December 2024
Sandi Katz

Hamilton Jewish community members may recall attending the 2019 production of Visiting Mr. Green at The Pearl Company, which I directed, and which starred Howard Jerome and Daniel Schneiderman. Enid Aaron, Dan Penrose and I had formed Snapping Turtle Productions that year and produced the play as an independent theatre company. As it was a major hit for the Pearl Company, Dan and I attempted to mount the sequel which at that time was titled, This Is My Family. We contacted Jeff Baron who wrote the original and the sequel. He held the rights and sent us the draft script for us to hold as a public reading with him in attendance, but Howard Jerome had sadly passed away the following year, and The Pearl Company had folded. Jeff asked us to audition a reading of the play on Zoom with a new Mr. Green, Michael Hannigan, and Dan Schneiderman reprising his role as well as two other new actors.  Jeff told us he was not ready to release the play as a full production, and so we disappointedly moved on. 

It’s now 2024. The global pandemic is over. We submitted a play proposal to a local community theatre for a play that might resonate in a way that “Visiting Mr. Green” had. A popular two-hander, “Tuesdays with Morrie” came up as a possible show for the Players Guild Season in 2025. It was the 25th anniversary of the novel written by Mitch Albom. We felt that the play, as well as the novel, needed to be celebrated. We submitted the play derived from the novel and it was accepted as the third play of the season. We are thrilled to have cast two local professional actors in the roles of Morrie and Mitch. James Vezina (Morrie) and Greg Solomon (Mitch) created magic during their audition process.  

Even though the play has been a popular choice on community theatre rosters for a couple of decades, it has a timeless appeal and needs to be seen. As Dan Penrose describes, “This play is a rich, true account of a man facing his mortality and his journey with his former student along for the ride.” This play is more about living than dying.

Both Mr. Green, a Jewish man in his 80s, and Morrie Schwartz, a Jewish sociology college professor, have tremendous impact on their younger protégés and their friendships kindle the flame of transformation and self-acceptance. Their influences are equally life affirming and life changing. In both of these plays, we are all transported to a place of tikkun olam through mitzvot.

Even though it may not be on a Tuesday, spending an evening with Morrie will be an unforgettable learning experience.

The play will take place at the Player’s Guild Studio Theatre, 80 Queen St. S., Hamilton on the following dates:

March 14, 15, 20, 21, 27, 28 & 29, 2025 at 8 p.m.; March 16, 22, 23 & 29, 2025 at 2 p.m.

Purchase tickets at playersguild.org or call 905.529.0284