‘HANDLE WITH CARE’ at West Boca Theatre Will Warm Your Heart and Tickle Your Funny Bone

As we approach the holidays in a world where families and nations are often disrupted, if not destroyed, we can all use a reminder that “God works in mysterious ways.” To get to that second chance at happiness – like the four life-scarred (aren’t we all?) characters in Jason Odell Williams’ HANDLE WITH CARE – it can’t hurt to laugh, to weep, and even to connect with a person “who doesn’t speak your language.” 

The 2013 Off-Broadway hit ran for over 100 performances (and is still shown regionally and around the world). A New York Times Critics’ Pick called it “A hilarious and heartwarming romantic comedy … which exudes gobs of comic energy and insight.” Adding, “Mr. Williams has achieved something special: He has written a Jewish Christmas story.”  

West Boca Theatre Company (WBTC), based at the Levis JCC, has achieved “something special” as well with their current production of Handle with Care. The company’s hard working and multi-talented co-directors (producer Alan Nash and Holly Budney) not only secured the perfect actors, they were involved in just about every aspect of the show. Nash also served as stage manager while Budney was in charge of set decoration, costumes and music. For scenic design/build/tech, Nash was joined by Mark Hernandez – who also stars as Josh in the play. And they created a realistic motel set with props and furniture from the Levis JCC’s own Resale Boutique. I’m always amazed at how creative theater companies manage to keep theater alive and excellent on a shoestring – especially during these financially trying times!

Now on to our very special show which takes place on Christmas Eve 2008 (with flashback scenes from the day before) in a rather nice motel room in small town Goodview, Virginia. Cheery “Winter Wonderland” music opens Act 1. Only to be harshly interrupted by a beautiful but distraught young Israeli woman shouting abuse, and likely curses, in a torrent of Hebrew verbiage while pointing an accusatory finger and shoving the “idiot” (that word translates quite well), abashed DHL delivery driver, Terrence. (Blaine DeBerry as Terrence delivers a spot-on character performance, complete with blue-collar Southern accent). 

This would be a good time to note that the program cover states “Hebrew Written by Charlotte Cohn” directly under the playwright’s name. The play does include parts spoken in Hebrew, especially at the beginning. Which for anyone who understands Hebrew, like me, is delightful … but definitely not essential. From what I could ascertain, I was likely the only one in the audience who understood every berating word coming out of fiery Ayelet’s mouth, passionately and (later) compassionately portrayed by impressively multi-talented Israeli-American actor/singer/dance instructor Ravit Allen. 

But everyone got what was going on from short English asides and, especially, from the elicited emotions. Ayelet tries her best to be understood. Especially once she meets the nicer American – Terrence’s old school chum whom he’d called for help because he’s Jewish and happens to be in town. 

Terrence pushes Josh (locally popular actor and WBTC favorite Mark Hernandez who aces Josh’s complex, battling emotions) to interpret with “Here’s Ayelet … and yeah she yells a lot.” For Josh – with just a Jewish mother and not raised observant (he states his knowledge of Hebrew consists of one week of cramming for his Bar Mitzvah) – this is no easy task. But to his credit – especially once he realizes the young lady isn’t another date set-up – feels Ayalet’s distress and tries his best. The audience joins in his journey of frustration, persistence, and ultimate joyous revelation. We sigh a breath of relief when these two linguistically challenged, romantically damaged, but still-needy and loving individuals finally make their way to a deeper level of human connection and understanding – from the heart. Here’s where not knowing Hebrew actually adds a perfect level of engagement with the play’s underlying message. 

Getting there is all the fun. Starting with what’s causing Ayelet’s outburst and all the commotion. Josh (who’d left this small town for college, became a professor, and is only back temporarily to help with the family business after his grandfather passed) yanks his old screw-up buddy aside for an explanation. Who is this “savta” that Ayelet is so upset about? he asks. After much hemming and hawing, he’s informed that Ayelet’s grandmother’s body – boxed in a coffin that DHL was supposed to deliver to the airport to be shipped back to Israel – was, as Terrence puts it, “misplaced.” Apparently his not-so-bright friend was the only truck driver around on December 24 (as all the smart ones had remembered to request the day off) and was handed the job. 

So what happened? After more prodding, Terry reveals that while stopping at a Wawa for gas, he’d decided to step inside the station and get some food for later as everywhere else would be closed. In keeping with the small town’s habit of not locking your car while gassing up, he’d left his keys in the ignition and returned just in time to see a guy hop into his van and peel out. He did still have the vehicle tracker, but on his person so of no help. To add insult to injury, Terry admits he’d called Josh because “I needed a friend and no one else was answering their phone on Christmas night.”  

Josh’s immediate reaction is to ask if Ayelet knows her grandma died. “Yes, eight hours ago,” Terry replies. This fact takes on new urgency as Ayelet’s “package” was meant to be delivered quickly for its return flight to Israel. Because, Josh explains, according to Jewish law a body must be buried within the first 24 hours after death.

Of course Josh assumes (wrongly) that his friend had immediately notified the police and his company of the theft. That way, they could combine forces and search for a DHL truck that was likely abandoned somewhere in the area – soon as the thief realized his big-box haul contained nothing of value. But Terrance fears losing his job so told no one but Josh, insisting, “For once in my life I need to do something for myself.” Not this time. Josh insists he call the cops.

The next scene pulls us back to the day before where we meet a still-kvetching (though not as violently) Ayelet and her savta Edna (a mostly cheerful but also stubbornly recognizable “I know what’s best” Israeli-Jewish grandmother portrayed with verve by WBTC veteran and widely experienced local actor Francine Birns). To her savta’s rebuke that she’s “always complaining,” Ayelet responds, “I’m Israeli. It’s what we do best.” [Note: As these two would normally converse in Hebrew, we can imagine they do so while speaking English for our benefit.]

We also get a hint of something strange going on when Ayelet complains about being dragged from one dumpy hotel to another, in endless small towns, instead of visiting famous sites in Washington and New York. Her grandma explains her habit of sticking to back roads – and suddenly picking up for another unexciting destination – with: “We are travelers off to see the true America.” Only much later do we learn the real reason she’d decided – wisely and fortuitously, as it turns out – that both she and her post-breakup depressed granddaughter “needed” this wandering trip for a fresh start. 

It’s so nice to discover that even after death: “Savta knows best.” But I’ll leave you now to enjoy the play for yourself … and the always entertaining, at times surprising, and definitely heartwarming progression of its four players. Like many of us, Williams’ characters can be seen as members of a lonely hearts club looking (whether they admit it or not) for love, friendship, and validation. When you leave the theatre, you might want to hold your loved ones a little tighter and, hopefully, be more open to others you don’t exactly understand. Because we are all just humans on this strange, wonderful, tragic, perhaps magical journey of life together. And there will come times when we all need to be “handled with care.”

HANDLE WITH CARE is playing only through December 21 at the Levis JCC Sandler Center, 21050 95th Avenue S., Boca Raton 33428. For tickets, go to levisjcc.org/theater or call 561-558-2520. 

Check out the website for a schedule and information about their entire season of excellent, provocative plays and their “Readers Theater” one-day-only professionally staged readings. I’m looking forward to seeing My Old Lady by renowned playwright Israel Horovitz next. That play opens soon, on January 5, and runs through January 19. 

Arrive early to enjoy the Levis Jewish Community Center’s recently opened new art exhibit of incredibly beautiful Israel-, spiritual-, and environment-inspired mosaic and fabric artworks displayed on the walls of the hallway leading toward the theatre. A small gallery off the corridor also showcases striking, oversized contemporary sculptures.