Anna Ziegler

Esther and Schmuli are Orthodox Jews embarking on an arranged marriage. Abe and Julia are celebrities embarking on a dangerously flirtatious correspondence, despite both being married to other people. Just looking, the two couples couldn’t be more different, but once you get to know them, you find a hidden connection.

I haven’t really read a play since high school - over a decade ago. But I found this title while doing a book list for Jewish Heritage Month and decided I wanted to give it a go.

That being said, this play was pretty simple. Mostly interactions between two characters. I liked that because I could easily “see” the characters in their scenes.

I’m going to be honest and didn’t see the connection until a lot later in the story than I probably should have. But overall, I still enjoyed reading the play.… (more)

The main character in this story was born a boy but had an accident as a baby and was left without a penis. The doctor tells the parents to raise him as a girl. He has therapy, and is made to do all "girl" things, as in dresses, girl toys, etc. He has interest in boy things and is persuaded away from them. He feels like a boy and is attracted to girls. Trying to do this doesn't stick. He reverts to be recognized as male. This is very short so it doesn't get into everything, but you do witness some of his efforts at relationships with a girl and his parents.… (more)

A fascinating look at forced gender reassignment (something often done to children with ambiguous sex organs). I really enjoyed the flashback scenes, but the present day ones were creepy to say the least. The main character's strange fixation on children and stalkeresque obsession with his new girlfriend are very unsettling and paint a negative picture of those with gender-identity issues. I understand that the author was probably trying to play off the main character's socio-emotional issues as stemming from their gender identity crisis, but it just didn't feel authentic to what would have proceeded from the character as we knew them as a child/teen.… (more)