@showsiveseen "Becoming Dr. Ruth" one-person #play starring at Village Theatre. Surprisingly, the show was less about sex advice from granny & more about storytelling #Jewish heritage. Inspired me to keep a diary. Dates are an anchor! Review: showsiveseen.com/7832 B-roll: @Nyhuis Creative #Jew #holocaust #showsiveseen #theatre #storytelling ♬ Dream Girl – Izellah
Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Mark St. Germain’s “Becoming Dr. Ruth” one-person play starring Naomi Jacobson. Surprisingly, the show was less about sex advice from granny and more about storytelling Jewish heritage. Inspired me to keep a diary. Dates are an anchor!
See it if you’re okay with 4th wall acknowledgements or action-less one-person plays. Audience members who appreciate Jewish heritage or good storytelling would also enjoy this show.
Synopsis from the Theatre: She’s America’s favorite sex therapist! Before she became Dr. Ruth, Karola Ruth Siegel had to flee Nazi Germany on the Kindertransport, become a sharpshooter in Jerusalem, and survive as a single mother in America. Filled with irrepressible wit, joy, and honesty, Becoming Dr. Ruth tells the triumphant and life-affirming story of a woman who—through her perseverance, indefatigable spirit, and bravery— carved her own unique place in the world. Acclaimed actress Naomi Jacobson reprises the role that has garnered her ovations across the country in this tour-de-force one woman play. Becoming Dr. Ruth promises an unforgettable, hilarious, and uplifting evening of theater that will touch your soul and heart. Dr. Ruth is a sex therapist and educator and speaks about sex in a matter-of-fact way appropriate for the radio. Contains short descriptions of war and Nazi Germany with one moment recalling a graphic war injury.
Attended Performance Date: Opening Night 1/19/24 – Keep your eyes peeled for my preview posts if you want earlier notification of shows I’ve seen.
Type: One-person Play
World Premiere: No
Several or Few Scenes: It was more storytelling
Several or Few Settings/Locations: It was more storytelling
Static (Stationary) Set? Yes
Prior Exposure/Knowledge Required: No, but you’d probably enjoy this more if you’re familiar with Holocaust history.
Defined Plot/Storyline: The storytelling was chronological, but it didn’t feel like a defined plot.
Equity Actors: 1
Total Number of Actors: 1
Perceived Pace of the Show: Medium Speed
Length (Including Any Intermission): 1.5 hours
Was there an intermission? No
Was This the First Time I Attended a Production of this Show? Yes
Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now? No
Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned Above
- Favorite Line: “I get very aroused, with a strong erection, whenever I see a cow.”
Rant(s)
- Jokes on Size: The script was too gratuitous with jokes about Dr. Ruth’s tiny size. (Sigh), we get it, she was short!
Other Musing(s) and Observation(s)
- Palestinian-Israeli Conflict: Dr. Ruth mentioned Zionism, but she didn’t make a stance either way on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It would have been a timely comment given today’s current events. Either way, it would have also been a controversial stance I would have loved to hear since Seattle tends to favor one side while the playwrights tend to favor the opposite side.
- Jewish Heritage vs Sex: Surprisingly, Dr Ruth didn’t talk about sex much in this play. Most of it was during the last 15-30 minutes of the show. The script was more about the Holocaust and its aftermath. Interestingly enough, she mentioned that sex isn’t shameful in the Jewish tradition like it is with Christians. “I couldn’t help but wonder,” is that why there so many Jewish references in the Sex and the City TV show?
- Jewish Prejudice: It was interesting to hear that Swiss, Polish, (and Israeli?) Jews looked down on German Jews who survived the Holocaust. We, as humans, are horrible to each other.
Theatre Company: Village Theatre
Venue: Village Theatre
Venue Physical Address:
- Issaquah: 303 Front Street North, Issaquah, WA 98027
- Everett: 2710 Wetmore Avenue, Everett, WA 98201
Price: Medium to Expensive
Tickets: https://villagetheatre.org/shows/dr-ruth/
Ticket Affordability Options: See the theatre’s official pages about discounts and pay-what-you-can performances.
Dates:
- Issaquah: January 16 to February 18, 2024
- Everett: February 24 to March 17, 2024
Seating: Assigned Seating
Parking:
- Issaquah: Free street parking and certain free parking lots. Lot parking availability is very difficult to find though. I’ve basically given up on that. I usually end up parking on Rainier Boulevard North. As a last resort, you can always find parking at the library but it’s a little far. Remember, there’s a bottom floor parking lot under the library’s main parking lot that mostly only locals know about.
- Everett: Free street parking and some paid parking lots/garages.
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Other Video +/- Pictures: See pictures below by Auston James.
