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Hello, Tomorrow by J*Company  Thanks to a generous donation by the Galinson Family Foundation and the brilliant talents of playwright/composer Sean Hartley, the world now has a charming new musical designed specifically for youth theatre. As its name suggests, Hello, Tomorrow is a musical full of hope and dogged optimism. Seven young, impoverished Jewish children living in Russia sometime around the turn of the century suddenly find themselves alone in the world. Their father is in America paving the way for the entire family to join him. When their mother dies before they can leave, they have to find the courage, strength, and craftiness to get themselves on a boat to America in the hopes of rejoining their father. But those hopes and dreams may never make it past the inspectors of Ellis Island.
With a cast of more than sixty kids ranging in age from 5 to 18 (but most of them being more in the range of 10 to 12), and 34 separate and well-written characters built into the script, Hello, Tomorrow enjoyed its world premiere here with remarkable performances and to a standing ovation at the Jewish Community Center's Garfield Theatre. The reasons were many -- great play, terrific direction by Becky Cherlin, and enthusiastic performances by a cast that clearly wanted to get this show off to a successful maiden voyage. The cast is led by the seven adorable Belarsky children who undertake the dangerous journey, held together by the eldest sister Rebekah (Amanda Clemens). They're biggest problem is that children are not allowed to be on the ship without a parent or guardian. They recruit a new "mother" named Liliana (Danielle Blum) just before boarding. The stage-stealing youngest sister (she's 5 ½, but ten years old if you ask her) Goldie (Zoe Eprile) suggests the potential new mother with the innocent question, "What about the lady with the bottle?" Besides a drinking problem that makes Liliana a bit unreliable, she doesn't really care all that much for children. But the kids manage to win her over with the song Wouldn't You Really Like to Have a Family. But uf they don't get caught for being onboard for not having parents, they might get arrested thanks to Goldie's kleptomaniac habit of "borrowing" things. But through some quick thinking, some exaggerated crying and laughing by youngest brother Max (Daniel Myers), and winning over the hearts of the other passengers on the ship, they might just make it to America yet -- maybe with a little help from some newfound friends. Some of the interesting characters they meet on their voyage include Ilya Petrovsky (Josh Royle), a gentile who immediately falls in love and tries to woo the beautiful Natella Belarsky (Michelle Crow), the loud, emphatic, and charismatic Mrs. Rubin (Samantha Greenstone) who is one of the few Jewish adults on the ship, and the snooty, bratty Lydia Biddle (Ali Viterbi) whose fur muff is "borrowed" by Goldie. In addition to an excellent story, the play contains a boatload of marvelous songs and lyrics. There are the soaring, hopeful songs Take My Hand, Hello, Tomorrow, and It's a Little Like Heaven (started by the great singing talents of Paige Hanger, Mary Lucas, and Penny Essakow), the comical Seasick Song in which all the ship's passengers are feeling more than a tad woozy, the unrequited lover Ilya Petrovsky's tender Fly Away, and the beautiful and touching If Mama Were Here sung by the Belarsky children. The entire enthusiastic cast performs with impressive gusto and talent with main characters, supporting characters, ensemble members, and even the Fifi the poodle (played by Ziggy Geffen in her acting debut), all combining to do this remarkable new musical justice. Rob Hopper San Diego Playbill ~ Cast ~
Guards/Cossacks: Allison Aronoff Mary Bozigian Sara Jacobs Rachel Meis Jenn Rosen Aliyah Shusterman Wendy Smith Juliana Wisdom Italian Man: Michael Potiker Mrs. Grotowski: Penny Essakow Rilka Grotowski: Shelby Rothman Mrs. Wupperman: Tova Katz Dr. Adams: Molly Vener Rebekah Belarsky: Amanda Clemens Natella Belarsky: Michelle Crow Jakob Belarsky: Benjamin Schenk Katerina Belarsky: Melani G. Glassman Genya Belarsky: Tali Rappaport Max Belarsky: Daniel Myers Goldie Belarsky: Zoe Eprile Mama Belarsky: Alex Altschuler Papa Belarsky: Amitai Zuckerman Inspector: Jed Moch Ilya Petrovsky: Josh Royle Ivana: Wendy Smith Mrs. Rubin: Samantha Greenstone Sonya Rubin: Jennifer Bendelstein Runya Rubin: Adina Wollner Mrs. Boyarsky: Mary Lucas Esther Boyarsky: Paige Hanger Steward: Cory Felder Cook: Christian Pineda Liliana: Danielle Blum Mrs. Biddle: Hannah Roberts Lydia Biddle: Ali Viterbi Daphne Biddle: Gabrielle Smotrich Hebert Biddle: Justin Gleiberman Buddy: Lisa Gorodzinsky Fifi: Ziggy Geffen Passengers: Alexa Bergman Natalie Buchbinder Nancy Cherashore Brenna Clemens Joanne Edlestein Erica Feldman Micah Frank Jackie Gaylis Nikki Geffen Beth Jacobs Jess Jacobs Mara Jacobs Zoe Jurkowski Elana Kobernick Shai Levin Sophie Levin Sara Lipowsky Shanna McCue Gaby Maio Mady Maio Solomon Mizachi Marisa Novak Charlotte Ostrow Cara Potiker Danielle Potiker Lindsey Schwartz Ariel Smotrich Danielle Smotrich Lauren Swersky Sophie Vener Samantha Viterbi Lisa Wagner Lena White Director/Choreographer: Becky Cherlin Managing Director: D. Candis Paule Technical Director: David Atchison Stage Manager: Mitchell Simkovsky Assistant Stage Manager: Talie Shtein Lighting Designer: David Atchison Set Designer: Louis Vener Sound Designer: Jandro Kirkish Costumer: Sandy Crow Conductor: Matt Kalal Piano: Lorea Herald Drums: Spencer Harris Clarinet: Amy Kalal |