Israeli Artists Project Presents The New York Premiere of BEST FRIENDS

ISRAELI ARTISTS PROJECT has announced, in celebration of Women's History Month, the New York premiere production (after an extensive pandemic pause, initially scheduled in Spring of 2020) of award-winning Israeli playwright Anat Gov's BEST FRIENDS, the longest-running comedy in Israel and winner of the prestigious Israel National Theater Award for Best Comedy in 1999, directed by Hamutal Posklinsky-Shehory.

BEST FRIENDS will be performed in both English and Hebrew (by the same actors) and play a limited engagement at the Rattlestick Theater (224 Waverly Place, New York, NY). Performances begin Wednesday, March 22 at 7 p.m. and continues through Sunday, April 2. Opening Night is Saturday, March 25 (7 p.m.). Tickets are $25-$50 and are available at https://ci.ovationtix.com/34100/production/1153688.

Sophie, Tirzah and Lelly met in their high school bathroom in the late 1960s. From that inauspicious beginning, a life-long friendship was born. Now, twenty years later, these best friends are brought together when Sophie and Tirzah have not spoken to one another for nearly two years, and Lelly tries to reconcile the two by bringing them to discuss "a matter of life and death." The friends are seen in all phases of their lives and friendship, with flashbacks throughout the years starting from their youth until their forties.

Told with humor, heart, and biting wit in scenes that go back and forth in time, BEST FRIENDS is about three women who are forced to examine their friendship and discover themselves in the process.

"Best Friends by Anat Gov is a symbol of the modern Israeli culture," says director Posklinsky-Shehory. "It is a story full of humor, gently exposing the cultural Israeli layers while comically exploring the brutal truth of human complexity, love, and friendship. In the IAP's upcoming production of the play, connections are deconstructed, and aesthetically built back together, creating stronger grounds, healing ancient wounds, and grasping a hopeful future."

Before her passing, Gov spoke of her writing of BEST FRIENDS, "I really wanted to write a play only for actresses, as a compensation to the fact so few good roles are available for women".

The production stars Addi Gefen (Swan Lake Rock Opera) as Young Tirza, Karin Hershkovitz Kochavi (Fool for Love) as Sophie, Maia Karo* (War Stories) as Lelly, *Adi Kozlovsky (The Vocapeople, New World Stages) as Tirza, Yael Shavitt (The Record, The Public Theater) as Young Sophie and Maya Shoham (Girl, The Idealist) as Young Lelly. The swings are Dafi Cramer (A Bright Room Called Day, Purchase Repertory Theater) and Te'ena Klein (Ajax in Iraqu). *Equity Members - Equity Approved Showcase

The production, assistant directed by Lotan Eny, features scenic design by Liron Barel, costume design by Arbel Rabi, and lighting design by Hamutal Posklinsky-Shehory. The sound designer and stage manager is Anat Kriger. Publicity by Katie Rosin/Kampfire PR.

BEST FRIENDS plays the following schedule through Sunday, April 2:

Performances in English
Friday - March 24, 7 p.m.
Saturday - March 25, 2 p.m.
Saturday - March 25, 7 p.m. - English Opening
Monday - March 27, 7 p.m.
Friday - March 31, 7 p.m.
Sunday - April 2, 2 p.m.

Performances in Hebrew
Wednesday - March 22, 7 p.m.
Thursday - March 23, 7 p.m. - Hebrew Opening
Sunday - March 26, 2 p.m.
Thursday - March 30, 7 p.m.
Saturday - April 1, 7 p.m.