May 30-June 16

Buy Tickets to We All Fall Down

Linda and Saul Stein still live in the Westchester home where they raised their two beautiful daughters. But when Saul unexpectedly retires, Linda summons the family to celebrate Passover for the first time in decades. Linda tends slightly toward the theatrical (okay, a lot), and their family has never been particularly religious (okay, not at all). So their comic attempts to bring the Seder to life go from riotous to heart-wrenching.  Can this family come together, or will an age-old tradition tear them apart?

About the Playwright

Lila Rose Kaplan writes plays that shine light on the stories we don’t tell about women. Her heroines live in heartfelt zany comedies, bittersweet comic dramas, and imaginative musicals for young audiences. Productions include: Huntington Theatre Company, Second Stage, New Victory Theatre, South Coast Repertory Theatre, American Repertory Theatre, Merrimack Repertory Theatre, San Francisco Playhouse, Geva Theatre Center, Know Theatre, and Perishable Theatre. Development includes Arena Stage, EST, Center Theatre Group, New York Theatre Workshop, Theatreworks, PlayPenn, and The Lark. Lila Rose lives in Somerville, MA with a marine biologist husband, a curious daughter, and a needy siamese. www.lilarose.org

Kaplan, the playwright, will be in attendance of this Regional Premiere on Saturday, June 1, and will be giving a talkback with the audience at the 4pm showing alongside New Jewish Theatre’s Artistic Director, Rebekah Scallet, who will return as play director after her New Jewish Theatre debut directing The Immigrant. This is not the first time Director and Playwright have worked together. Scallet previously directed Kaplan’s play Catching Flight for the Fresh Produce New Play Festival in Chicago, where she and Kaplan first met.

Scallet will host two additional talkbacks with show audiences on Saturday, June 14 following the 4pm performance and on Thursday, June 6, following the 7:30pm performance.

Actors

Alan Knoll (Saul) is thrilled to return to the New Jewish Theatre Stage! His last appearance was as God in An Act of God. Other favorite NJT roles include Max in Laughter on the 23rd Floor and a variety of roles in the Allan Sherman musical Hello Mudduh! Hello Fadduh! He was most recently seen by St Louis audiences as Charlie Aiken in the Repertory Theatre of St Louis’ highly acclaimed production of August: Osage County. Thank you to this amazing cast and crew, Jesse & Carmen Russell and his wife, Laurie McConnell, who is simply the best. Enjoy the show! 

Mindy Shaw (Linda) is thrilled to return to NJT where she was last seen as Ima Perry in The Immigrant. Midwest credits include Jake’s Women (Moonstone Theatre Co., STL), It’s a Wonderful Life (Metro Theater Co., STL), Much Ado About Nothing (SIUE Summer Theater, IL), Doublewide, Texas (Myers Dinner Theatre, IN), and Insane Sisters (Bluff City Theater, Hannibal, MO). Favorite regional theatre performances include Murder on the Orient Express, Other Desert Cities, The Secrets of the Universe, Oblivion, and Silent Sky. Recent feature films: The Perfect In-Laws (Lifetime), The Call Boy I Met in Paris, and Burnt Hickory. Mindy trained at Trinity Rep. Conservatory and is also a voice actor. Thanks to mom, for the love of theatre, to Jack, for making my dreams come true, and to you, our audience, for supporting live theatre. #goseeaplay! mindyshawactor.com 

Bridgette Bassa (Sammi) – A long admirer of the caliber of storytelling at New Jewish Theater, Bridgette Bassa is brimming with gratitude to make her debut under Rebekah Scallet’s astute and intuitive direction! Most memorable shows: STLAS’s Dr. Ride, Moonstone Theater’s regional premiere of Grand Horizons, STLAS’s Tribes, Metro Theater’s Edward Tulane and Act Inc.’s Picnic. She’s worked on numerous indie films you’ve never heard of as well as various commercials you have for: Dodge Ram, Hyundai, Public Storage, Panda Express, Planet Fitness, Build a Bear, Famous Footwear, & more. Tremendous appreciation for her tremendous family at this Seder, the impeccable crew driving it, championing from family & friends, and to God Almighty for the immeasurable gift of storytelling. 

Hailey Medrano (Ariel) is thrilled to be working with New Jewish Theatre! Hailey is a St. Louis-based actor and teaching artist. She was most recently seen with Metro Theater Company in Eddie & Vinnie, Go, Dog! Go., The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and Frida Libre. Some credits include Love, La Familia (The Vino Theater, NYC), Tribes (St. Louis Actors’ Studio), Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo (Black Mirror Theatre), Macbeth: Come Like Shadows (Rebel & Misfit Productions), and various readings with Bread & Roses Missouri, 1 Minute Play Festival, and Great River Shakespeare Festival. Hailey received her BFA in Acting from the Sargent Conservatory of Theatre Arts at Webster University and is a graduate of the Movement Theatre Studio NYC Institute.  

Jenny Ryan (Nan) is thrilled to return to NJT after portraying Gloria Steinem in Gloria: A Life and Kate Jerome in Broadway Bound. Other favorite roles include Olympe de Gouges(The Revolutionists); M’Lynn (Steel Magnolias); Queen/Belarius(Cymbeline); Jen (John and Jen); Charlotte (Moon Over Buffalo); Sarah Daniels (Spinning into Butter); Shelby (The Spitfire Grill); Sarah (Time Stands Still); Faye (Chapter Two); Tessie Tura (Gypsy); Rosemary (How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying); Alex(On the Verge, or The Geography of Yearning); Ilona (She Loves Me); and Gloria (Grace & Glorie), which earned her a Kevin Kline Award. Jenny is grateful and glad for this opportunity!

Taijha Necole Silas (Ester) is a native of Southern Louisiana. Taijha received a Bachelor of Science in Theatre with a Concentration in Musical Theatre Performance and Directing from Northwestern State University. Taijha has been performing for over 15 years, training in music, dance, acting, directing, and tech theatre. Taijha has been in shows such as Behind the Sheet (St. Louis Black Repertory Company), Death of a Salesman (St. Louis Black Repertory Company), Pass the Okra (Soul Siren Playhouse), Peanuts Block Party 2018-2019 (Cedar Point)! Taijha has directed shows such as Rocky Horror Picture Show, The Outsiders, Sealed for Freshness, and African Mean Girls during her time at NSU. When Taijha is not working in theatre they can be found working as the Chapter Advisor for the Zeta Zeta Chapter of Phi Mu at SLU! Taijha is so grateful to be performing again and is honored to be working with such a talented team! Giving thanks to her family, friends/support system, loving partner, and cat Rouxpaul! You can connect with Taijha on social media @t.n.l.s

Bethany Barr (Bev) is delighted to work with the New Jewish Theatre for the first time. Other local roles: Sweet Potato Queens as Mama (New Line Theatre); Emma as Ms. Crisp, (O’Fallon Theatre Works); Suddenly Last Summer as Miss Foxhill (Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis); Shakespeare in Love as Nurse, (O’Fallon Theatre Works); Sublime Intimacy as Katherine Reilly, (Max and Louie Productions); The Death of Atahualpa as the Princess (Upstream Theater); and Caroline or Change as Rose (St. Louis Black Repertory Theatre). Loving gratitude to friends and family for their support, and all praise to God for life!