THEATRE + COMEDY

The Jewish Community Center of Houston Jewish Living & Learning takes a bold new step in the arena of theatre arts. Cheryl Kaplan opens the summer season with My Mother’s Medicine June 12 at 8:00 p.m. and June 13 at 3:00 p.m. Her hilarious one-woman show uses personal stories and letters from her mother.

Theatre has been a component of the JCC Arts and Culture program since 1945 when a woman named Nina Vance started the Center’s Players Guild. When the group disbanded for financial reasons, Vance and her group of theater enthusiasts went on to create the Alley Theatre.

“We’re emerging from a draught in the J’s theatre program and responding to a plea to ‘resurrect’ theatre at the J, we’re thrilled to be presenting My Mother’s Medicine, a one woman show by Cheryl Kaplan,” said JCC Program Director, Marilyn Hassid.

“They are the kind of stories that everyone can relate to. They are universal,” explained Kaplan. “The show is how I perceived my relationship with my mother over the years. Even if she was driving me crazy at times, I recognize it was coming from a place of love.”
Kaplan says her mother feels the show is a tribute. Kaplan recently performed the show in her mother’s retirement community in Florida and was asked to return for more shows. Kaplan, who is newly married, has lived in Houston for the last 7 years but rarely performs the show here.

“I love that I get a chance to perform for my community. The JCC is such an all-inclusive environment no matter how observant you are. I’m honored that I was asked to part of this burgeoning program of theatre at the JCC,” said Kaplan.

Kaplan has performed excerpts of the show locally for Jewish organizations but has only performed the full show just once.
“It’s true the show is through the eyes of a particular culture but if you have a family and you have a mother then you will enjoy it,” said Kaplan.

“Cheryl has gotten involved at the J in a volunteer capacity and offered to jumpstart the program with her show. It’s great to have folks like Cheryl involved in the J bringing their talents front and center to grow the offerings for the community,” said Hassid.

Kaplan is an actor, writer, director, dramaturge and theatre arts integration specialist who’s most familiar to audiences through her directorial work for Main Street Theatre. She has worked with Main Street Theater, The Alley Theatre, The Strand Theatre, Second Story Repertory, Seattle Repertory Theatre, A Contemporary Theatre, Seattle Children’s Theatre, The Village Theatre, Stage One, and organizations such as Mothers for Clean Air, The AIDS Coalition, The American Heart Association, Teen Health Clinics, and Resource and Crisis Center of Galveston County.

All events take place in the Kaplan Theatre, IW Marks Theatre Center at the Jewish Community Center at 5601 S. Braeswood. Visit www.jcchouston.org  or call 713-551-7255 for tickets and information.

This program was made possible, in part, by funding from the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston and Continental Airlines.