'Shadayim' To Be Featured at the Tampa Bay Theatre Festival

  TAMPA, FL - 08/26/2016 (PRESS RELEASE JET)

The Tampa Bay Theatre Festival, as part of its third annual full length play competition, is hosting the Tampa premier of "Shadayim" by Stephanie Bramson on September 3rd at 7:30 PM. Cami Riviezzo directs this character-driven drama starring Carolyn Ducker, Laura Bobo, Cami Riviezzo, and Lauren Nimetz.

"Shadayim" follows four young Jewish women, Michele and Zoe Feldman and Sarah and Leah Solomon. After losing their mother to breast cancer, nervous and uptight Michele and laid back amateur porn star Zoe are thrown into shiva, the seven-day mourning period required by Jewish law. Joining the fray are Michele and Zoe's Orthodox Jewish cousins, the rebellious Leah, who can't stop idolizing Zoe, and the courteous and devout Sarah, who's hiding secrets of her own. Stuck together for a week, there’s no telling whether these four women survive their crises of faith, identity, family, and sexuality with their sanities intact.

Touching on feminist, LGBTQ, and religious themes, the show premiered in Orlando in February of 2016 to positive reviews. Called “physically and emotionally claustrophobic” by Carl Gauze of Ink19, the entire piece takes place in a kitchen over the course of a week. There is little separation between the audience and the cast, leading to moments that City Surfing Orlando’s Chantal Roberts described as “so personal that [she] almost felt rude listening in on something so intimate.” Roberts further describes Shadayim as “definitely one to see, especially if you need to open up to your family about the most uncomfortable of topics,” and as Dawn Sabato of Come See Orlando testifies, “Everyone can find a connection with at least one of the ladies – they’re relateable because they’re so real.”

Starring several of the original cast members, the production team is bringing this intense and moving drama to the Tampa Bay Theatre Festival for a single performance, as one of six  full-length productions featured at the festival. It will be performed September 3rd at 7:30PM at the HCC Studio Theatre at the HCC Studio Theatre , located in Ybor City at 2204 N 15TH ST. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at the festival website. More information is available on the event’s Facebook page, which can be found here:

https://www.facebook.com/events/1953040644922661/