've been given many awards for your creative work in the theatre. What kind of director are you? What's your process when you're working with actors as a director?

I think I'm a fun director to work for, but you'd probably have to ask my casts and designers to get the true lowdown. I take my work very seriously, but not too seriously. I think that's an important balance in theatre and most things creative. I'm a perfectionist when it comes to working with my creative teams, but I try to give the artists I work with freedom to express themselves completely in their own specific work whether it's an actor or a designer. I want the story, character arcs and stage pictures to be crystal clear, and I desire every moment in the play to be just perfect. However, I also realize that no one dies when you make a mistake like in open heart surgery. I started my career as an actor, so I think that helps me in my rapport when I'm directing them. I like for things to be a conversation and a two way street; not me just saying, "Do this." I'm also a big believer in collaboration, and I don't care where notes or ideas come from. I just want the shows I do to be the best they can be. But with that said if disagree with you, or feel like something isn't working, you know, I am the director...

Keeping in mind that Houston is the 4th largest city in the country, how do think we're doing in terms of progression? Is there anything missing from the theatre world here? What would you change or improve if you could?

Houston's theater scene has made tremendous strides in the last five years, and initiatives like the Midtown Arts and Theater Center Houston are only going to make our community more vibrant. I still think we have some work to do as a city in terms of helping smaller companies grow into larger ones, but hopefully in the next five years we will see the rise of more mid-sized companies. That would be my challenge to the city of Houston.

Tickets to BAD JEWS are available through Stages Repertory Theatre. The production will be performed at the Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center. Go to: http://boxoffice.printtixusa.com/stagesrepertorytheatre/eventcalendar for tickets.

Photo of Jordan Jaffe courtesy of Jordan Jaffe

Photo Credit for BAD JEWS: Bruce Bennett