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Executive Director Bari Newport of “GableStage” presented a more than three hour, two intermission production of playwright Joshua Harmon’s “Prayer For The French Republic” that, even with an outstanding 2025-26 season of Jewish-themed plays at GableStage ,stood out as the standout play of the season that one should not miss because of its gripping contemporary look at the consequences of contemporary anti-Semitism and its common ties with anti-Semitism 60 years earlier.
“Prayer For The French Republic”, which should easily win the Carbonnel Award as best play this season in South Florida, runs now through April 19 at GableStage in Coral Gables.
“Prayer For The French Republic” follows two generations of a French Jewish family in two eras: the contemporary 2016-2018 era and the 1944-1946 eras. The 1944-46 era focuses on the heads of the Salomon family, patriarch Adolphe (played by actor Bruce Sabath) and matriarch Irma (actor Patti Gardner), who in Nazi occupied France, were spared being arrested because of their old age.
The drama and tension for the Salomons has to do with not knowing the fates of their son Lucien (Jason Peck) grandson Pierre (Holden Peck) and Lucien’s wife and children. The anxiety and uncertainty builds up and peaks in acts two three when Adolphe and Irma learn of the fates (both positive and negative) of their relatives when they reconcile with Lucien, who escaped the wrath of The Holocaust.
In the Holocaust era setting, the build up of anxiety was showcased with the optimism of Irma and the more negative Adolphe and both mother and father collided with anger when Lucien was extremely hesitant to share what he knew to his parents. Gardner, Sabbath and Jason Peck left the audience spell-bound with their classic interaction that was one highlight of the play.
The contemporary era, set 60 years later, had its own unique drama with a different look at anti-Semitism in France than the Salomons experienced. . Unlike the 1940s, France was a democratic nation now with many French Jews (including the Benhamou family) living in an open society in which Jews were equal to other ethnic groups in France.
However, the drama illustrated that despite an end to Nazism in France and the growth of Jews in middle class France, anti-Semitism is very much alive and well and experienced by the Benhau family. The tension mounts among the descendants of the Salomons when their great grandson Daniel (Jeremy Sevelovitz), a teacher in a Jewish school in his 20s, is attacked on the streets for wearing a yarmulke (a skull cap worn by Orthodox Jews), causing a wave of commotion in his family.
Daniel’s mother Marcelle (Elizabeth Price) is shocked with the blood stains on Daniel’s shirt and advocates for her son to wear a baseball cap for his safety. Daniel retorts by saying that he is a proud Jew and refuses to hide his Jewish identity. The chaos becomes a lot more than an isolated incident when Daniel’s father Charles (Stephen Trovillion) reads the headlines from the media of France that show that law authorities in France can’t always fight anti-Semitism in France, even if many in France who are not Jewish are horrified by anti-Semitism.
The tension escalates as Charles is seriously contemplating for his entire family (wife Marcelle,son Daniel and daughter Elodie (Irina Kaplan) to leave France for Israel and is immediately rebuffed by Marcelle for even thinking about leaving their homeland.
Although “Pray For The French Republic” is essentially a drama, there are some lighter moments. For example, a distant American cousin to the Benhaou family Molly (Casey Sacco) unexpectedly shows up to visit France and stays with the family while developing a budding romance with Daniel.
Elodie first appears in the play as a comical sister who doesn’t interact well with the rest of the family. However, as the play evolves, Elodie makes her feelings about anti-Semitism in France known strongly to the entire family, including Molly who she singles out for creating a romantic relationship with Daniel.
Overall, the tones of both drama and humor are also interwoven with multiple scenes in which the eras of the Salomon and Behamou interlap as the tension over the consequences of anti-Semitism in France are rising as the play moves to climax for both families.
Along with the ability of all 11 actors to keep us entrenched in the future of both the Salomon and Benhamou families, director Bari Newport is to be credited for making the scenes flow and heightening the tension for the audience.
The scenic work of Frank J. Olivia, costumes by Marina Pareja and the lighting by designer Jessica Winward all added to the smooth transition between the two eras
The entire on and offstage team of actors and GableStage creative team created a memorable production of “Prayer For the French Republic” that will linger with audiences, especially because anti-Semitism is a contemporary problem throughout the globe.
Playwright Joshua Harmon’s “Prayer For The French Republic” directed by Gablestage Executive Director Bari Newport is running now through April 19 at Gablestage, 1200 Anastasia Ave. in Coral Gables. Tickets range from $65-$75. For specific show dates, times and more information, call 305-445-1119 or go to gablestage.org
