The Grüb
A theatrical diptych set in a woman’s bedroom and an underground pit, The Grüb (Yiddish for grave) tells a story of hiding across generations. The play explores the rhythms of survival in these two worlds—the surreal existence of a family living in a pitch black hole dug under a barn to escape a genocidal fascist regime, and the inheritance of darkness in a woman’s pursuit of pleasure in a light-filled urban apartment. Set against backdrops of wildly different political circumstances with janky English to Yiddish translation and a mix of clown, melodrama, and vérité, the play is a meditation on the sensations of confinement and the possibilities for multi-generational relief.
Conceived, written and directed by Johanna Kasimow, co-created by Eva Steinmetz and Alex Tatarsky.
Development supported by the University of Iowa Arts & Humanities Initiative (AHI) Program (2024) and Hatch at the Schoolhouse Residency , Harrisville NH (2021).
Images above from a work-in-progress showing of The Grüb, Icebox Project Space, Philadelphia, PA, June 9, 2024. Set and costume design by Maiko Matsushima. Performed by Jenna Horton, Eva Steinmetz and Alex Tatarsky. Music by Shane Riley. Stage Management and Lighting by Payton Smith. Technical direction, set build, and production assistance by Carlos Ferguson and Jesse Glockner.
Images via video by Sam Dellert.