Lilith is regarded as the primary demon figure in Jewish folklore and in some Talmudic interpretations of Genesis is even considered to be the first woman, who existed before Eve! There is much evidence that Lilith was inspired by female figures from mythologies the world over.

“Cave…A Dance for Lilith” will explore these ideas, as well as Kabbalistic notions of creation and Hebrew Goddess mythology. It will take a look at political and personal conflict in today’s world by investigating the multicultural sources behind all of these tales.

The show, premiering in early November at the Diavolo Performance Space in Downtown Los Angeles, is a co-production with LA Contemporary Dance Company, which will feature lyrical language, visceral movement and original musical composition.

theatre dybbuk’s mission is to illuminate the universal human experience by creating provocative theatrical presentations based on Jewish myths, folklore and history.

The North American Jewish population is quite diverse, but its theatrical experiences can be limited, especially when it comes to the use of multidisciplinary techniques to explore the variety of topics that speak to Jewish culture, myth and history. As a result of this, a whole generation of Jews, those in their 20’s and 30’s, does not engage as often as possible with our heritage in a manner related to live theatrical performance. This lack of engagement lessens the potential impact of this experience of our culture, one which has historically been quite prominent and has served to keep Judaism meaningful for both Jews and the societies of which we have been a part.

In addition, those who are not Jewish do not often regard “Jewish Theatre” as something with which they should involve themselves. The conversations that occur, therefore, can be insular rather than expansive.

I believe that we can create an inclusive conversation in which Jews and non-Jews alike see Judaism not as a set of values and experiences which are separate from the rest of society, but as a shared basis for inquiry. This will then allow for a view of concerns and provoke conversations, both political and moral in character, from a place of understanding, not opposition.

I am hopeful, therefore, that we can transform the discussions that happen both within and without the Jewish community. We can help redefine understanding of Jewish identity through theatre.

Thanks to the generous support of a group of funders, $7,500.00 has also been committed to the project so now that we have reached our Jewcer goal of $2500.00, we have raised a total of $10,000.00, enough to meet basic production needs. As mentioned above, we are now hoping to make the show even better, with higher quality lighting equipment, more sophisticated sound, and additional set elements. With your participation, we can make this as spectacular a production as possible!

Please also note that theatre dybbuk is sponsored by the Jewish Center for Culture and Creativity, a not-for-profit organization and, as such, all donations are tax deductible!

Featured in photos below: Cover image is “Lady Lilith” by Dante Gabriel Rossetti. Choreographer Kate Hutter. theatre dybbuk logo. Actor Julie Lockhart(Lilith). Image from LACDC’s production of “Body Mecanique”, written by Aaron Henne, courtesy of Taso Papadakis.