The Hillel Jewish Student Center is forming a new theater troupe to bring performing arts students and Jewish culture together onstage.
Shotsy Abramson, assistant director of the center, said auditions would be held during the first week of February. The center is looking for a director and production manager to begin working on the first play for the spring semester.
Abramson said the center was given an anonymous grant to fund the theater troupe and pay for two semesters' worth of productions.
"Each production will provide a learning opportunity for students involved, and those who watch the productions will find out more about the Jewish culture," Abramson said.
She added that although the troupe's particular outreach is Jewish students, she encourages students of all religions to get involved.
"Anybody that has some sort of interest in [Judaism] is more than welcome to join," she said.
Theater junior Rachel Lowenthal said she became interested in partaking in the theater troupe when she saw an advertisement in The State Press a week ago.
"I am always interested in performing, and I hope to meet friends and learn more about the amazing [Jewish] culture through this experience," she said.
Lowenthal, who does not practice Judaism, said she thought this would be an excellent opportunity for her to get in touch with her Jewish father's side of the family.
"This is a way I can delve into the Jewish religion," she said.
Abramson added that one of the main purposes of the theater troupe, named the Hillel Community Players, is to build bridges of understanding on a diverse campus. She also said she hoped the troupe would promote Jewish themes, culture and values.
"The scripts will be by Jewish authors, and they will share a message that promotes these ideas," Abramson said.
Some of the goals outlined in the grant, she said, are to bring more students together in a Jewish college environment, have a Jewish offering that will educate, inform and entertain audiences and serve as role models to Jewish high school students.
Abramson added that the Hillel Community Players would work in conjunction with the drama department at ASU to arrange casting notices, rent or borrow staging or seek performance space on campus.
Reach the reporter at pamela.j.coffman@asu.edu.
