FOUR WOMEN: A SHTETL BY THE SEA’ DRAMATIC PLAY SET IN 1968 MIAMI BEACH FEATURES BATTLE BETWEEN FOUR HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS AND A DEVELOPER WITH A SECRET PAST
Four women who reside in a small Miami Beach apartment (translated in Hebrew as ‘Shtetl’) in 1968 ,come together to fight a wealthy developer who wishes to seize their property in the premiere of the drama “Four Women: A Shtetl By The Sea” that is running for only two performances this week on Thursday April 16 at 7 p.m. and on Sunday April 19 at 2 p.m. as a Jewish Cultural Arts Theater (JCAT) production taking place at the Michael Ann Russell Jewish Community Center in North Miami Beach.
Written by JCAT Artistic Director Juan Carlos (JC) Gutierrez as an adaptation of a 2023 novel titled “Four Women” by author Norman Shabel, the plot is dramatic but also has comic overtones. Shabel, who recently passed away, was an attorney who had written many crime novels.
“The four women band together against a common foe, a wealthy developer who wants to seize thor property. What both parties do not know is their common past links. The four women are Holocaust survivors from the Nazi Germany era of the 1940s and the developer has a secret about his past that he is trying to conceal,” said Gutierrez.
Although a drama, Gutierrez notes that the four women use humor as biting criticism as the audience will sense much comedy despite the serious storyline.
‘The comedy adds intrigue to the drama as the audience sees the battlelines drawn as each of the characters has a stake in what will happen,” added Gutierrez.
Gutierrez is in the cast as Joshua, the alcoholic lawyer who represents the four women in their case against the developer Hillenbrandt (actor Larry Willis).
From left to right: Actors JC Gutierrez (Joshua), Lin Joy Luber (Lily), Peggy Linker (Helen), Fran Friedman (Mary), and Linda Drozdow (Rachel) recite a Shabbat evening prayer over candles in a scene from the play “Four Women: A Shtetl By The Sea”, running now through Sunday, April 19 at the Michael-Ann Russell Jewish Community Center in North Miami Beach.
Also cast in the JCAT production as the four Miami Beach women are: Linda Drozdow (Rachel), Fran Friedman (Mary), Peggy Linker (Helen, who is an aunt to Joshua) and Lin Joy Luber (Lily). Rounding out the cast is actor Chad Raven in the dual roles of George/Henderson..
The play is directed by Megan Zorilla and the behind the stage JCAT staff includes production manager Emily Chavez, stage manager Sophia Kleinman and visual designer Ari De La Hoz.
Playwright and JCAT Artistic Director JC Gutierrez’s play “Four Women: A Shtetl By the Sea” will be performed for two performances on Thursday, April 16 at 7 p.m. and on Sunday, April 19 at 2 p.m. at the Michael-Ann Russell Jewish Community Center, 18900 NE 25th Ave. in North Miami Beach. Tickets range from $25-35. For more information and tickets, call 305-932-4200×130 or go to ticketplace.com/fourwomen
