Story by Donald H. Harrison; Photos by Shor Masori
SAN DIEGO – They fractured the lyrics of numerous popular American songs, and twisted the tale in the Book of Esther to fit those lyrics, but nobody objected. In fact, the audience loved it. It was the annual Purimshpiel on Wednesday evening, March 23, at Tifereth Israel Synagogue.
In this version of the Book of Esther, it’s not King Ahashuerus (Seth MacNeely) who banishes Vashti (Beth Klareich) for refusing to dance for his guests; it’s Vashti who walks out on him for even asking such a thing. To drown his sorrows, the king and some friends dressed as the Village People go to a bar where Esther (Johanna Saylor) works as a bar girl under the watchful eye her Uncle Mordechai (David Ogul). His friends suggest to the king—who is ogling Esther– that he have a beauty contest to replace Vashti.
Mordechai tells Esther to keep the fact that she’s a Jew under wraps, and she becomes queen and he becomes a guardian of the Palace gate. In a zany bit of shtick, Mordechai uses his shofar as a hearing device to eavesdrop on the king’s two would-be assassins (Jerry Hermes, Maya Williams). With narrator Lili Feingold helping us to keep track of the mangled story, Haman (Amy Stanley) conceives of her plot against the Jews—yes Haman is a female in this version. Whenever her name was mentioned, the audience lustily booed, and shook cereal boxes and other noisy packaged foods which later were donated to the Hand-Up Youth Pantry, operated under auspices of Jewish Family Service.
Queen Esther is persuaded by some friends from the old neighborhood (who of course knew that she was a nice Jewish girl) to expose Haman’s plot and to save the community, which she does, and everyone lives happily ever after – except for Haman, of course, but that part was glossed over in consideration of the little children in the audience who were sitting on the floor in front of the stage.
Directed by Susan Levy who also wrote it with Beth Klareich, and Amy Stanley, the production was titled The Megillah … According to Some Nice Jewish Boys: 2016 because songs that were parodied in this production included some popularized by Barry Manilow, Simon & Garfunkel, Neil Diamond, and Billy Joel – all Jewish.
For example, “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover” by Paul Simon led up to Vashti walking out the palace door; “Love on the Rocks” by Neil Diamond was the King’s drunken song; Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline” changed to “Sweet Esther-Mine,” was the song Mordechai sang to encourage her to compete in the beauty contest; Billy Joel’s “Leave A Tender Moment Alone” served as the royal wedding song; Simon & Garfunkel’s “Sounds of Silence” became the theme song for the assassins; and Barry Manilow’s “Can’t Smile Without You” helped us understand why the King was so quick to accede to Esther’s request.
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Harrison is editor of San Diego Jewish World. He may be contacted via donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com. Comments intended for publication in the space below must be accompanied by the letter writer’s first and last name and by the his/ her city and state of residence (city and country for those outside the United States.)