Ashkenazi Seance
Sarah Sanders can’t decide what to do with a treasured family heirloom, and she’s getting desperate – so desperate, she’s turning to her dead Latvian Jewish ancestors for advice.
Ashkenazi Seance is a 70-minute solo theatre work and group ritual that mixes the spooky, kooky Jewishness of “Tevye’s Dream” from Fiddler on the Roof, with the intimate storytelling and audience participation of What the Constitution Means to Me. Through comedy, music, and rituals, Ashkenazi Seance explores American Jewish identity and legacy while searching for direction in the face of loss. As Sarah looks to the past, she must decide how to hold tight to familial traditions while adopting relevant customs of her own.
Developed by Sarah Sanders (writer/performer), Daniel Krane (director), and Sofia Geck (composer), as well as in partnership with Fresh Ground Pepper.
Past Productions
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Presented in collaboration with The Neighborhood and Brooklyn Jews, taking place in historic Union Temple.
Written/Performed by Sarah Sanders
Directed by Daniel Krane
Music by Sofia Geck
Scenic Design by Cate McCrea
Lighting Design by Jacqueline Scaletta
Stage Manager: Michelle Navis -
Presented at The Brick Theater on July 20 - 23, 2022.
Written and Performed by Sarah Sanders
Directed by Daniel Krane
Music by Sofia Geck
Scenic Design by Cate McCrea
Lighting Design by Jacqueline Scaletta
Sound Design by Grace Oberhofer
Graphic Design by Andrius Alvarez-Backus
Stage Manager: Shira Harris -
Ashkenazi Seance was shared at the Bronfman Fellowship’s Young Alumni Retreat at the Pearlstone Center in Maryland, followed by talkback with fellowship alumni.
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This workshop performance of Ashkenazi Seance was performed for a limited audience at Sarah’s apartment over Halloween weekend 2021, followed by a potluck. No spirits were intentionally summoned in the making of this show.
Written/Performed by Sarah Sanders
Composed / Music Directed by Sofia Geck
Directed by Daniel Krane
Press
BKReader — Witty New Interactive Play 'Ashkenazi Seance' Opens at Union Temple
Tablet — Are You There God? It’s Me, Sarah
Special notice should be given to Sofia Geck, composer and performer of the lively music threaded throughout Ashkenazi Seance. The musical highpoint is a truly eerie, and catchy, seance song, with historically informed Yiddish lyrics.
Hey Alma — I Tried to Contact My Jewish Ancestor Through an Ashkenazi Seance
Watch the Show:
Listen to the Music:
Sarah Sanders can’t decide what to do with a treasured family heirloom, and she’s getting desperate — so desperate, she’s turning to her dead Latvian Jewish ancestors for advice. Ashkenazi Seance is a solo show and community ritual about American Jewish identity, family, music, and what it means to carry on a legacy. Also, it’s funny!
The rituals created and questions explored in Ashkenazi Seance search for direction in the face of loss and uncertainty. We look to the past, we rummage through family stories, and we hold tight to tradition, even as we let those traditions bend into shapes that feel relevant today. And, we laugh, as Jews have been doing for millennia—everything is ridiculous, and why not?
Ashkenazi Seance in Workshop
October 30 - 31, 2021
Brooklyn, NY
Written and Performed by Sarah Sanders
Composed / Music Directed by Sofia Geck
Directed by Daniel Krane
This workshop performance of Ashkenazi Seance took place in 2021, followed by a potluck. No spirits were intentionally summoned in the making of this show.
Sara,
The root of my family tree,
I call upon you
The door is open!
If you are here, give us a sign!
If you are here, make your presence known!
Sara, come in!
COME IN…
