MINING GOLDA: THE JOURNEY TO GOLDA MEIR

MINING GOLDA: THE JOURNEY TO GOLDA MEIR is a rare, hilarious, and touching behind-the-scenes look at Tovah Feldshuh's autobiographical memoirs as she prepares to take on the role of a lifetime. Ms. Feldshuh combines the historical with the personal and musical as she traces Goldie Mabovich, a girl from the pogroms of Russia on her journey to become Golda Meir, the Prime Minister and Commander in Chief of Israel. In tracing Meir from Kiev to Milwaukee to the Promised Land, Feldshuh traces a century of European Jewish history and migration. While dressed in formal concert wear, the actress transforms into Golda and all the people that surround her life. She brings us highlights from Golda's most memorable speeches and reminisces about moments shooting the soon-to-be-released feature film O JERUSALEM! and the tackling of William Gibson’s 90-minute monologue GOLDA’S BALCONY, which would become the longest running one-woman play in Broadway history and garner Ms. Feldshuh her fourth Drama Desk Award, first Lucille Lortel Award, and fourth Tony Award nomination for Best Actress.

Musically, the piece draws on 13 great American standards from the memorable sounds of Carly Simon and Judy Collins to Gershwin's "They All Laughed" and Rodgers and Hart's "Blue Room".

The New York Times states, "Tovah Feldshuh's interpretive power as a singer wrings the emotional possibilities from a song that is suddenly newly heard. She deftly evokes laughter, wrings the heart, and brings a tear to the eye."

With musical direction and arrangements by Rick Jensen and additional arrangements by famed conductor Wally Harper, MINING GOLDA: THE JOURNEY TO GOLDA MEIR is a singular evening in the theatre. The piece is accompanied by an extraordinary DVD documentary entitled THE JOURNEY TO GOLDA’S BALCONY, created by award winning filmmaker Yves Gerard Issembert (study guides by eminent educator Aliya Cheskis-Cotel are also available). These two works are available for purchase after the program where the audience can meet Ms. Feldshuh personally. The screening of the DVD with questions and answers following can also serve as an evening in itself.

MINING GOLDA: THE JOURNEY TO GOLDA MEIR made its world premiere on November 24th, 2003 at the Newman Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Denver and made its London debut on the West End October 9th, 2005.