'Golda' is Pure GOLD!

I was walking through Baltimore's City/> Crescent/> Building/>/> on

South Howard Street

/>last week which houses many Federal offices and noticed a huge poster declaring "Jewish Heritage Week". Was it just a coincidence that one block away at Baltimore/>/>'s Hippodrome Theatre Valerie Harper was playing the former Israeli Prime Minister in "Golda's Balcony"?

 

I also recall with fondness the commercial for Levy's Rye Bread which declared "You don't have to be Jewish to love Levy's." Well, this applies as well to "Golda's Balcony".

 

This most certainly is redundant. Baltimore/>/> reviews have been phenomenal for this play from  "The Baltimore/>/> Sun", "The Examiner", "The City Paper", "Patuxent Publishing" to my colleague at Broadwayworld, James Howard.

 

I certainly want to add my adoration for this incredible performance of Valerie Harper who portrays over 40 different characters.

 

I had the opportunity to see Tovah Feldshuh (now in rehearsal as Dolly Gallagher Levi in "Hello Dolly" at the Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey) in the original Broadway production which transferred from the Off-Broadway production by the Manhattan Ensemble Theater under the superb direction of Scott Swartz.  Feldshuh was nominated for a Tony award for her skillful portrayal of Meir, a former school teacher born in Russia/>/> and raised in Milwaukee/>/> who in 1969 became Prime Minister of Israel.  I thought it was a shame she was not taking this role on the road. But, after viewing Harper, well, she more than meets the challenge.

 

I heard a wonderful interview of Harper, who most recall as Rhoda on the "Mary Tyler Moore Show" and later in her own show "Rhoda", on the Marc Steiner show on WYPR-FM. She thanked actor Ron Rifkin ("Alias") for helping her learn the Hebrew prayer for the dead (Kaddish). She also related a cute story about a meeting between Nixon and Meir. Nixon said to the Israel Prime Minister "You know we have a something in common. We both have a Jewish Secretary of State (The U.S./>/> had Henry Kissinger and Israel/>/> had Abba Eban). Meir quickly replied, "But mine can speak English!"

 

So, you only until Sunday night, May 21 to see this incredible story about one of history's most politically powerful women. Tickets start at only $24. You will not be disappointed. Call 410-547-SEAT or go online to www.BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com.

 

 

 

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