BAD JEWS has Extended Again! Now Through December 28 in the Independence Studio on 3!

PHILADELPHIA, PA: Walnut Street Theatre’s 2014-2015 Independence Studio on 3 season opens with what The New York Times calls “The best comedy of the season,” BAD JEWS. This Philadelphia premiere begins previews on October 7th, opens October 16th and has been extended through December 28th in the Walnut’s Independence Studio on 3.

In BAD JEWS, audiences will meet Daphna Feygenbaum, a "Real Jew" with an Israeli boyfriend that she met on Birthright. When Daphna's cousin Liam brings home his shiksa girlfriend Melody, he declares ownership of their grandfather's Chai necklace. Forced to bunk in close quarters during a family visit, a vicious and hilarious brawl over family, faith and legacy ensues.

BAD JEWS had its world premiere with a sold-out run at Roundabout Theatre Company’s Roundabout Underground in the fall of 2012. It officially opened Off-Broadway in October, 2013 to critical acclaim. The show was nominated for three Outer Critic Circle Awards, including Outstanding New Off-Broadway Play, and four Lucille Lortel Awards, including Outstanding Play. Its success continues with regional productions. Following its recent UK premiere at Theatre Royal Bath, The Financial Times noted, “Bad Jews is a brave comedy with tragically high stakes, which makes for excellent, moving drama.” BAD JEWS will be one of the most-produced new plays in America this season.

Playwright Joshua Harmon is a graduate of Northwestern College and holds an MFA from Carnegie Mellon. Upon completing his MFA, Harmon won a fellowship from the National New Play Network to be the Playwright-in-Residence at Actor’s Express. He later had a fellowship at the MacDowell Colony in New Hampshire, where he revisited an idea for a play listed on what Harmon calls his “Plays I Want to Write Before I Die” list, BAD JEWS. He had thought of the title when he was a student at Northwestern, years before he actually began writing the play. His work has also been produced and developed by Hangar Theatre, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Ars Nova, The Lark and The O'Neill. A recent graduate of the Playwrights Program at Juilliard, Harmon is under commission from Roundabout and Lincoln Center Theater.

At the helm of the production is Director David Stradley. Stradley returns to the Walnut after directing the 2014 world premiere play, Beautiful Boy. Additional Walnut credits include WST for Kids productions of Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day; A Christmas Carol; and Miss Nelson is Missing. His work has also been seen on the stages of Delaware Theatre Company, Act II Playhouse, Delaware Shakespeare Festival, Philadelphia Shakespeare Company and Lost Nation Theater.

Sofie Yavorsky makes her Walnut debut as the passionate Daphna Feygenbaum. Yavorsky’s recent credits include Midsummer with Tudor Theatrical, August: Osage County at Ritz Theatre Company and Beautiful Thing with Mauckingbird Theatre Company. Davy Raphaely returns to the Walnut as Liam Haber. He was last seen in the Independence Studio on 3 production of Proof and on the Mainstage in The Eclectic Society. Regionally, Raphaely has performed with Philadelphia Theatre Company, Forestburgh Playhouse, The Arden and 11^th Hour Theatre Company. Greg Fallick makes his Walnut debut as Liam’s brother Jonah and Laura Giknis joins the cast as Liam’s girlfriend Melody. With credits including Bristol Riverside Theatre Company, The Arden and People’s Light and Theatre, Walnut audiences will remember Giknis as Sandy in the 2012 production of Grease.

Setting the stage to give audiences a glimpse into the personal lives of the characters is Set Designer Glen Sears (I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change; Beautiful Boy; The Mousetrap). Costume Designer Julia Poiesz returns having most recently designed for Walnut’s production of I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change, along with award-winning Sound Designer Christopher Colucci (Other Desert Cities, The Mousetrap, Amadeus). Lighting Designer Jessica Wallace makes her Walnut debut with this production.