The Soap Myth is a play by American playwright Jeff Cohen. It dramatizes the conflict between Holocaust scholars and historians who require documentary proof when determining the history of the Holocaust and survivors of the Holocaust who were eyewitnesses to the horrors and atrocities. The play tackles the larger question - relevant to these times - of who has the right to determine the truth, who has the right to write history. The play also grapples with the scourge of antisemitism and the desecration of Holocaust denial.
Production history
The play was originally developed in a workshop run in July 2009 at the Dog Run Repertory Company. That workshop was directed by Larissa Lury with a cast that included Katia Asche, Victor Barbella, Aaron Costa-Ganis, Louise Flaningam and Joel Friedman. A new, rewritten version had a brief run in the Spring of 2012 Off Broadway at The Roundabout Theater's Harold and Mimi Steinberg Theatre Center. The cast was Greg Mullavey, Andi Potamkin, Dee Pelletier and Donald Corren under the direction of Arnold Mittlelman.
On May 2, 2016, The Soap Myth was presented as a reading at the Bruno Walter Auditorium at the Lincoln Center Library for the Performing Arts. The reading starred legendary 7-time Emmy Award winning actor Ed Asner and 2-time Tony Award nominee Jayne Atkinson along with Blair Baker and Donald Corren. The reading, produced by Burke-Cohen Entertainment, was the flagship event of Remembrance Readings, a national program in honor of Holocaust Memorial Day presented by the National Jewish Theater Foundation.
During the week of February 21, 2017, "The Soap Myth" had 5 West Coast readings: @ Marin Academy and Marin Theater Company (San Francisco), @ Shomrei Torah Synagogue in West Hills (LA), University Synagogue in Irvine and at Center Theatre Group's Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City (LA). The cast was Ed Asner, Tovah Feldshuh, Blair Baker and Donald Corren under the direction of Pam Berlin.
From January 22 to February 1, 2018, The Soap Myth reading enjoyed a brief tour that included the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in Miami Beach, FL, the Adolph and Rose Levis Jewish Community Center in Boca Raton, FL, the Parker Playhouse in Fort Lauderdale, FL, the Zeiterion Theater Performing Arts Center in New Bedford, MA, Congregation Rodeph Shalom in Philadelphia, PA, The Museum of Jewish Heritage in Battery Park City, New York City, and Hofstra University in Hempstead, Long Island, NY. The cast was Ed Asner, Johanna Day, Ned Eisenberg and Blair Baker under the direction of Pam Berlin.
In January and February 2019, "concert readings" of The Soap Myth were performed in Baltimore, Wilmington, New York City, Tenafly, NJ and Commack, NY with the following cast: Ed Asner, Tovah Feldshuh, Ned Eisenberg and Liba Vaynberg directed by Pam Berlin. In April and May 2019,The Soap Myth performed "concert readings" in Tampa, Sarasota, Wilmington, New York City, Hartford, Milwaukee, Indianapolis, St. Louis, Cleveland, Columbus and Pittsburgh directed by Pam Berlin with the following cast: Ed Asner, Tovah Feldshuh (Tampa, Sarasota, Wilmington, Hartford & New York City), Dee Pelletier (Milwaukee, Indianapolis, St. Louis, Cleveland, Columbus & Pittsburgh), Ned Eisenberg (all dates except for Hartford), Donald Corren (Hartford) and Liba Vaynberg.
On July 22, 2019, The Soap Myth was performed at the Williamstown Theatre Festival with Ed Asner, Tovah Feldshuh, Liba Vaynberg and Ned Eisenberg. About that performance, Williamstown Artistic Director Mandy Greenfield wrote: "Many heartfelt thanks to you and to everyone involved in the reading of The Soap Myth on Monday. I can say with utter confidence that the audience was reached, moved and transformed by the piece and the performance of your text!. I’m grateful to all of you for making the journey to Williamstown and for giving your time and extraordinary talents to telling this story with such depth and intensity. It felt epic, historic, important and meaningful beyond words. Thank you again for an evening this Festival will not soon forget."