Hosted by Israel Ambassador Dan Gillerman, the by-invitation-only performance will play to more than 100 U.N. Ambassadors and Diplomats as "a non-traditional means of addressing the fight against global terrorism and the desire for peace from citizens of all nations," according to a release.
"Terrorism is a dark force that shatters and destroys lives. It is a growing global threat that can never be justified," said Gilad Cohen, spokesperson at the Permanent Mission of Israel to the U.N. "The U.N. has many forums for discussing terrorism. But art is a powerful venue that can enhance our understanding. This performance wonderfully presents many diverse faces of Israeli society, from all walks of life, and shows us a portrait of a people yearning for peace while struggling to prevail against terrorism."
Will Pomerantz directed the work that was seen as part of the Impact Festival. The production then began a new run Nov. 8, 2006, at the Culture Project's former home at 45 Bleecker and reopened at the company's new stage Jan. 4, 2007, for a two-month stint.
The show, a sold-out success at the Impact Festival, features "actress, stand-up and neuroscientist" Bahr in her own solo play in which she "brings to life a remarkable range of heartfelt and outspoken characters that span the conflicted spectrum of Israeli society," as a release describes.
Bahr calls upon her own experiences as "a sergeant in the Israeli army, a former neuroscience researcher, author of the upcoming memoir 'Dork Whore,' and a confused dual citizen who has starred on both 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' and the wholly unrelated nationwide release 'Larry the Cable Guy'" to lead audiences through an array of characters — including a Christian Dominionist, a Latina actress, a Palestinian intellectual and a Zionist former general, among many more — in a Tel Aviv café." The work will also play Aug. 1-27 as part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, before returning to New York for a commercial Off-Broadway engagement produced by Jonathan Pollard, Bernie Kukoff and Jon Cutler.
