A SAMUEL FRENCH, INC. TITLE

The Gathering

Full-Length Play, Drama  /  1w, 3m, 1boy(s)

Arje Shaw

Set in 1985, The Gathering explores the conflicts between grandfather, father and son which arise over the dinner table when they discuss President Ronald Reagan's planned visit to Bitberg, site of burial grounds for Nazi soldiers...

The Gathering

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  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    1w, 3m, 1boy(s)
  • Duration
    Duration
    120 minutes (2 hours)
  • SubGenre
    Subgenre
    Docudrama/Historic
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult, Senior, Teen (Age 14 - 18)

Details

Summary
Arje Shaw blends history and family politics in his Broadway dramedy, set in 1985. The Gathering explores the conflicts between grandfather, father, and son which arise over the dinner table when they discuss President Ronald Reagan's planned visit to Bitberg, site of burial grounds for Nazi soldiers. The stakes are high in the discussion because the grandfather (Hal Linden) is a Holocaust survivor and his son is a speechwriter for Reagan. Caught between them is the young lad, who is preparing for his bar mitvah. With a multi-generational cast, The Gathering asks poignant questions about understanding and forgivness in the face of tragedy.
History
The Gathering premiered on Broadway at The Court Theatre in 2001, under the direction of Rebecca Taylor. 
Cast Attributes
Keywords
Performing Groups
GABE (ZAYDEE) - Michael’s Grandfather  
MICHAEL (BOYTSCHICK) - Grandson
STUART - Michael’s Father
DIANE - Michael’s Mother
EGON - Young German Security Guard
  • Time Period 1980s
  • Setting A New York City apartment in 1985, and the German cemetery, Bitberg. 
  • Features Period Costumes
  • Duration 120 minutes (2 hours)
  • Cautions
    • Mild Adult Themes

Media

"'The Gathering'...is an affecting sermon. The issue is forgiveness, the lesson is that the endless harboring of anger and resentment -- even over the egregious cruelties of the Holocaust -- is a soul-warping endeavor, and the message is that, for their own good as well as the world's, it is time for Jewish survivors to let go of their vengefulness and allow the healing to begin...as a playwright, Mr. Shaw makes a pretty good rabbi." - New York Times

"Though many in the audience will see themselves and their family in this play, and there are a number of laughs showing how all families at times function in similar ways,...The Gathering can be a difficult and uncomfortable theatrical experience. But, it can also be a rewarding one." - Talkin' Broadway 

"[The Gathering has a] good conflict, with intellectual and emotional elements that are worth exploring. So, let the drama play out." - TheatreMania

Licensing & Materials

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Authors

Arje Shaw

Arje Shaw
Arje Shaw is a playwright and author, produced on and off Broadway. He's best known for The Gathering, 2001, which played at the Cort Theatre with Hal Linden and Playhouse 91, 1999, with Theodore Bikel and Jesse Eisenberg. Magic Hands Freddy, was produced at the SoHo Playhous ...
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