Voices Festival Productions Announce Casting for November 4
Voices Festival Productions (VFP) announced full casting for its World Premiere production of November 4, an urgent, timely musical play about a political assassination that changed the course of history. A work revealing the polarized heart of a country that once stood on the brink of a momentous peace treaty, the production anchors VFP's internationally-acclaimed Voices From a Changing Middle East Festival, now in its 25th year this year, this season devoted to exploring, How We Got Here | Where We Go Next.
The 5-person November 4 ensemble is headed up by Broadway & TV veteran, Mitch Greenberg (Bartlett Sher's production of Fiddler on The Roof, Laughter on the 2rd Floor, ThreePenny Opera starring Sting at DC's National Theatre before coming to Broadway, along with episodes of Law & Order, Kate & Allie and others) who plays the 73 year old Israeli prime minister, Yitzhak Rabin, felled by fellow countryman, 25 year old Israeli law student and right-wing ideologue, Yigal Amir (played by Helen Hayes Award nominee, Noah Mutterperl (national tour of Tina - The Tina Turner Musical; and the Arena Stage production of Age of Innocence).
2024 Helen Hayes Award winner, Nicole Halmos (for her role in The Cake at Prologue Theatre and NextStop Theatre, and ensemble member at the OBIE Award winning Target Margin Theatre Company) plays Leah Rabin, the prime minister's wife, as well as Shoshi, a close advisor who steps into the present to reflect on the traumatic changes that have befallen her country since Rabin's assassination.
Chris Daileader (Paper Dolls at Mosaic; Treasure Island at Synetic) plays Haggai Amir, the assassin's older brother, among other roles; and Emma Wallach (This Play Isn't About Brian at the Kennedy Center, and Tiny Lights at Theater J) plays Prime Minister Rabin's granddaughter, Noa Rabin as well as Yigal Amir's love interest Shalhevet, who steps forward in time to reflect on the damage of the assassin's actions - and her own complicity.
Director Alexandra Aron (Founding Artistic Director of Remote Theatre Project) returns to DC after staging Grey Rock at The Kenney Center and Imagining Madoff at Theater J. Other new play directing credits for Aron include The Mulberry Tree at La MaMa Theatre and the OBIE winning King of the Jews at HERE.
Assiduously-researched and told with an up-to-the-minute frame of reference, November 4 explores the personal and political landscape of 1995 for Rabin in 19 stylistically-ambitious songs. The musical collision-course between the Nobel Peace Prize-winning Prime Minister and the Talmud quoting law student takes us to the final month of Rabin's life, ping-ponging between his office and family, and the world of his assassin.
Tensions build to the rousing peace rally in Kings of Israel Square, on November 4, 1995, when a crowd of over 100,000 sang "Shir L'Shalom" (Song of Peace) together with the often gruff war-hero-turned-peace-making prime minister, only moments before he was gunned down. That murder derailed a peace process and changed history forever.
Musical co-creators Danny Paller (Jerusalem-based composer of The Geography Of Night and Eli The Fanatic) and Myra Noveck (25 year veteran of the NYTimes Jerusalem bureau and prolific screenwriter) are keen to have their work performed in the US as they reflect on the play's message during dark times:
"Israel must reclaim its identity not just as a nation of military resilience, but as a people capable of moral imagination and political courage. We need to bring statesmanship back. The play November 4 reminds us of this imperative; how this can - and must - be done."
The production boasts VFP's a top-flight, all union (United Scenic Artists) design team with OBIE Award winning set designer Lauren Helpern working with costume designer Deborah Caney, Helen Hayes Award (HHA) winning lighting designer Alberto Segarra, HHA nominee for sound design Justin Schmitz, properties designer Chelsea Dean, and choreographer Amber Mayberry.