THE CHAMELEON Comes to Theatre J in October

Beginning on October 11 and running through November 5, Theater J brings The Chameleon to the stage. This production is a world premiere from New York-based playwright Jenny Rachel Weiner, directed by fellow New Yorker, Ellie Heyman. 

The Chameleon is a satire that takes on superheroes, social media, political divides and intergenerational strife to hilarious results. Actor Riz Golden-Kruger finally got her big break, the starring role in a new superhero franchise, The Chameleon. But when news leaks that could threaten to ruin Riz’s career, she must decide to hide or fight for what’s right. Ignited by the fast-paced frenzy of social media, the play rampages through questions of identity, representation, and the complications of assimilation, as a family home transforms and becomes as exciting and potentially dangerous as a comic book.

Playwright and Screenwriter Jenny Rachel Weiner has established a career as a cult favorite among theater-goers in New York City. An Associate Artist at New York’s Roundabout Theatre Company, she is well known for darkly comedic works like Horse Girls and Damsels while also recently selling TV shows to Hulu and Netflix. Longtime collaborator and director Ellie Heyman is best known for directing The Great Work Begins: Scenes from Angels in America, a highly acclaimed COVID-era livestream that starred Glenn Close, Paul Dano, Brian Tyree Henry, Laura Linney, and more. 

Theater J’s world premiere production features Dina Thomas as Riz. Thomas is a well-known area actress having appeared on stage at Studio Theatre, Shakespeare Theatre Company as well as a past performance with Theater J in The Wanderers. It will also be DC theater-goers last chance to catch actress Nancy Robinette (playing the grandmother) on stage locally before she takes on a new role in Broadway’s Prayer for the French Republic by Joshua Harmon. Thomas and Robinette are joined by Sarah Corey, Eric Hissom, Arielle Moore, Rj Pavel, Ryan Sellers, and Emma Wallach, rounding out the cast.

“The Chameleon is a story that resides deep inside me and has been itching to come out for many years.” says playwright Jenny Rachel Weiner. “I come from a big, beautiful, chaotic Jewish family, and I wondered how a play about the double-sided coin of assimilation that has become so applicable with today’s focus on identity would unfold at a dinner table with four different generations.”

“Jenny is a glorious, audacious writer.” says Theater J Artistic Director Hayley Finn. “She meets the moment, asking questions about assimilation and identity, who can play what role, and how we hide and reveal our authentic selves. These poignant questions are volleyed up with Jenny’s distinct wit and imagination — a true theatrical delight."

Press night is October 16, 2023. To purchase tickets, please visit theaterj.org or call the ticket office at 202-777-3210. Single ticket prices for regular tickets start at $39. Discount tickets are available for groups, EDCJCC members, preview performances, military personnel and U.S. Veterans. 

Just one week after The Chameleon closes, Theater J will kick off the “Here I Am” series of three new one-person plays. The first performance will take place on November 15 with See You Tomorrow, a comedic family saga written, directed and performed by critically acclaimed actor/comedian Iris Bahr.