Since becoming a theatrical director in 1984, Miriam Bazensky estimates she’s directed as many as 75 plays. And while she’s “passionate” about her work as a director, Bazensky, 70, also loves her full-time job as an administrator for Glass Health Programs, where she helps connect drug users to substance abuse treatment. Bazensky also serves as vice-chair for the Baltimore Playwrights Festival and spends time with her family, including six grandchildren. Currently, the Cheswolde resident is hard at work directing a production of Joshua Harmon’s 2013 dark comedy “Bad Jews” at Fells Point’s Vagabond Players, 806 South Broadway. The show runs May 25-June 24.
- Bad Jews? Talk to us about the title.
In a literal sense, the title comes from a story in the play about when Liam [one of the main characters] comes to a Passover seder and makes faces throughout it. Liam is an atheist and rubs his family’s face in it. After the seder, he goes into the pantry and gets cookies that aren’t pesadich [kosher for Passover] and eats them. He says, “I’m a bad Jew.” Then he offers a cookie to his cousin, Daphna, knowing that she is keeping Pesach. There’s more meaning to the title than that, though. The play has bad behavior on top of bad behavior. It’s incredibly funny, but for all the wrong reasons. And yet, we’ve all seen people behave this way. We’re all human and imperfect.
- Can you give us a synopsis of the play?
The play is all about the grandfather — a Holocaust survivor’s — chai [a Jewish amulet that symbolizes life]. After he dies, two cousins, Liam and Daphna, are fighting over it. Liam wants to give it to his [non-Jewish] fiancée, Melody, and Daphna wants it because she associates it with good memories of her grandfather. So they’re fighting over it. Jonah, Liam’s brother is just trying to get through life. Melody seems nice enough, but at the end you see her true colors.
- Some reviewers have said the character, Daphna, portrays Jewish women in a negative light? Your take?
As a woman, I hate that they said that. Daphna is annoying, but passionate. I admire that she worries about Judaism and what will happen to the religion [in the future]. I think she gets a bad rap. Daphna needs to latch onto something and Judaism gives her strength.
- What does this play say about Jewish identity?
The play asks “Who is a Jew?” To me, when the Holocaust happened it didn’t matter if you were half-Jewish. … All that mattered was you were Jewish. We should get past that. We’re all Jews.
- The play’s takeaways?
I want people who see the play to have discussions. The play is about culture, religion, Americanization. … Some Jews know who they are, others don’t. Watching “Bad Jews” epitomizes everything wrong with our society. We don’t respect each other’s points of view. I’m right, you’re wrong. I hope it will get people talking.
For information about “Bad Jews” visit vagabondplayers.org.
See Miriam Bazensky’s appearance on Jmore’s Weekend Agenda on Facebook Live June 22:
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