FEATURING THE NEW MUSICAL
EVERY OTHER THURSDAY
BASED ON THE SHORT STORY BY EDNA FERBER
BOOK, MUSIC, AND LYRICS BY SHEILAH RAE & DEBRA BARSHA
In EVERY OTHER THURSDAY, Helmi Seppala is a Finnish maid working for the Mawson family on New York's Upper West Side in 1927. She has one day off, every other Thursday. When the Mawsons' ask Helmi to change her plans, she refuses, leading to conflict and confusion in the household, and an exploration of the importance of cultural heritage to an immigrant population.
Separately, our young people will examine the crucial role immigration played in the development of this country and its contemporary impact on our nation. We confront the question, “What are our families’ ties to this land?” We also consider why that is such a challenging subject for some. Workshop participants reflect on how and why so many people were compelled to leave— or forcibly removed from— their ancestral homes to make a new life in America. We’ll consider the challenges they faced in resettlement. And because sci-fi and history are essential elements of the iTheatre Saratoga brand, we will look at scenarios that would trigger our own expulsion, and imagine the future for an American diaspora. Through a series of writing assignments and improv, workshop participants will compose and rehearse scenes and monologues to be showcased as the second part of the evening’s entertainment.