Synopsis

In this charming light comedy, James Sherman not only makes us laugh with his delightful Jewish wit and humour but also centres the plot on the universal question of how to make your parents happy while still living the way you want to live. This popular play was made into a movie in 2008.

Chicago resident teacher Sarah Goldman is a nice, if mildly neurotic, Jewish girl with a problem: her parents want her married to a nice Jewish boy. They have never met her boyfriend, the very un-Jewish WASP executive Chris. As the devoted daughter that she is, Sarah wants to make her parents happy and so she invents a perfect Jewish boyfriend, “Dr. David Steinberg”. Before long she finds herself caught in her own net, as her parents won’t back down from wanting to meet him. Eventually all that Sarah can think of to save herself from further hassle, is to employ an escort service to send her a Jewish date to impersonate this fictional boyfriend during a family dinner. Instead, they send Bob Schroeder, an aspiring actor, who does indeed look the part but unfortunately is as ‘goy’ as her real boyfriend. Luckily he is a good improviser and knows FIDDLER ON THE ROOF by heart. Sarah’s parents are enraptured, and soon, so is Sarah…

Hilarious and moving… Sherman wonderfully blends farce with a genuine insight.
– Chicago Sun-Times
Very funny…The well crafted play has a lot to say about nuclear families of any ethnic persuasion.
– Wall Street Journal

Cast & Creative Team

There will be one interval of twenty minutes.

No photographs or recording allowed in the theatre without prior permission from the Management.

Beau Jest is presented by special arrangement with SAMUEL FRENCH, INC.