GRAND HORIZONS by Bess Wohl at Mildred's Umbrella Theater Company

The season opens with the Houston premiere of THE LAST YIDDISH SPEAKER, by Deborah Zoe Laufer. This production is the second of two co-productions with the Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center of Houston, directed by Associate Artistic Director, Rhett Martinez, and running at the Evelyn Rubenstein JCC September 4-21, 2025.

The Last Yiddish Speaker by Deborah Zoe Laufer is the winner of the 2024 Jewish Play Project, a National contest that identifies, develops, and presents new works of theater through one-of-a-kind explorations of contemporary Jewish identity between audiences, artists, and patrons. The play received a rolling premiere in April 2024 at Interact Theatre Company, Philadelphia.

"The Last Yiddish Speaker," explores a dystopian future where a Christian nationalist regime has taken power after a successful insurrection. In this world, Jewish people like Paul and his daughter Sarah, must suppress their identity to survive, while a mysterious Yiddish-speaking woman, Chava, arrives on their doorstep, forcing them to confront their heritage and the dangers of remaining true to themselves.