A local theater company is apologizing for language appearing in an actor’s biography in a playbill that was viewed by many Jewish people as threatening or antisemitic.

City Springs Theatre Company issued a statement Saturday saying printed playbills containing “From the river to the sea,” in the performer’s biography have been destroyed.

Natalie DeLancey, executive director of the theater company, did not return a phone call or text message seeking comment.

The company performs at the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center in Sandy Springs.

It is the second time in a year that the theater company is facing concerns related to highly charged language connected to one of its productions. Last year, DeLancey was asked about the repeated use of the N-word in its production of “Ragtime: The Musical.” The incidents raise questions about how theater companies navigate material that audiences may view as antisemitic, racially charged or politically and historically sensitive, while also maintaining their artistic objectives.

City Springs Theatre Company is currently staging the musical “Come From Away” through March 29. The production tells the story of how residents of Gander, Newfoundland, welcomed planes diverted there following 9/11.

In the playbill, an actor wrote that he was excited to be performing in Georgia for the first time and listed several theater credits before ending the biography with the phrase, “From the river to the sea. According to social media, the performer lives in New York City.

“At least within the Jewish community, that slogan is seen as extremely provocative and suggestive,” said Rabbi Ari Tollish, director at The Torah Center.

He added that, as he has understood it throughout his life, the phrase has long been interpreted by many Jews as a call to dismantle the state of Israel and remove Jewish people from the region.

Sandy Springs resident and former councilman Andy Bauman said such language can feel alarming to many Jewish Americans, who experience security measures at synagogues, schools and community centers as a part of daily life.

“For a lot of us, our Jewish identity is tied to a sense of connection to the Israeli homeland,” Bauman said, adding that many Jewish families lost relatives during the Holocaust and view Israel as a refuge and safe haven.

In its statement, City Springs Theatre Company wrote: “The actor has apologized and recognizes the need to remove the statement,” the company said. “We recognize that the language is interpreted as deeply hurtful to members of the community.”

Storytelling in politically sensitive times

For many, attending a theater production is more than simply watching a performance. From reading the playbill to the opening curtain, intermission and the final scene, audiences can view the experience as an emotional journey that informs, challenges or moves them. At the same time, the role language plays in that experience can carry different meanings for different communities. At the same time, words in that setting can have a historic and cultural meaning for audience members.

Palestinian Christian clergy leader Rev. Fahed AbuAkel said the phrase in the playbill carries different meanings depending on historical and political perspective. He said, Palestinians often interpret it differently within the context of their own history, adding that he understands why many Jewish people view the phrase as threatening.

AbuAkel, who has lived in Atlanta for 55 years, said he grew up in the Galilee region of Israel. Arabic is his first language, Hebrew his second and English his third.

He said that as a Palestinian living in Israel during his childhood, travel was restricted. “From 1948 to 1966, I could not leave my hometown without going to the Israeli military government of my village to get a permit,” he said.

AbuAkel added that in 1948, 155,000 Palestinians lived in villages within Israel, while today millions of Palestinians live throughout the region, including in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza.

“We need to put everything in context,” Abu-Akel said. “[We] need to live together under a constitution that respects both rights equally. We all need to be sensitive to one another.”

Last year’s concerns with “Ragtime: The Musical” surrounded the repeated use of the N-word as part of the show’s depiction of early 20th-century America.

The word was used numerous times during the production.

After seeing the local “Ragtime: The Musical” show, this reporter contacted DeLancey to ask whether the theater might consider alerting audiences beforehand that the language appeared in the script. Before each performance, she greeted the audience onstage and discussed fundraising.

DeLancey declined the request, saying the production followed the original work and noting that the play had been directed by a Black director and that she had spoken with Black actors in the production to ensure they were comfortable performing the script as written.

Tollish said, situations like this highlight tension that local theaters can face between artistic expression and community expectations.

“I do think that it’s an interesting conversation about how art — how theater — intersects with the values that we wish for our community and that we wish to convey to others,” he said. “Even if it’s a warning [about the show content.]  

Sandy Springs Councilwoman Dr. Melody Kelley also asked whether audiences might be alerted to the language in advance, a request that was not granted.

Kelley said the “Come From Away” playbill issue reflects the responsibilities local theaters take on when presenting work in community spaces.

“It is my belief that when organizations take on the role of curating community spaces — art-based or otherwise — they are called not only to be considerate of inclusivity but to care for the safety of that space as well,” Kelley said. “When that is not properly heeded, it can lead to teachable moments like this one.”

Editor’s Note: Sandy Springs Councilwoman Melody Kelley and the reporter are personal acquaintances.

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