BWW Reviews: The Universality of MY NAME IS ASHER LEV

One of the central conflicts in My Name is Asher Lev, now playing at the Des Moines Social Club and presented by StageWest Theatre Company, is that of tradition versus passion. In the play, Asher, a young Jewish painter, is forced to choose between his art and his upbringing. That is, will he follow his passion or will he choose the life dictated by his family and community.

In exploring the themes of My Name is Asher Lev, a play with a very specific focus, it becomes strikingly evident that the play features a truly universal idea. Countless plays, musicals, books, and movies feature the journey of a young man or woman struggling to decide which path to follow.

From West Side Story to Pippin to Kinky Boots, variations on the theme work itself into all manner of popular culture. West Side Story, and its' antecedent Romeo and Juliet, plays with the theme as it relates to romantic love. Pippin faces an existential crisis, longing to find meaning and importance in life but finding that it may be something he never expected that makes him truly happy. In Kinky Boots, Charlie must face the reality that the life he chose may have led him down the wrong path. The choices we make in life, the reasons behind those choices, and the realization that some decisions did not lead where we had hoped is a notion all audiences will identify with.

All of this is to say that even if a play about a Jewish painter is not what you would normally gravitate toward, the themes are recognizable and you should not miss the opportunity to see My Name is Asher Lev. The play runs through March 29th. For ticket information visit StageWest Theatre Company.

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