Nine Interesting People We Met at the “Bad Jews” Opening Night

Opening nights at the Geffen are special occasions. After all, everything we do is in service of the playwrights, actors, directors and designers who make the art you see on our stages. What else to do but celebrate each vision finally realized?

In fact, we get so excited about opening nights that we have our own little pre-game ritual. Executive Assistant Frankie Ocasio produces a restaurant-worthy happy hour spread with fruit, a cheeseboard and other nibbles, then pops a bottle of Patron in his office. The staff gathers for a toast (or two … or three …) and offers up a cheers to the new production.

Then we all head downstairs to enjoy Napa Valley Grille bites, the music of Angel Town Combo and, of course, your company! Below, meet nine theater lovers we met at the Opening Night for Bad Jews.

Name: Mallin
Age: 23
Occupation: Stay-at-home daughter
Favorite Play of All Time: King Lear and The Tempest
Pre-show Cocktail: What’s available?
Beach or Pool: Pool. Nothing in it can eat you.
Most Annoying Family Member: Mom
Are You a Bad Jew? I’m not Jewish but I think I am a good Jew!

Name: Leland
Age: 21
Occupation: What I want to do or what I actually make money doing? [Ed. note: Leland was just accepted to Harvard for playwriting, so keep an eye out for his own Geffen opening night.]
Favorite Play of All Time: The Seagull
Pre-show Cocktail: White wine
Beach or Pool: Beach
Most Annoying Family Member: My younger brother
Are You a Bad Jew? Oh, I’m a terrible Jew.

Name: Samantha, left
Age: 30
Occupation: Marketing
Favorite Play of All Time: The Trip to Bountiful
Pre-show Cocktail: Sparkling water
Beach or Pool: Pool
Most Annoying Family Member: Dad
Are You a Bad Jew? Yeah, I am. I always read the Torah backwards at bar mitzvahs.

Name: Jarissa
Age: 30
Occupation: Talent manager
Favorite Play of All Time: Evita
Pre-show Cocktail: White wine
Beach or Pool: Beach, but not to swim
Most Annoying Family Member: I plead the Fifth.
Are You a Bad Jew? Who isn’t?

Name: Tanner
Age: 16
Occupation: Actor [Ed. note: Remember Tanner from The Power of Duff?]
Favorite Play of All Time: Grease
Pre-show Cocktail: Mountain Dew. I drank one before every single peformance of The Power of Duff.
Beach or Pool: Beach
Most Annoying Family Member: Mom
Are You a Bad Jew? No.

Name: Diana, left
Age: 27
Occupation: Geffen’s staff accountant
Favorite Play of All Time: Phantom of the Opera
Pre-show Cocktail: Pinot noir
Beach or Pool: Beach
Most Annoying Family Member: Mom
Are You a Bad Jew? Based on everything I learned in our high school Jewish student union, yes.

Name: Olivia
Age: 27
Occupation: Medical student
Favorite Play of All Time: The Color Purple
Pre-show Cocktail: Whiskey sour
Beach or Pool: Beach
Most Annoying Family Member: I have three sisters, so it’s a tie.
Are You a Bad Jew? I am not.

Name: Tahnee
Age: 29
Occupation: Actress
Favorite Play of All Time: Phantom of the Opera in London
Pre-show Cocktail: Coffee
Beach or Pool: Beach
Most Annoying Family Member: Hmmm. I better not say!
Are You a Bad Jew? No

Name: Bruce
Age: 38
Occupation: Talent agent
Favorite Play of All Time: Wicked
Pre-show Cocktail: The “Bad Juice” [Ed. note: Our wonderful bartenders create a special drink for each show.]
Beach or Pool: Beach
Most Annoying Family Member: My older brother
Are You a Bad Jew? No.