Aaron Henne is the founding artistic director of theatre dybbuk. He has worked as an educator and facilitator for a wide variety of organizations including The Hive at Leichtag Commons, Jewish Federation of North America’s Young Leadership Cabinet, and The Bronfman Fellowship. Aaron is a Pilot Wexner Field Fellow and a member of the ROI community. We interviewed Aaron to learn more about why he started the theatre company, how audiences have reacted to the recent shows, and his thoughts on bagels.
Theatre dybbuk’s residencies bring arts and educational engagement to communities throughout North America. This program provides a unique opportunity to combine meaningful arts with Jewish community events and professional development training through week-long residencies. Join theatre dybbuk in Toronto for a series of programs at the Prosserman JCC and Toronto Holocaust Museum from November 20-24.
Kultura Collective: Hi Aaron! Can you please tell us a bit about you and your theatrical practice?
Aaron Henne: I have spent most of my career as a playwright/director who creates pieces in close collaboration with others. Here’s how it works: the idea originates with me (or is inspired by conversations and suggestions from colleagues) and then, as part of my writing practice, I share my work with a dedicated team of theatre artists over the course of a lengthy period. This team provides ongoing feedback during that time, so that, even though the work is singularly written by me, it is shaped by a group. In addition, I consult with scholars and experts who provide historical context and feedback on the work. Finally, all my work is multidisciplinary in that it includes not just the “play” text, but live music and choreographed movement. This means that I, like many theatre creators, am relying on the wisdom of other artists and their interpretations to reveal the work in its most complete manner.
KC: You are the founder and artistic director of theatre dybbuk. Can you tell us more about the company and why you created it?
AH: Back in 2010, I started noticing that I was getting a number of ideas for plays and performances connected to Jewish history and stories. Then, I looked around the place in which I live, Los Angeles, which has the second largest Jewish population in the United States and realized that if I was interested in such narratives being presented in a particularly theatrical and thought-provoking manner, there could be a robust population of people who be as well. Fortunately, this turned out to be true locally and, of course, well beyond!
As alluded to in my first answer, the company operates in this way: We create all our full-length theatrical works through a group development process that takes between 1-3 years per project.
In addition, we offer singular events, such as “illuminated lectures” which bring together talks on a variety of topics with performed readings that bring said talks vividly to life.
We also offer workshops for artists, community members, and professionals, which use theatrical techniques and approaches for a wide variety of kinds of learning.
Image: theatre dybbuk, The Merchant of Venice (Annotated), or In Sooth I Know Not Why I Am So Sad, 2023. Photo by Taso Papadakis.
KC: During your Toronto residency you will be presenting two projects that examine historical literature and what it can tell us today. Why did you choose to work with texts such as The Merchant of Venice and Dracula?
AH: theatre dybbuk operates on the belief that the investigation of history connected to Jewish experiences in the world can illuminate the complexities present in our contemporary society. And, given that we are a theatre company, it makes sense to start with creative texts to facilitate these explorations.
Merchant is, of course, among other things, well known for its problematic portrayal of the Jewish moneylender, Shylock. Given that, we decided that it would be a perfect vessel to look at how, during times of upheaval, some seek to place blame on an “other.” Dracula is a whole other matter – It is not thought of, in the popular imagination, as being overtly connected to Jewish history.However, a variety of scholars have reflected on the ways in which the novel could be a vessel for the antisemitic and otherwise prejudicial beliefs that were at play in Victorian England. By looking at the novel, we are attempting to hold a mirror up to our own moment in order to best see where such ideas could still be at play.
KC: You have been touring these shows across the United States for the last year, with shows in Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, and Atlanta, to name a few. How have audiences reacted to the shows?
AH: I am pleased to say that audiences have been provoked, challenged, and moved in equal measure. We have heard time and time again that people have appreciated how we assume that the audience is intelligent and is interested in participation, not just passive engagement. theatre dybbuk gives a lot to the audience to hold all at once – historical reference points, stylized movement, live music, rich and layered ideas – and, in doing so, we recognize that the people who attend can’t just sit back and enjoy; they must lean forward and really listen. And, to be frank, I sometimes wonder if people want to participate in that way, but I have been happy to find that they do, as evidenced by the lively and well-attended post-show discussions. It’s really been exciting to learn with, and from, so many audience members.
KC: This November you will be in Canada for the first time, completing a residency first with the Museum of Jewish Montreal (November 14-18) and then with us in Toronto at the Prosserman JCC and Toronto Holocaust Museum (November 20-24). What can audiences expect to experience?
AH: Audiences can expect to have multiple chances to engage with theatre dybbuk. In Toronto alone, they can attend the full production of Merchant (Annotated), get a sneak peek of our new work that is still being created, Dracula (Annotated), and they can even attend a master class to learn some techniques for creating their own artistic pieces. In Montreal, they will have similar and related opportunities to participate in so much of what we do. In terms of what they can expect emotionally and otherwise – Audience members will learn a lot about Jewish history, while also thinking deeply about the world in which we live.
