kaddish (how to be a sanctuary) received the prestigious Bobby Award during the international premiere at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2025. The purveyors of the award, Broadway Baby praised its “profound writing, imaginative staging and precise direction” and its “[invitation] to listen to the moral inheritance of our ancestors.” The play uses archival texts–journals and letters–of playwright/performer Sam’s grandpa, Saul N. Sherman, a Jewish WWII vet from New Jersey and intersperses it with Sam’s own writing.
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Upcoming Performances
LONDON: Old Red Lion Theatre
May 19-23
Buy Tickets Here
PRAGUE: Divadlo Inspirace @ Prague Fringe
May 27-30
Buy Tickets Here
Meet the Co-Creators
Playwright/Performer
Sam Sherman
Born and raised in Washington, DC and based in Queens, New York, Sam is an actor, director, writer, producer and the playwright-performer of “kaddish.” They are passionate about using art at the intersection of community organizing and spirituality…and just being silly. This piece has been in development for six years since finishing up their BFA at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in 2020. Recent acting credits include: BAD JEWS (Liam) by Joshua Harmon with Off The Lane and their Bobby Award-winning production of “kaddish” for the 2025 Edinburgh Fringe Festival with The SpaceUK. Sam is incredibly grateful to be working with his village on bringing this play (and his grandfather) to life!
Director/Co-creator
Lila Weitzner
Lila Weitzner is a multidisciplinary theater-maker from Washington, DC based in New York City. who loves every facet of the storytelling process, whether it is directing, writing, producing, or performing. Along with working on kaddish, Lila is currently producing a workshop production of the Princess Grace award-winning play Dirt by Zoë Rhulen at Arts on Site. Recent credits include directing a reading of The Last Movie Star, Magnus Wrench by Tori Lassman with The Motor Company and stage managing/associate producing End of Incorporated Filth by Chloé Hayat at HotFest@Dixon Place. She is a proud graduate of Duke Ellington School of the Arts and Swarthmore College. Lila thanks her family and community for being such a source of love and inspiration.