LETTERED IN THEATRE
November 4, 2024
Written by: elskarohlid
The current production of JUST FOR US at Six Points Theater marks the beginning of their 30th Season, the first time this script is being produced, and Ryan London Levin’s first solo show. With all these milestones and achievements I encourage you to get a ticket to this incredible show before it closes on Nov 10!
The script comes from a stand-up special by Alex Edelman. It is based on an experience Edelman had when he voluntarily attended a meeting of white supremacists in Queens. As a young Jewish man, this leads to some brutally honest moments, reflection on identity, and a show that is hysterical and enlightening. The special won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special and a Special Tony Award. Edelman toured this show and performed over 500 times including an HBO special. I purposefully avoided watching until after I attended, so it’s on my list to watch this week!
This exploration of Jewish identity moves through the story of Alex attending the meeting and it is flavored with personal stories from Edelman’s life. These moments include growing up Jewish and his family dynamic, his dream of being a WASP, and even his first time celebrating Christmas. The storytelling moves so quickly and Ryan keeps us along for the ride as a charming storyteller.
This marks the first solo show for Ryan London Levin and he was absolutely fantastic. I have had the joy of seeing him in a variety of shows in the Twin Cities and was thrilled to see he was taking on this role. You wouldn’t know it was his first solo show, commanding the stage and using the entire space as a playground as he presents the stories of Edelman’s life and keeping us engaged through the entire show.
I found myself watching a ton of comedy specials during the pandemic and found it to be a good way to escape from the every day life. What I also found was how incredible the comedians were at addressing serious topics and using humor to get through the tougher topics. Edelman’s script is no exception, he using humor to diffuse the tension that is so present when we discuss them while remaining incredibly impactful and engaging in how the story unfold for us to consume. The audience at my performance was so engrossed in the performance with many audible reactions like laughter to the moments we all related to, lots of nodding heads in agreement, and reactionary gasps.
Congrats to Ryan directed by JC Culter for creating a room where the audience felt comfortable to react in these ways. You can feel an honest connection to Alex’s story (told through Ryan who gets to take some fun liberties with the variety of characters he inhabits) and even after the 90 minutes wanting to hear more.
Running through Nov 10th at the Highland Park Community Center in St. Paul, grab a friend or two and head out to see this one! Rush ticket are just $15 and FREE if you are 30 (now through Nov 10)- call for more details on these offers. Tickets and more information here.
First two photos by Sarah Whiting
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