A STRANGE AND SEPARATE PEOPLE Enters Final Week

This is the final week for the showcase of "A Strange and Separate People" by Jon Marans. It is presented by Stacy Shane, the original producer of Marans' critically acclaimed, award-winning play, The Temperamentals. There will be a special Talk Out this Wednesday, July 27th following the performance led by Rabbi Steven Greenberg: ESHEL speaks out - Religious gay and lesbian Jews talk of their conflicts of embracing their sexuality while continuing to remain active members of the Orthodox community. The contempoary drama is playing at the Theatre Row Studio Theatre, 410 West 42nd Street, for the limited engagement through this Saturday, July 30th. It is directed by Jeff Calhoun and. stars ,Jonathan Hammond, Tricia Paoluccio and Noah Weisberg. The set and costume design is by Clint Ramos; with lighting by Ryan O'Gara and sound by Jill BC Du Boff. 85 mins No intermission

"A Strange and Separate People" is an emotionally rich play about a young Upper West Side Orthodox couple, Jay and Phyllis. They manage to find a precarious equilibrium in their complicated personal and religious lives. That delicate balance is tested when Dr. Stuart Weinstein (a gay doctor who is newly Orthodox) invades their lives. These are intelligent, opinionated people who have a deep love of their religion AND an enormous love of learning and questioning even authority points of view. At times these separate loves ferociously clash in a contemporary story of betrayal and new beginnings.

Rabbi Steven Greenberg since 1985 has served as a senior educator for CLAL, a think tank, leadership training institute and resource center. He is a founder of the Jerusalem Open House, the Holy City's GLBT community center. He appeared in "Trembling Before G-d", a documentary about gay and lesbian Orthodox Jews. In 2004 he finished a decade long project, the book, Wrestling with God and Men: Homosexuality in the Jewish Tradition, which explores biblical, rabbinic, medieval and contemporary Jewish responses to same-sex relationships. The book was a awarded the prestigious Koret Jewish Book Award for Philosophy and Thought, was a finalist in the Lamba Book Awards. Rabbi Greenberg created and directs the CLAL Diversity Project which works toward creating a more inclusive Jewish community. He is presently a scholar-in-residence for Keshet, an LGBT inclusion organization, and Hazon, a Jewish environmental organization. Lastly, Steve is the Director of Orthodox Programming at Nehirim, an organization dedicated to LGBT Jewish spirituality and community-building.

Eshel is a partnership of organizations and individuals working to build community and understanding of lesbians and gays in the Orthodox Jewish world. Its name from the Eshel Avraham, the tamarisk tree under which Avraham Avinu would welcome wayfarers who came from all directions seeking respite. Building on the historic "statement of principles" signed by over 100 Orthodox rabbis, Eshel works with Orthodox leaders and communities to ease the burden carried by their gay and lesbian members.

Jon Marans is the writer of the award-winning play The Temperamentals Other shows by Mr. Marans include: Old Wicked Songs, Pulitzer Prize Finalist for Drama, included in Best Plays of 1996-97, New York Drama League Award, L.A. Drama Logue Award. The West End production starred Bob Hoskins and the play has been produced throughout the U.S. and has been produced in over a dozen countries. His play Jumping For Joy had its premiere at the Laguna Playhouse and produced at the International Adelaide Theater Festival. Other works have premiered at the San Jose Repertory Theatre, in Seattle and ATA, NYC. In television, he was a writer/lyricist for the New Carol Burnett show.

Jeff Calhoun directed Bonnie & Clyde, coming to Broadway and will also direct the World Premiere stage adaptation of Disney's Newsies. He directed and choreographed the 1st National Tour of 9 to 5; as well as directed the world premieres, domestic and international tours of Disney's High School Musical: On Stage! and Disney's High School Musical 2: On Stage! On Broadway, he directed and choreographed the award-winning Big River. Jeff was a producer as well as director/choreographer for Brooklyn the Musical, and the director/choreographer of the revival of Grease! (Tony nomination Choreography). He co-choreographed the revival of Annie Get Your Gun and provided the musical staging for the Tony Award winning Grey Gardens. Jeff's Broadway directing debut was Tommy Tune Tonite! His collaboration with Mr. Tune led to the 1991 Tony for Choreography for the Will Rogers Follies. Jeff is an Associate Artist at Ford's Theatre.
For the limited engagement showcase, ending on Saturday, July 30th performances are: Tuesday-Saturday 8pm. Tickets are $18. They can be bought at the Theatre Row Box Office or through TeleCharge at call 212/239-6200 or TeleCharge.com.

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