Review: THE CHOSEN is a Spiritual, Stirring Must-See at Milwaukee Rep

The Chosen is easily one of the best things the Milwaukee Rep has staged this season. For lovers of gripping and intimate family drama that will have you laughing, crying, and introspecting, this play is not to be missed.

Based on the novel of the same name, The Chosen is a coming-of-age story of two Jewish boys, Reuven and Danny, in 1940s New York City. You’d think sharing a faith means shared beliefs—but these two and their fathers prove it isn’t so. Although Reuven and Danny live just five blocks apart and bond over a love of baseball, their upbringings couldn’t be more different. The Chosen thoroughly examines perspectives, truths, and relationships between friends and fathers and sons.

The book The Chosen by Chaim Potok was published in 1967. It was later adapted for the stage by Aaron Posner and Chaim Potok in 1999. Aaron Posner actually directs this Milwaukee Rep production—superbly. The script itself is well paced and beautifully written, giving the actors lots to sink their teeth into.

Those actors are Eli Mayer as Reuven Malter, Hillel Rosenshine as Danny Saunders, Steve Routman as Reuven’s father David Malter, and Ron Orbach as Danny’s father Reb Saunders. As Reuven, Mayer proves an utterly captivating and agile storyteller, as he gets to do quite a bit of narrating throughout the play. Both he and Rosenshine’s Danny are endearing as can be, playing mere boys at the onset of the show. Danny has a photographic memory, and Rosenshine’s earnest intellectual portrayal instantly charms. While both impress individually, Mayer and Rosenshine also share delightful rapport.

As Reuven’s more-progressive Jewish father, Routman is incredibly likable and adept at eliciting moments of laughter. He also beautifully deliveres a memorable speech about choosing to live a life of meaning. Danny’s father, Reb Saunders, is deeply principled and devout—a tough outer shell with a soft center. More than a rabbi, he’s a tzaddik—a leader considered a bridge between the physical and spiritual worlds. Orbach’s performance as Reb Saunders is at once commanding and nuanced, fervent and affecting. At one point, he gives a literal sermon with the audience as his congregation. In short, this cast is excellent.

The world of The Chosen is created with gorgeous scenic design by Daniel Conway, expressive lighting by Noele Stollmack, strong sound design by Joshua Schmidt, and handsome costume design by Helen Q. Huang. The entire production is deftly staged with lighting marking key moments—red for the smack of a baseball, long shadows for the imposing interior synagogue. 

The set features suspended windows to create the facade of a New York City brownstone. The audience might see these windows as a way to peer into the lives of our protagonists. It’s a means of illuminating the varied experiences that shape perspectives. The Chosen contends that, due to those perspectives, more than one thing can be true at the same time. (I say this honestly: Enjoy philosophizing that one!)

To say The Chosen is immensely smart, thought-provoking, and philosophical is an understatement. The play provides a genuinely fascinating primer on the intricacies of Jewish faith and culture. Audiences are guaranteed to learn something new, and there’s never been a better time to take it upon ourselves to broaden our understanding of other perspectives—other’s personal truths. And while we may not agree, we can listen. 

Catch The Chosen, now through March 31st at the Milwaukee Repertory Theater.

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