This Is a Front To Present HANDALA and MIKVAH GIRLS At Hollywood Fringe

This Is a Front is producing two world premiere plays at the Hollywood Fringe this year. Travel from the heart of Palestine with a powerful solo performance of "Handala," to the shores of New Jersey with the irreverent comedy "Mikvah Girls." This Is a Front is staging a Fringe season speaking to this moment and encouraging a deep plunge into exciting and important conversations.

Directed by Artistic Director Brian Eckert, "Mikvah Girls" by Emmy Weissman tells the story of two orthodox Jewish women in New Jersey who are supposed to be performing a monthly cleansing ritual at a mikvah, a spiritual bath. Instead, Aviva and Chava hold meetings of their two-person Bruce Springsteen fan club and share their salacious fantasies about the Boss.

However, as fantasies shift and their outside lives begin to seep into this sacred space, they must grapple with the effects their religion has on their sexuality, identity, and desires.

Weissman's work aims to "honor the perspective of girls and women while bursting with fun, whimsy, joy, and occasionally some heartbreak." This irreverent play does so in the context of a conservative and patriarchal culture, and explores the purpose and pressure of ritual with equal parts hilarity and complexity.

What happens when we dare to step into the life of the "other" with an open heart that sings a song of our shared humanity? The 2024 Hollywood Fringe Scholarship recipient, "Handala," a solo show performed by Myriam Ali-Ahmad, allows audiences a window to do just that.

Produced in partnership with Bateekh Productions, this performance takes the audience on a journey in Palestine, sailing from one Palestinian to another, telling the real story of Palestine, through the eyes of its dignified people. A celebration of Palestine and Palestinian life, this tour de force is a call for action to preserve such beauty. Select the ticket price that you prefer as 100 percent of the proceeds will be donated to aid in Gaza and throughout Palestine.

Ali-Ahmad says "For so long, Palestinians specifically and Arabs in general have been reduced to either victims or terrorists, a narrative that has been reinforced by the ongoing horrors in Gaza and the West Bank. We want to challenge and shift this narrative all while introducing the public to the rich and beautiful culture and people of Palestine, reminding us what we are fighting for." The show is co-directed by Mahmoud AboBaker and Becca Khalil.

Tickets and More Information

Both productions are being presented as part of Hollywood Fringe, with "Mikvah Girls" being presented at the Broadwater Main Stage at 1076 Lillian Way at 9:30 p.m. Sunday, June 23; 10 p.m. Wednesday, June 26, and 7:30 p.m. Sunday, June 30. Tickets are $15 and available here: https://www.hollywoodfringe.org/projects/10913?tab=tickets.

"Handala" will be have a preview performance 8:30 p.m. Saturday June 8, at the Art of Acting Studio at 1017 North Orange Drive. Opening performance will be 8:30 p.m. Friday, June 21, followed by performances at 8:30 p.m. Saturday, June 22, Friday, June 28 and Saturday, June 29. Tickets are available at https://www.hollywoodfringe.org/projects/10464?tab=tickets.

This Is a Front is a new theatre company in Los Angeles led by Artistic Director Brian Eckert with the mission to stage connection through theatre and social moments.