Provocative play raises questions about race, class, anti-Semitism

Race. Class. Religion. Assumptions. These are the overarching themes in “Defamation,” a play that will be performed on Nov. 10 at Temple Habonim, in Barrington.

Most recently on a national tour, “Defamation” offers audience members an opportunity to act as the jury in a civil court case where a female African-American lawyer is accused of stealing an heirloom watch that goes missing while she is staying with a male colleague’s family that is … you guessed it, Jewish.

Playwright Todd Logan told Chicago NPR station WBEZ there’s a reason that he’s trying to bring “Defamation” to uncommon venues, such as houses of worship.

“When you walk into a church or a synagogue, you bring a greater sense of purpose,” he said. “It’s a feeling I have, and that people take the play more seriously than if it were just part of a subscription series.” 

However, while “Defamation” has been performed 47 times this fall, only two houses of worship have hosted the production and Temple Habonim is the only synagogue. The vast majority of venues are colleges, universities, private high schools and professional associations.

So, why Temple Habonim? According to Rabbi Andrew  Klein, he heard about this show  through the grapevine. “Colleagues of mine had seen it and recommended it. When I hear of something I think will be of interest to the community, I bring it, and when people have ideas, they bring them … it is a big issue we want our community to be aware of.”

So, one can’t help but wonder, how does this production speak to the modern context of injustice, particularly the Black Lives Matter movement?

Klein says, “… the interesting thing is, every place they put it on is going to have a different outcome. The jury, as they speak and deliberate, is going to have a different solution. … I think reading about the Black Lives Matter movement or seeing it on TV is one thing, and talking about it and dealing with it is another thing entirely.

“My colleagues have told me it is really inspired conversation, a great way to get the conversation going, so we can address issues of race, class and anti-Semitism.”

“Defamation”  is free and open to the public, on Tuesday, Nov. 10, at 7 p.m., at Temple Habonim. A discussion with the actors about the “jury deliberations” follows the play, and audience members are encouraged to participate.

LEAH C. BOURAMIA is an educator, wife and the mother of two rambunctious boys. She lives in Warwick.