Apr 2, 2005
Purim Celebration Adds Beats With Beatles Take-Offs
By MARLENE BOGGS


BRANDON - Imagine biblical tales told with a Beatles twist.

Members of the Beth Shalom Players of Congregation Beth Shalom rehearsed the day before the March 24 Purim play, ``The Megillah by the Beatles - A Purim Schpiel.''

The musical play by Norman Roth brings the story of Esther forward to the days of the Fab Four while remaining grounded in the biblical past.

Purim, a minor holiday in the Jewish calendar, commemorates the deliverance of the Jewish people from Haman, who sought to annihilate the Jews of Persia. The story, related in the book of Esther, is commonly known as the Megillah. Each year, the Megillah is read in an atmosphere of gaiety; with each mention of Haman's name, children and adults are encouraged to interrupt the reading with boos and noisemakers.

Rabbi Betsy Torop of Congregation Beth Shalom said the unrestrained joy and silliness of Purim often seems less compelling to Jews than the gravity and awesome nature of the High Holy Days.

``But they are the reverse side of the same coin. Purim's joyous and boisterous nature is the release that comes after the pent-up tension of the near annihilation of the Jewish people.

``For many of us, letting down our guard, letting go of our inhibitions, especially in synagogue, doesn't come easily. But on Purim, it's a `mitzvah,' a sacred commandment to do just that. Participating in festivals with obvious serious and weighty themes is inherently unbalanced, much as life is without laughter and simple fun.''

``The Megillah by the Beatles'' supplies plenty of laughter, beginning with Torop's introduction of the story of a Rabbi Abraham Pepper, who was driving his Toyota Corolla through the streets of Jerusalem 2,000 years ago when he disappeared into a giant pothole and found an ancient scroll.

The scroll tells a tale about King Ahasverus, his first wife, Vashti, his second wife, Esther, his gatekeeper Mordecai, his evil prime minister Haman and his four wise men, John, Paul, George and Ringo.

At the rehearsal, Steve Edelson as John Lennon, Kevin Frye as George Harrison and Michael Gresh as Paul McCartney kicked off the production with ``Rabbi Pepper's Only Hearts Club Band.'' They were missing drummer Aaron Edelson, who was working that night, but who joined them as Ringo Starr for the March 24 performance.

The spoof continues when the king has a party and asks the wise men what's missing. To the tune of ``All You Need is Love,'' they tell him in song that girls are all he needs. The king, portrayed by Brian Slater, calls his wife, Vashti, played by Sandy Santucci, and tells her to come to the party and bring her serving girls.

``I hope you know a good lawyer,'' Vashti replies.

The king tells her in song that's she's out of his life and he will choose a new wife.

The serving girls are summoned, played by Helen Rathner, Elyse Mermelstein, Laurie Edelson, Gail Verlin, Karen Ouelette, Christine Stockelman, Lorna Aaron, Amanda Veldorale-Brogan and Santucci, who does a quick change for the scene. The wise men-Beatles introduce each in songs, including the lyrics ``Michelle, ma belle, you will make King Ahasverus kvell'' and ``Lucy wants to try king's diamonds.''

The teenage Esther, portrayed by Jamie Kahn, is urged by her cousin Mordecai to enter the competition, She at first objects, saying that the king would never choose a Jew. Esther and the wise men break into ``Estherday.''

``What the king doesn't know doesn't hurt,'' the wise men sing. ``Don't ask, don't tell,'' warbles Esther, who decides to join the others.

Esther catches the king's eye. ``You got a ticket to ride,'' he tells her. When she introduces the king to Mordecai, portrayed by Michael Lubin, the king asks, ``But isn't that a Jewish name?'' Mordecai replies, ``You're not allowed to ask that on a job application. Do you want to deal with a special prosecutor?''

When the king learns that two of his guards, played by Joel Verlin and Joel Edelson, are plotting to kill him, he knows he needs help. ``I need someone with street smarts. I'm gonna ask the kids,'' he says.

Jillian and Kayla Boyar, Kyra Frye and Jordan Oppolo, members of the congregation's junior choir, join the king for a spoof of ``Help.''

The king decides he needs someone hard-edged, hard- nosed and hard-headed to help him run the kingdom. ``How about Yoko Ono?'' the wise man suggest ``No, she's too hard,'' the king replies. The wise men then suggest Haman, portrayed by Fred Marks.

Haman demands that every man, woman and child in the kingdom must bow before him. With the ``Beatles'' playing ``Hello, Goodbye'' in the background, Haman tells Mordecai he must bow.

``Sorry, Haman, Jews only bow to God,'' Mordecai replies. Haman insists.

Mordecai says, ``Never. I belong to that temple on the hill.''

Haman joins the cast in singing ``I Want to Kill Your Clan,'' to the tune of ``I Want to Hold Your Hand.''

Mordecai encourages his people with ``Hey, Jews, don't weep and wail'' to the tune of ``Hey Jude.'' He asks Queen Esther to intercede with the king. Esther works up her courage, singing to the king `What Would You Do If I Said I'm a Jew?'' and when he doesn't flinch, the cast sings that she got by ``With a Little Help From Her Friends.''

Needing reassurance, Esther wonders whether the king will still love her ``when I'm 24.'' Haman's efforts to buy the king off with 20 pieces of gold fail, a signal for the song ``Money Can't Buy My Love.''

In the finale, the cast sings ``Purim, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah'' and ``Rabbi Betsy's Only Purim Band.''

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