JENNIFER'S BIRTH

by Rich Orloff

JENNIFER’S BIRTH asks,“If you could observe your parents at the time of your birth, what would you discover?” 

JENNIFER’S BIRTH is about a 57-year-old Jewish woman from 2010 who goes back to the time of her birth. and who witnesses events - some comedic, some deeply disturbing - that shake up her views about her parents and about herself.  She observes her parents as young marrieds, both of whom are struggling...

JENNIFER’S BIRTH asks,“If you could observe your parents at the time of your birth, what would you discover?” 

JENNIFER’S BIRTH is about a 57-year-old Jewish woman from 2010 who goes back to the time of her birth. and who witnesses events - some comedic, some deeply disturbing - that shake up her views about her parents and about herself.  She observes her parents as young marrieds, both of whom are struggling with how to be an adult as defined by 1953 values.  The conflict between ideals and reality pushes all of the characters out of their comfort zones and into problems they're not the least prepared to face.  (4 w., 2 m., 1 set)

With heart and humor, JENNIFER’S BIRTH is a play about the near-impossibility of seeing your parents as people... and the challenge of forgiveness. 

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JENNIFER'S BIRTH

Recommended by

  • Rich Rubin: JENNIFER'S BIRTH by Rich Orloff
    “

    A boldly original work that brilliantly fuses laugh-out-loud comedy with heart-wrenching pathos. Rich Orloff treats all of his characters with deep compassion and the utmost respect. We're amused by their foibles, but they're rendered with such loving specificity that we never lose sight of their struggles and their humanity. JENNIFER'S BIRTH is a real treat for theater-lovers old, young and every age in-between. Thank you, Rich Orloff!

    A boldly original work that brilliantly fuses laugh-out-loud comedy with heart-wrenching pathos. Rich Orloff treats all of his characters with deep compassion and the utmost respect. We're amused by their foibles, but they're rendered with such loving specificity that we never lose sight of their struggles and their humanity. JENNIFER'S BIRTH is a real treat for theater-lovers old, young and every age in-between. Thank you, Rich Orloff!

    ”
  • Matthew Weaver: JENNIFER'S BIRTH by Rich Orloff
    “

    Who among us HASN'T wished they could go back and witness their actual birth.
    Jennifer mysteriously gets to, and in doing so, gets to bear witness to a multitude of long-time family secrets and murmurings she's always wondered about.
    And yet, at the same time, she gains new understanding, of her mother and father, her grandmother, her uncle and his first wife ...
    As with all of his writing, Orloff infuses his characters with wry wit, but offers them great compassion and understanding as they try to navigate a momentous time in their lives, and life in general.

    Who among us HASN'T wished they could go back and witness their actual birth.
    Jennifer mysteriously gets to, and in doing so, gets to bear witness to a multitude of long-time family secrets and murmurings she's always wondered about.
    And yet, at the same time, she gains new understanding, of her mother and father, her grandmother, her uncle and his first wife ...
    As with all of his writing, Orloff infuses his characters with wry wit, but offers them great compassion and understanding as they try to navigate a momentous time in their lives, and life in general.

    ”

Development History

  • Reading, Berkshire Playwrights Lab, 2016
  • Reading, Phoenix Theatre Company Festival of New Plays, 2016
  • Reading, Theatre Ariel, Philadelphia, 2015
  • Reading, Workshop Theater Company, NYC, 2015
  • Reading, Florida Studio Theatre, Sarasota, 2015