Winner oF Two Tony Awards
It had critics in raptures during its Off-Broadway run, and now Indecent transfers to the main stem with two Tony Awards to boot! Written by Pulitzer Prize winner Paula Vogel (How I Learned to Drive), this startling play is the behind the scenes story of one of the 20th century's most contentious works, Sholem Asch's God of Vengeance. Centered on a Jewish couple who run a brothel, and featuring a lesbian love story, Asch's work caused a storm of controversy on its New York debut, and was eventually shuttered and the cast put on trial for obscenity. Indecent traces the lives of those creative minds involved in the work with wit and warmth.
Comprised of a cast of only seven, who all play multiple characters throughout the runtime, and showcasing Rebecca Taichman's trademark stark direction, Indecent is just as exciting theatrical achievement as it is an exploration of changing social mores. It was met with near unanimous praise on its Off-Broadway debut, with The New York Times labelling it a "superbly realized production."
What is Indecent About?
Written in Yiddish, Polish writer's Sholem Asch's God of Vengeance was a daring and boundary-pushing work set in a brothel. The story follows the Jewish couple who run the establishment, whose efforts to keep their daughter from joining the family business are dashed when she falls in love with their most prized prostitute. The work was fairly well received across Europe, but upon in English language debut in 1920's New York, it caused a storm of controversy. The show was shuttered and the cast put on trial for obscenity.
Indecent follows God of Vengence from its inception through its landmark performance in The Big Apple, and details the human drama behind the scenes.