The Two Of Us Productions is an affiliate of Roving Actor's Repertory Ensemble, a 501 c(3) non-profit theater company based in Copake, NY. We produce full-scale musicals, drama & comedies, and murder mystery evenings.
Our mission is to bring quality stage productions to our local audience. We are known throughout the Hudson Valley and Western New England for bringing the excitement of full orchestra musical theater to the local stage.
AWARDS
The Theatre Association of New York State (TANYS) awarded our production a number of awards:
-
Outstanding Acting to Constance Lopez for her portrayal of Lusia Weiss Pechenik
-
Excellence in Ensemble Acting to the Cast
-
Excellence in Direction to Stephen Sanborn
-
Meritorious Achievement in Costuming to Constance Lopez
.
Performance
Join is on May 13th, 14th, 15th & May 20th, 21st, 22nd
Friday and Saturday Performances are at 7:30pm ET and Sunday Matinees are 3pm ET. Tickets are $15 for adults, and $10 for students and seniors
.
A Shayna Maidel
Yiddish meaning “pretty girl,” tells the story of the reunion of two sisters after World War II, one having survived the Nazi concentration camps. A Shayna Maidel is a memory play in that it is set in three times: when Mordechai Weiss is born in 1876, when his two daughters (Rose White and Lusia Weiss Pechenik) are reunited in New York City during the present (1946), and when Lusia has flashbacks of her life in Poland immediately before and after the Holocaust.
Mordechai, his wife, and his two daughters were supposed to leave Poland for New York, but before they could leave, Lusia contracted scarlet fever and had to remain in Poland with her Mama. Therefore, Mordechai had taken Rose (Rayzel) with him to New York, intending to have his wife and Lusia join them after Lusia recovered. But the depression, money troubles, immigration law changes and then the outbreak of war traps Mama & Lusia in Poland.
Rose, having come to New York at the age of four, has become fully Americanized and has even changed her name from Rayzel Weiss to Rose White. Lusia initially does not mind being left behind because she can remain with her best friend Hanna and because she has fallen in love with Duvid. Lusia marries Duvid, and they have a child together, but eventually Lusia, her mother, husband, child, and best friend are taken to Auschwitz. Lusia, grieving for all of the family she has lost, arrives in New York to live with Morcechai & Rose and to attempt to track down Duvid, whom she believes with all her heart is alive and looking for her.
A Shayna Maidel features Karissa Payson as Rose White, John Leiunug as Morcechai Weiss, Constance Lopez as Lusia Weiss Pechenik , Sorelle Brauth as Mama (Liba Eisenman Weiss), Cathy Hunt-Wheelock as Hanna and Mark Lweinung as Duvid Pechenik. The Gallery at the newly renovated Claverack Free Library provides an intimate performance space that brings the audience into this gripping family drama.
Want to see more of what we do? Check out our previous production of Cabaret and have a look at our Instagram!