Preview of 'The Immigrant' at Seven Angels

A TRUE STORY AND A GREAT MUSICAL COMES TO SEVEN ANGELS THEATRE ON MARCH 21 WITH THE EQUITY PRODUCTION OF THE IMMIGRANT

Seven Angels Theatre presents an emotional, true story about family to the stage on March 21 and runs through April 21.  The Immigrant, book by Mark Harelik with lyrics by Sarah Knapp and music by Steven M. Alper, is the biographical story of the author’s grandfather, a young Jew who fled the pogroms of Czarist Russia in 1909 and pushed his banana cart into the tiny Baptist community of Hamilton, Texas. A story of parents and children, newcomers and natives, Christians and Jews, and the realization of the American Dream.

The Immigrant received two Drama Desk nominations: Outstanding Book of a Musical and Outstanding Orchestrations. “A deeply satisfying new musical… touches the heart, glows with humor and soothes the ear” — New York Times. “Everything a musical should be!” — Wall Street Journal/Zagat.

During the run of The Immigrant  Seven Angels Theatre offers many free food and drink nights, including the Opening Night Post Show Party on Saturday, March 23. Patrons will be able to  meet the cast and crew, as well as having some delicious food and beverages.  A complete list of these special nights can be found on their website. Matinee (2 PM) and evening (8PM) performances are available.

Tickets are $30-$42 and can be purchased at the box office, by phone at 203-757-4676, or online at SevenAngelsTheatre.org. Seven Angels Theatre is located on Plank Road in Waterbury with plenty of free parking. There are no performances Easter week.

Cast Bios:

Max Bisantz (Haskell Harelik) is a native of Lowell, Massachusetts currently living in New York. NY credits: LA MAMA CANTATA (La MaMa), 7:32 (NYMF), Atlantic for Kids at Classic Stage, and Joe's Pub (dir. Sutton Foster). Regional credits: ImprovBoston. Max is currently deputy editor at New York Moves magazine where he's interviewed Geena Davis, Dermot Mulroney, and Susan Sarandon. Training: NYU/Tisch. Thanks to cast and crew, and his family - both Yids and goys alike.

Paul Blankenship (Milton Perry) is very excited to be returning to Seven Angels Theatre where he performed the roles of Norm Petty in BUDDY: THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY & Man #2 in MID-LIFE!  THE CRISIS MUSICAL.  Other credits include, Off-Broadway: HEREAFTER; IF THIS HAT COULD TALK; A DOLL’S LIFE; COLETTE COLLAGE; THE FANTASTICKS.  Regional: THE SCHOOL FOR HUSBANDS (Westport Country Playhouse); THE BUNGLER (Long Wharf Theatre); WONDERFUL TENNESSEE (McCarter Theatre); MIRETTE (Goodspeed Opera House).

 Sarah Knapp (Ima Perry/Lyricist) At Seven Angels: Ellen in OVER THE TAVERN and Bertha in BOEING, BOEING. Broadway/Off-Broadway: THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL, NUNSENSE, SMOKE ON THE MOUNTAIN, THE “NO-FRILLS” REVUE, GODSPELL, GIFTS OF THE MAGI. Pre-Broadway: ANNIE 2 and Broadway workshop of JEKYLL AND HYDE. European tour: Richard Foreman's AFRICANIS INSTRUCTUS. Several Law & Order episodes. With the Steve Alper Quartet, she released The Big Christmas Show album this past December, available at flyingbabymusic.com. As bookwriter/lyricist she works with husband, composer Steven M. Alper. Their produced musicals include, THE LIBRARY, MEN AND ANGELS, and THE IMMIGRANT, which garnered two Drama Desk nominations off-Broadway and has been produced across the United States, is published by Samuel French and is available on Ghostlight Records.

Rita Markova (Leah Harelik) Off-Broadway/NYC: HOMER’S ODYSSEY (Bleecker Street); SOMETHING FOR THE BOYS (Theatre Row); HIDDEN SKY (Prospect Theater); CASANOVA (Jacqueline). Regional: SWEENEY TODD (Johanna) Portland Center Stage; FIDDLER ON THE ROOF (Tzeitel) Walnut Street (Barrymore Award nomination); CATS (Jellylorum) Northern Stage; WEST SIDE STORY (Maria); INTO THE WOODS (Cinderella); GUYS AND DOLLS (Sarah); BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (Belle). Originally from the Ukraine, special thanks to Yiddish coaches, including her fluent speaking grandparents, Lara and Sasha.

A Note from the Bookwriter
by Mark Harelik

This is the story of my grandparents, young Russian Jews fleeing the pogroms of eastern Europe, in 1909.

Having come to America's southern shores on the wave of the Galveston Plan, my grandparents Harelik (originally pronounced Gorehlik) settled in a small town in central Texas where full religious observance was difficult. Through the years, they raised three sons and entered the American community. All outward signs of the shtetl life they left behind were gone.

For the family, however, the experiences of my grandparents' past lives were daily stories that were passed around the dinner table. And for me, the hero of this quotidian legend was my grandfather Haskell. I could almost picture him - the young Jew forced to carry his life in his pocket - his religion, his aspirations, his search for safety and stability, and (strangely the most vivid image of all) me. I could picture myself in his pocket. He was bringing my life to this place - this great open space, this unimaginable future that I live in now.

The day I sat down to write this story, I had been on the phone with my dad. He'd taken my elderly grandfather Haskell on their weekly drive around town, which took all of 20 minutes, maybe. They drove by the clothing store founded in 1911 on the town square. "There's your store, Pop." "My what?" "Your store - Look, see that sign up there? Haskell Harelik- it's your name." "My name? My name...?"

He had forgotten his name. He had forgotten his journey, his life, his story. Lost. Now I reach into my own pocket, and there he is - my great American hero, who traveled so far to live a simple life, raise a family, plant the seeds of my future. We bear these seeds from the faded pockets of our fathers and mothers. We are them, in an unseeable, ungraspable way. And by our single, potent glance back, their invisible lives are made worthy and meaningful and immortal. And in the end, when even memory is gone, that which remains lives only in the telling. I must tell you this story, for it's all that remains of a good man's life, and all that's immortal in me.