Arts Judaica, the live theater/music/education organization that was launched in 2024 with the Chicago premiere of the stage drama THE BERLIN DIARIES, has announced it will produce the Chicago premiere of Jamie Greenblatt’s play with music FEMALE, ASHKENAZI WITH A SEWING MACHINE, August 7-23 at Berger Park Coach House in Rogers Park. The play, which was premiered in 2017 by Inferno Theatre in Berkeley, California, follows the journey of a young San Francisco woman when a diagnosis of ovarian cancer threatens the promising life she has begun with her new husband. The diagnosis leads her to discover the family heritage that as an adoptive child she had never known. The San Jose MERCURY NEWS praised the play for the way it shows how its characters “navigate the capricious twists that life throws …in a compellingly imaginative way.” FEMALE, ASHKENAZI WITH A SEWING MACHINE has since been revised, and an original music score by Richard Jennings added. The Arts Judaica production will be the full production of the revised script, following a workshop in 2021. FEMALE, ASHKENAZI WITH A SEWING MACHINE will open on Thursday, August 7 and play weekends through Saturday, August 23, at the Berger Park Coach House, 6205 N. Sheridan Road, Chicago. Casting and production team will be announced later.
The humanity and honesty of the young couple as they look love, life and death in the eye, is presented through a combination of poetic realism and fantasy. The score by Jennings, performed live on stage by a violinist, reflects musical influences from eastern European to American folk. Jennings says, “With this guidance, I found a deep emotional soundscape to bring this fantastical story with all of its emotions resonating with life on stage.“
FEMALE, ASHKENAZI was a Semi-Finalist in the Jewish Plays Project’s 11th Jewish Playwriting, 2022. This is what they said about the play: “Our readers were compelled by its strong theatricality, while bringing awareness to a genetic mutation within the Ashkenazi community through one woman’s journey of love, sickness, and soul-searching. They were highly moved and related to this poetic story of grace, love, and imagination as Anna discovers her identity.”
FEMALE, ASHKENAZI WITH A SEWING MACHINE will be performed at Berger Park Coach House, 6205 N. Sheridan Rd., Chicago. Performances will be Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 pm, and Saturdays at 3:00 pm. Tickets are $25.00 ($20.00 for seniors and students) and may be purchased at https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/female-ashkenazi-with-a-sewing-machine.
LISTING INFORMATION
FEMALE, ASHKENAZI WITH A SEWING MACHINE
By Jamie Greenblatt
Music by Richard Jennings
Directed by Izadorius Tortuga
August 7-23. 2025
Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 pm, Saturdays at 3:00 p,
Berger Park Coach House, 6205 N. Sheridan, Chicago
Tickets: $25.00 general, seniors/students $20.00
Tickets on sale now at https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/female-ashkenazi-with-a-sewing-machine.
More information at www.artsjudaica.com
In the full length play with music, FEMALE, ASHKENAZI WITH A SEWING MACHINE, a diagnosis of ovarian cancer propels adoptee Anna on a journey, with her loving husband Benjamin by her side and her sewing machine as a confidant, to find the heritage she never knew. A love story and a tale of self-discovery alternately realistic and fantastical, told through a tapestry of music, drama and dance.
Jamie Greenblatt (Playwright) is a playwright whose work often integrates music, movement and puppetry. Her plays MY RECOLLECT TIME and FEMALE, ASHKENAZI WITH A SEWING MACHINE (Semi-Finalist in the Jewish Plays Project’s 11th Jewish Playwriting Contest) were produced by Inferno Theatre in Berkeley, California. A monologue from MY RECOLLECT TIME was published in Smith & Kraus’ WE/US: MONOLOGUES FOR THE GENDER MINORITY ANTHOLOGY, 2022. She’s a member of The Dramatists Guild of America. Visit https://newplayexchange.org/users/27406/jamie-greenblatt to learn more.
Richard Jennings (Composer) Richard Jennings’ musicals have been produced from New York to California. Trained by Pulitzer-Prize winning composers, composing 50+ scores for plays (30+ Shakespeare) in theatres tiny to Tony Award winning, he’s composed for film, PBS, Disney and network TV. AMERICAN THEATRE MAGAZINE published his article, “Music for Plays, a Step by Step Guide”. He’s served on the faculties of colleges and universities and is a member of The Dramatists Guild of America. Visit: rjmusic.org.
Izadorius Tortuga (Director) made his Chicago directing debut with Arts Judaica’s THE BERLIN DIARIES last December after spending the last four years away earning his BFA in directing at Carnegie Mellon University. Notable accomplishments there include directing a riveting production of SENDER by Ike Holter, devising an immersive, site-specific adaptation of DEATH OF ORPHEUS, producing a workshop reading of his new musical, 69 LOVE SONGS: A QUEER FANTASIA, and assistant directing the regional premiere of NATASHA, PIERRE, AND THE GREAT COMET OF 1812. Since his recent return to the Windy City, he performed in New Wave Theatre Company’s inaugural production, THIS IS ART and served as properties designer for [TITLE OF SHOW] at PrideArts. Previously, Izadorius has collaborated with many companies across the city, including Theatre Above the Law, Links Hall, Prop Thtr, and Collaboraction. Special thanks goes out to all those who took him underwing throughout his youthful storefront theater endeavors.
ABOUT ARTS JUDAICA
Arts Judaica is dedicated exclusively to showcasing Jewish arts, culture, and history. As the only organization of its kind in the Chicago are, Arts Judaica serves as a vital platform for preserving and celebrating Jewish heritage through compelling performances, educational programs, and community outreach initiatives.
Our mission is to illuminate the richness of Jewish traditions and history, with a particular focus on educating audiences about pivotal events such as the Holocaust. Through thought-provoking productions, dynamic workshops, and meaningful collaborations, we aim to foster understanding, promote cultural dialogue, and inspire reflection among diverse audiences.
Arts Judaica, a tax exempt, 501c3 entity, is a unique and vibrant live theater/music/education organization based in Chicago, dedicated exclusively to showcasing Jewish arts, culture, and history. As the only organization of its kind in the city, Arts Judaica serves as a vital platform for preserving and celebrating Jewish heritage through compelling performances, educational programs, and community outreach initiatives. You can also see more about our work at https://www.artsjudaica.com.