Synopsis
The People's Violin
Published by Dramatists Play Service
1 Male 5 Female
Sol Shank, 43, is an experimental filmmaker, transplanted New York Jew, and unhappy son of a famous man. Sol's father, Sidney Shank, is a psychotherapist, Holocaust authority, New York intellectual and author of two dozen books
Sol's wife, Nirit, is Israeli-born and herself a psychotherapist. To jump-start his faltering career, Sol begins work on a documentary film about his father. He discovers a mysterious violin, launching him on a quest that uncovers hidden chapters in his father's past
Evidence mounts that his father may not be who he claimed, forcing Sol to question what it means to be Jewish - and forcing the audience to question the meaning of identity, tribe and self. Framed as a documentary film itself, The People's Violin intersperses Sol's narrative with scenes set in New York, Chicago and Tel Aviv
Though not a comedy, the play frequently employs humor in its exploration of family relationships, culture and identity
"A formidable work of art generous in narrative detail and color, complex in its meaning" ~ San Francisco Chronicle
"Astoundingly engaginggracefully grapples with the distinctly American notion that we can reinvent ourselves" ~ San Jose Mercury News
"A beautifully wrought drama" ~ Oakland Tribune
Cast can be extended to 14 men