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The Melting Potby Israel Zangwill
adapted and directed by Jesse Bernstein Associate Producters: Amy Brewstein, Marilyn Kutcher, Gayle and David Smith
Zangwill's play is what gave us the metaphor of America as a great "melting pot", a place where immigrants from all over the world come to mix together in the crucible of the country. At the opening performance in 1908, then-president Theodore Roosevelt is said to have shouted "That's a great play, Mr. Zangwill!"
The play tells the story of David, a young Jewish-Russian immigrant, who is composing a major symphony hailing the promise of America. But his dreams for his and America's future may be derailed when he encounters nightmares from his Russian past. In this fast-paced adaptation, Theatre Ariel and PAC come together at the end of America 250 to respond to the flames burning beneath our present-day crucible. 
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DESIGN/PRODUCTION
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CAST
David Quixano - Adam Galloway* Vera Revendal - Lexi Thammavong Mendel Quixano - J Hernandez* Kathleen O'Reilly - Jessy Gruver* Quincy Davenport - Eli Lynn Baron Revendal - Johnny Fernandez Herr Pappelmeister - Adam Pelta-Pauls * indicates member of Actors Equity |
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"When I read Zangwill's play, I was intrigued by so many things: a British playwright espousing about the promise of America, the unique framing of the Ashkenazi and Sephardic Jewish experience within the main character, and the timeliness of its story. I wondered: what does it mean to wrestle with Zangwill's message and the characters' hopes in 2026? How can we be in active conversation with the piece as we perform it? Where does it feel sticky, where does the hope resonate, is there anywhere that the message seems out-dated? Of course, our first goal is to entertain, and Zangwill's play gives the audience plenty of comedy and drama. As you're laughing and crying, deeper themes will be teased out. There will be plenty of fodder for the post-show conversations! The show aligns with Theatre Ariel's mission of telling stories inspired by the Jewish experience, and I thought partnering with PAC would be great because the play aligns with their mission of reviving little known classics, as well. Zangwill's play was a major hit in 1908 and popularized the idea of America as a melting pot. This production is an opportunity to expose both our audiences to this play, to build a broader community, and allows us to stage a show neither company might have the resources for individually. And to do it at the tail end of the semiquincentennial feels fitting given the show's themes. We knew there was a history at the heart of the play that made us want to find a non-traditional space for the performances. The Arch Street Meeting House is a historic venue, a home for a group of people who came to America seeking religious freedom, and so it felt like a perfect setting."
- Jesse Bernstein, Director |
