For many of us, speaking to ancestors is a pipe dream — or nightmare — that we’ll never have to face. But for Park Slope playwright Sarah Sanders, it’s the central endeavor she grapples with in her new play, “Ashkenazi Seance.”
“Ashkenazi Seance” is a homegrown production presented by Brooklyn Jewish organization The Neighborhood and hosted at Brooklyn's oldest synagogue, the Union Temple House of CBE.
The interactive solo show, which will run at Union Temple from April 27-29, features a compelling emotional journey as the main character travels through a seance, complete with audience participation.
Throughout the show, the protagonist — played by Sanders — attempts to better understand herself and her Ashkenazi ancestry. 'Ashkenazi' refers to a Jewish person of central or eastern European descent.
The play navigates heavy themes with wit and lightness — a classic Jewish combination. Given the rich history of comedy in Jewish culture, it was important to Sanders for the play to be funny. Even as the performance discusses deep questions about identity and family, it does so with a playful tone.
“There is loss and grief in there, for sure. … I hope that there is also joy, and I hope that people are also laughing,” Sanders said. “Otherwise, what are we doing?"
The many unpredictable, interactive moments in the play are part of what makes each run of the show so exciting and thought-provoking, she said. At each performance, Sanders invites audience members to ask and answer questions about their own lives and ancestry.
The idea for "Ashkenazi Seance" came to Sanders out of the blue while she was visiting her parents in Montana in 2021.
“I had never had an idea walk into my head in this way before,” she said.
In 2019, during her fellowship with the Queer Art mentorship program, Sanders wrote another solo show called “In My Name,” which explored the intersection of American Jewish identity and whiteness, along with her feelings towards sharing a name with the Republican Arkansas governor, Sarah Huckabee Sanders.
Although "In My Name" didn’t turn out quite how she wanted, it left Sanders with deep and pressing questions about her identity.
“There's some nugget here that still feels juicy and still feels very alive,” Sanders said about “In My Name.”
That nugget, which centered around family, ancestry, ritual, Judaism and queerness, buzzed in Sanders' head. These ideas and the interrogation of identity that came with them eventually led to her thunderclap idea for “Ashkenazi Seance.”
As soon as the idea for "Ashkenazi Seance" came to her, Sanders worked on turning it into reality.
She brought on Daniel Krane to direct it and started researching mysticism to connect to her ancestors. The writing process was a balancing act for Sanders: She wanted the piece to feel spooky and mystical but not compromise its authenticity or lean too far toward kitsch.
Growing up in Montana, Sanders was the only Jewish kid in her school. It was isolating to be the only queer Jewish person in her town, but Sanders said it shaped many of her lifelong interests and values. She found a home in community theater programs in Montana, and it was there that her love for the stage was born and nurtured.
After moving to Westchester at the age of 16, her worldview ballooned.
“I'm like, 'Oh! There are in fact so many people exactly like me,'” Sanders said.
In Brooklyn, Sanders now works closely with her tight circle of creative peers, many of whom are bringing "Asheknazi Seance" to life. This group includes Sofia Geck, the show’s composer and pianist; Cate McCrea, the scenic designer; Jacqueline Scaletta, the lighting designer; Michelle Navis, the stage manager; and Daniel Krane, the director.
Working with such personal material during “Ashkenazi Seance” didn’t always come naturally for Sanders. During the first couple of times practicing the show, it was difficult for her to fully fall into the character because the character was so similar to herself.
“There's a real release of ego that has to happen when writing about yourself,” Sanders said.
Now, she's got it down to a science. Her first run of the show was this past summer at The Brick, a Brooklyn venue.
“Ashkenazi Seance” will play at the Union Temple House from April 27-29. Tickets are $21.
