"Although he wasn't Jewish, Alec Guinness had it written into his contract that he wouldn't perform on Good Friday on the few times he acted on Broadway."
He wouldn't work on Good Friday and he wasn't even Jewish? What's up with that?
There are productions of Next to Normal and Cabaret currently on in Tel Aviv.. Both obviously in Hebrew... There is a lot of great theatre in Jerusalem too, just not as mainstream. Considering its in Hebrew, I'd assume you want something you know.
I saw Cabaret last night. I actually speak Hebrew and the have a screen with English subtitles over the stage so it was fun to see how off the translations were. Fun night, I was impressed with the theater and quality of production.
This is a subject that I have a lot of personal interest in. The most notable example of a star having Jewish holidays written into their contract was Dudu Fisher, an Israeli cantor who played Jean Valjean on Broadway and the West End. Being a Shabbat-observant Orthodox Jew, he had an understudy for all Friday night, Saturday and Jewish Holiday performances. As an Orthodox teenager who had an interest in performing, this always gave me a bit of hope....and sure enough for almost three years I was lucky to work for a theatre company that cast me in great roles, and supplied me with understudies/alternates for Friday night/saturday performances.
And on the threadjacked subject of Israeli theatre....anyone who has any suggestions please let me know. I'm about to go for two weeks to visit my parents and I'm dying to see some great theatre there. Definitely going to try and see Cabraet. I'd love to see Next to Normal, but I think it might be closed by now.