<\/p>\n
When thinking about who is the first lady of television, someone like Lucille Ball or Betty White may come to mind. A new play at Northlight Theatre in Skokie shows why Gertrude Berg earns the No. 1 spot in the conversation.<\/p>\n
What\u2019s more, opening a new theater season with a play about antisemitism may seem like a bold choice, but for BJ Jones, the director of \u201cThe First Lady of Television\u201d and the artistic director of the theater, \u201cIt\u2019s what we do.\u201d<\/p>\n
Set in 1950, the world premiere play by James Sherman tells the true story of Berg and her dilemma when sponsors for her TV show, \u201cThe Goldbergs,\u201d tried to force her to fire her co-star, Philip Loeb, who was accused of being a communist. Refusing could mean the show shutting down. The play carries heavy themes of politics and feminism, which are met with comedy and heart.<\/p>\n
Jones found it important to shed light on someone who has won Tony and Emmy Awards and written 12,000 scripts, but is still forgotten. Berg paved the way for women who came after her, he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere would be no Mary Tyler Moore, there would be no \u2018Sex and the City,\u2019 there would be no \u2018Girls,\u2019\u201d Jones said. \u201cThis woman invented a genre.\u201d<\/p>\n
People love to be told stories they don\u2019t know, he said, especially the kinds that can extend their knowledge.<\/p>\n
For Sherman, the playwright, entertaining and educating the audience are two areas he says he focuses on when crafting a play. He also incorporates parts of his personal experiences into the script.<\/p>\n
Jones had the idea for this play since 2009, when he watched a documentary on Berg titled \u201cYoo-Hoo, Mrs. Goldberg.\u201d Years later, after seeing Sherman\u2019s play \u201cChagall in School,\u201d<\/a> Jones knew he wanted to work with him.<\/p>\n Six months after the two met, the first draft of the script was complete.<\/p>\n Cindy Gold rose to the occasion to play the lead role. More than a decade ago, Jones asked her what she knew about Berg. She didn\u2019t know much at the time but came to find her fascinating.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve been thinking about her for at least 10 years,\u201d Gold said.<\/p>\n Like Jones, Gold also finds the play to be timely. A teacher of 20 years, recently retired, Sherman knew the story wasn\u2019t familiar to younger people. She hopes audience members understand the play and realize that things now aren\u2019t the worst they\u2019ve ever been in American history.<\/p>\n \u201cI had a student say, \u2018This is the worst time ever right now with our political situation,\u2019 without quite realizing that there are always bad times,\u201d Gold said.<\/p>\n Gold wants audience members to walk away thinking of unity.<\/p>\n \u201cIf we stick together, we can successfully battle what\u2019s happening, I say successfully, but I don\u2019t know, but we\u2019ve done it before,\u201d Gold said.<\/p>\n As far as showing at Northlight, Jones the play fits right into what is normally seen at the theater.<\/p>\n \u201cWe like to think of ourselves as producing art with heart, but also meaning,\u201d Jones said. \u201cI think it really reflects what\u2019s happening right now. And I think that\u2019s kind of the essence.\u201d<\/p>\n