SYNOPSIS
In 1970s Texas, Benny Abelson, estranged from his parents, yet dependent on their money to support his burgeoning career as a cartoonist in NYC, returns home for Thanksgiving to find his father on the verge of a mental breakdown and his mother preparing to leave him. Torn between his desire for independence and familial obligation, Benny must decide whether to stay or go, as tempers flare and long-buried family secrets are revealed.
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
(as they appear in the play)
- plotz – to fall apart emotionally
- kosher – fit or proper as it relates to Jewish dietary law
- Szechaun – relating to a style of Chinese cooking that is spicy, oily, and peppery
- challah – a bread of Ashkenazi Jewish origin, often braided, and eaten on ceremonial occasions.
- mishegoss – craziness, senseless behavior
- schlepping – to carry or haul something around, usually something heavy
- shiksah – a derogatory term for a non-Jewish woman
- fakakta – something that is horrible or messed up
- Washington Heights – a neighborhood on the far northwest side of Manhattan
- goy – a derogatory term for a non-Jewish person
- mandel bread – Italians have biscotti; Jews have mandel bread. It’s the same thing.
- nosh – to have a snack; or a small amount of food
- Shehecheyanu – a Hebrew prayer that expresses gratitude for unusual or special moments or occasions.
- trayf – non-kosher food
- yahrzeit – the anniversary of the death of a parent or close relative, often observed by burning a candle for an entire day.
- Kaddish – or Mourner’s Kaddish, the Jewish prayer for the dead.
- Shabbos – aka Sabbath, the day of rest. Shabbos/Sabbath begins at sunset Friday night and ends with the appearance of three stars in sky on Saturday night
- bris – a ceremony that involves circumcision and the naming of a Jewish baby on his eighth day of life.
- schvartzes – derogatory word for an African-American
- Jerrys – derogatory name for German soldiers
- Henry Street Settlement – a not-for-profit social service agency on the Lower East Side of NYC