411 Joseph

  Over 21 years and by very different methods, Eileen and Lou
Rudman have been raising their sons

“At the play’s heart is Eileen…radiantly defying the stereotype of “Jewish mother.” A reservoir of love and wisdom, Eileen represents support, tolerance and strength

Lou [is] the imperfect patriarch. Hampered by a financially and emotionally impoverished childhood and his own shattered dreams, he is a man of prickles and edges whom only a Jewish saint like Eileen could love

Falling short of Lou’s expectations are his sons, David and Phillip; the former pushed, shoved and dragged into surgeonhood to the detriment of his soul, the latter whose strength lies in his determination to realize his own dreams” ~ Back Stage West

“The rivalry between two brothers for paternal love is an old theme that gets Jewish American twist in Frawley Becker’s 411 Joseph

In Becker’s drama, eldest son David attempts to win his father’s love by fulfilling his father’s dream: to have his sons open a medical clinic dedicated to himself

To do so, David goes so far as to marry a rich man’s daughter so that he can afford medical school when his father, Lou, capriciously withdraws financial support

Lou dotes in his youngest son, goldenboy Phillip, and the only thing preventing this fraternal competition from becoming really ugly is the wisdom and patience of the mother, Eileen” ~ Los Angeles Times

Through the years there is a hilarious kvetch of an aunt, some broken Passover dishes, a wedding with a drunken groom, sibling rivalry and a skeleton in the family closet that some folks don’t want to talk about

Throughout it all, there is a heartening family quality that makes the play’s appeal universal

Cast also requires 2 boys
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