The Chai Life Production Story: In the Beginning…
Written by the veteran, Laura Shuler
The Genesis of Chai Life began with a dream in a little Jewish girl’s heart that was inspired by her nursery teacher who happened to be a thespian by night. That particular thespian was one of the co-founders of Beth Israel Players 40 years ago who among others enriched our city by providing a thriving and well-loved Jewish community theatre for 15 years. At that time, the Beth Israel Synagogue provided rehearsal and performance space for most often Jewish-themed musicals and dramas to be showcased to the public where casts and crews in the multitudes (both of Jewish and non-Jewish heritage) worked in unison to create outstanding productions. Beth Israel Players closed its doors in 1986 when the Beth Israel Synagogue merged with Shaarey Tzedec to form the Beth Tzedec congregation. A new building was designed, which unfortunately did not accommodate theatrical performances.
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As a result, the Calgary Jewish community has not had a Jewish theatre company for 40 years. Like Moses and our ancestors, many Jewish actors have been wandering in the desert all of this time searching for a home.
Fast forward, 2024: A number of Jewish performers found themselves to be strangers in a strange land performing ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ in a non-Jewish theatre company who knew little of Jewish customs, let alone how to pronounce ‘L’Chaim’. The Jewish contingent became the tutors in all things ‘Jewish’, including clothing, speech, choreography, customs, culture, and even props. This Jewish delegation became the ‘unofficial directors’ for this beloved musical. The little girl, mentioned earlier in this story, (now a grown woman) shared the role of Yente the Matchmaker with a board member of the former Beth Israel Players. She also shared her dream about starting a Jewish theatre company with this veteran from the former theatre company, who, by the way, had not acted in 40 years. She then canvassed all the other Jewish performers, and if that wasn’t enough, she didn’t stop there; she began to recruit every other member of the cast and crew of Fiddler. They all told her unequivocally, “You build it, and we will come!” It became increasingly apparent to this little girl/grown woman, to the veteran, to the other Jewish performers and even to the non-Jewish performers, that not only was this musical significant, yet the need for Jewish theatre was timely, in fact, overdue.
“The genesis of Chai-Life began with a dream in a little Jewish girl’s heart…”
Tracy Smith that little Jewish girl, now grown woman, artistic director of Chai Life Productions, has lived, eaten and breathed theatre since she could walk and talk. Tracy is very much like her nursery teacher, Zelda Dean, of whom she reveres and accredits her inspiration. Tracy works in health services by day, and in all other waking hours is devoted to ‘Live, Eat and Pray’ theatre. Over many years, Tracy has cultivated a well respected reputation for her lived experience and expertise in every aspect of theatre arts.
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She brings her burning passion to the Jewish community, to revive Jewish Theatre in Calgary with her old family friend Ari Cohen, who immediately gave her the easiest yes in the world when she asked him if he wanted to start a Jewish theatre company with her. It took him less than a nanosecond to see his long time love for dramatic arts light up the stage he held for all things ‘theatre’ since childhood, that virtually colored most of his life decisions, one way or another anyway. He tried every which way to incorporate some form of theatre arts into his adult work life as Director of Education at Beth Tzedec, and in other professional capacities, whenever possible. This is not ‘Any Dream Will Do’ as in Joseph’s Technicolor Dream Coat; this is the only dream come true for Ari. It’s a perfect match!
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Tracy felt strongly about the importance of linking the past to the present and that’s where veteran Laura Shuler from the former Beth Israel Players enters stage right. Tracy’s alter Yente had been asked to be a ‘bridge’ to merge the old to the new. Laura was mentored by Bippies (A.K.A.-Beth Israel Players) founder Zelda Dean, Tracy’s nursery teacher, and co-founders Donna Riback z”l and Rivka Schecter in Jewish community theatre for 11 of the 15 years of that company’s glorious existence. With Laura’s own Fine Art’s background in theatre arts from University of Calgary, in all aspects of the stage, she now embraces the opportunity to pay it forward to support Tracy and Ari as they breathe life into Jewish community theatre in Calgary once again. For Laura witnessing Jewish theatre being revived by a younger generation taking the reins is nothing short of a miracle. It is another perfect match! L’Chaim! To Life!
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The time is now, to bring this dream to reality. Our world is challenged in so many ways. Anti-semitism is on the rise, it’s not going away. The crisis in the Middle East escalates by the minute, and the air is rife with intolerance, misunderstanding, unkindness, marginalization, persecution, and unrighteousness. The arts have long been seen as a respite from the problems facing the world. Jewish community theatre in Calgary provides a non-political platform for a different narrative. B’nai Tikvah is the perfect home for this dream, because even the name of this synagogue when translated means “Children of Hope.” To have a multi-disciplinary arts space to attract an inclusive community that dedicates itself to nurturing and presenting different Jewish voices (content, creators and causes) to a larger community to enrich and strengthen the human spirit would serve B’nai Tikvah in Tikkun Olum. This is Matchless Match! L’dor v’dor and from Strength to Strength!
The time is now to bring this dream to reality. Our world is challenged in so many ways. Anti-semitism is on the rise; it’s not going away. The crisis in the Middle East escalates by the minute, and the air is rife with intolerance, misunderstanding, unkindness, marginalization, persecution, and unrighteousness. The arts have long been seen as a respite from the problems facing the world.
​
Jewish community theatre in Calgary provides a non-political platform for a different narrative. B’nai Tikvah is the perfect home for this dream, because even the name of this synagogue, when translated, means “Children of Hope.”
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To have a multi-disciplinary arts space to attract an inclusive community that dedicates itself to nurturing and presenting different Jewish voices (content, creators, and causes) to a larger community—to enrich and strengthen the human spirit—would serve B’nai Tikvah in Tikkun Olam.
This is a matchless match!
L’dor v’dor and from strength to strength!
