Not Meir-ly Another Play

Out of sight, out of mind… right? So it may take you a minute to recognize the name Valerie Harper. The actress was all over television in the ´70s and ´80s, thanks to her successful role as Rhoda Morgenstern on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, which eventually led to a spin-off show for Harper, plus four Emmy awards. In Harper’s latest venture, she brings to life another woman whose bio deserves to be dusted off: Golda Meir. Meir, a Jew, was born in Russia and grew up in Wisconsin, then ran away to Denver at age 14 so she didn’t have to quit school and marry young (as her mother had suggested). There, she met her future husband, with whom she moved to Israel (then Palestine) to live on a kibbutz. She became influential in local politics, eventually leading the Zionist movement. On May 14, 1948, Meir was one of 24 people (and just two women) who signed the declaration of independence which created the state of Israel. She scored the new country’s very first passport and became the ambassador to Russia. She went on to join the Israeli Parliament, serve as foreign minister, and eventually land the job of prime minister, which she held from 1969 to 1974. As you can imagine, Meir’s life was full of extraordinary encounters with extraordinary people. That requires Harper to step into what may be the most challenging role of her career – playing Meir, plus 43 other characters (including Henry Kissinger) in Golda’s Balcony, the play about Meir’s life. Tickets cost $42 to $50. Call 954-462-0222.
Jan. 4-15