The general sentiment on campus the past few days can be best described as a blend of "I slept through physics!," "I have three papers to write this week!," and "How many days until winter break?" Needless to say, stress levels are high, patience is dwindling, and most of us are in need of a break - preferably something fun, cheap, and local. If the thought sounds appealing to you - and it should - then the Hillel Theater Troupe's production of Crossing Delancey is just what you need.
Written by Susan Sandler, Crossing Delancey is a humorous look at the generation gap between Izzy, a young woman growing up in New York City, and her traditional Jewish "bubbie" who lives on the Upper East Side along the East River. Bubbie, concerned that her granddaughter has still not found a husband, takes the liberty of hiring her friend Hannah, the marriage broker, to find her a suitable man. Izzy, however, is infatuated with novelist Tyler Moss, and not the least bit interested in being fixed up by a marriage broker - how archaic and unromantic! Nonetheless, she consents to meet Sam, a pickle man - the perfect husband, Hannah insists. Despite an initially awkward introduction and Izzy's apparent apathy, Sam falls for her, and waits patiently while Izzy explores her prospects with Moss and, eventually, puts on a new hat. "Put on a new hat, become a new person," Sam explains.
Despite a cast with little or no previous acting experience at Tufts, the five actors in Crossing Delancey are fabulously funny and entirely endearing. Freshman Lea Jacobs plays Bubbie - the epitome of the Jewish grandmother in every way possible. She is melodramatic and worrisome, and feeds her guests blintzes incessantly. Freshman Lauren Phillips plays the meddlesome marriage Broker, Hannah. The endlessly patient and considerate Sam is played by senior Josh Weingram. Allison Krieger, also a senior, plays Izzy, the object of Sam's desire trying to find the middle ground between her cultural heritage and her own modern-day ways. The self-interested and egomaniacal Tyler Moss - truly an eclectic presence on stage in the midst of Bubbie's fretting and Hannah's nosing around - is played by sophomore Evan Weinberg.
This play is so much more than funny - it is also fabulously put together, thanks to director David Kraemer. Now a junior, Crossing Delancey marks Kraemer's third directorial endeavor at Tufts. He was the assistant director for Pen, Paint and Pretzel's production of Rumors last year and directed Torn Ticket II's Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory - and his experience shows. Not only do the actors as a whole have an impressive and delightful stage presence, but there is a cohesiveness to the production that can only be achieved under the watchful eye of an experienced director.
Crossing Delancey is two hours of love and laughter that make it more than worth it to stop by Hillel this weekend. It's just enough fun to take your mind off all your end-of-semester blues, yet still revitalize you for all those upcoming finals and - God forbid - even a few all-nighters. So go ahead, you deserve a break and a laugh, and Hillel Theater Troupe's Crossing Delancey is the only way to do it right.