Image: Heritage, History & Humanity: A Master Class for Theatre Professionals and Storytellers
KC: Your projects explore antisemitism and racism. How can theatre and the arts be helpful in engaging with these challenging topics?
AH: I think that theatre and the arts in general can help people hold many layers of meaning and experience. Because I am a theatre artist, I will speak to that in particular. Theatre can operate on all cylinders, so to speak – It often brings together spoken text, movement, music, visual art, and more to create a holistic experience. As such, the form itself gives people many entry points, which means that a large amount of information can be communicated at once. This is particularly useful for exploring difficult topics, such as the ones you mention. Theatre also relies on group experience; people are sharing space and hearing one another respond. The experience of seeing theatre, therefore, is one that fosters empathy and, perhaps, a sense of greater communal responsibility.
KC: What’s inspiring you Jewish-ly lately?
AH: Because I have been working on Dracula (Annotated), I’ve been learning a lot about Jewish history in England and the complexities contained therein. It’s been inspiring in that it has reminded me of how Jewish people have, in many different settings, found ways to, however imperfectly, navigate the choppy waters of belonging and separateness. Connected to that, I’ve been encouraged that the scholarship around this topic has been offered by both Jewish people and people of other backgrounds and heritages. I think that deep engagement in Jewish history by those from a variety of walks of life speaks to openness and deep curiosity at a time when so many may be feeling isolated and unseen.
KC: It’s time for the Lightning round!
- Applesauce vs sour cream? Sour Cream.
- Pickled herring vs gefilte fish? Pickled Herring.
- New York vs Montreal bagels? New York for sandwiches, Montreal for general enjoyment. How’s that for diplomatic!?
Aaron Henne is the founding artistic director of theatre dybbuk.
In addition, Henne’s plays have been produced with a variety of companies, and his work includes King Cat Calico Finally Flies Free! (published by Original Works Publishing) and Sliding Into Hades (LA Weekly Awards for Playwriting and Production of the Year). His exploration of machines and their relationships to humanity, Body Mecanique, was developed and produced by LA Contemporary Dance Company (LACDC). Henne was commissioned by The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County to create new pieces about the natural world for that institution’s family audiences.
His multimedia adaptation of a 12th Century epic poem, collision/theory’s Blood Red Lost Head Dead Falcon: The Nibelungen, was a partner in the LA Opera’s Ring Festival LA. Mr. Henne’s investigation of Kafka’s novel The Castle, called A Man’s Home, as well as his play Mesmeric Revelation (SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Award for Original Script), a clash of science and mysticism, were both developed and produced by Central Works in Berkeley, CA.
Aaron previously served as Co-Literary Manager at the Theatre @ Boston Court, Playwriting Instructor for the Robey Theatre Company, and Educational Program Director for We Tell Stories. He teaches storytelling throughout the country and has presented professional development and character creation workshops at Lucasfilm, Pixar, and Dreamworks.
With Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion, he has been faculty for the EMA program, was the Diane Luboff Scholar at the Cutter Colloquium, and is a part of Beit HaYotzer/The Creativity Braintrust. Aaron has also served as a professional mentor at Otis College of Art and Design and as faculty for the Wexner Heritage and Graduate Programs, as well as for Georgetown University. He has worked as an educator and facilitator for a wide variety of organizations including The Hive at Leichtag Commons, Jewish Federation of North America’s Young Leadership Cabinet, and The Bronfman Fellowship. Aaron is a Pilot Wexner Field Fellow and a member of the ROI community.
theatre dybbuk creates provocative new works that blend physical theatre with poetry and music for exciting, utterly singular live events. The company explores the rich world of Jewish history, building lyrical performances that illuminate universal human experience for contemporary audiences. With an in-depth development process that can range from a few months to three years, Artistic Director Aaron Henne builds each piece with a cast of dedicated professional actors, designers, musicians, and scholars.
The resulting works, from the dark and visceral dance theatre of cave… a dance for lilith to the shadowy and immersive hell prepared: a ritual exorcism inspired by kabbalistic principles, performed within a dominant cultural context, are challenging and beautiful to behold.
Learn more at www.theatredybbuk.org
Theatre dybbuk’s residencies bring arts and educational engagement to communities throughout North America. This program provides a unique opportunity to combine meaningful arts with Jewish community events and professional development training through week-long residencies. Join theatre dybbuk in Toronto for a series of programs at the Prosserman JCC and Toronto Holocaust Museum from November 20-24.
Get a sneak peek at theatre dybbuk’s next project, in which we investigate Bram Stoker’s Dracula, weaving together our unique blend of historical investigation and heightened theatricality to create a new work from the core of the novel.
In this workshop, the artists of theatre dybbuk take participants through a process in which they gain tools to investigate their own personal and/or communal narratives, texts, and turning points as vessels to create new work that explores the complexities of our world. This session uses a combination of writing, vocal work, and movement-based techniques and is open to artists of all disciplines in the Toronto area.
What can a play from sixteenth century England tell us about how antisemitism and other prejudicial beliefs operate in our world today? Theatre dybbuk’s latest theatrical production brings together elements of William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice with Elizabethan history and news from the 21st century to expose the underbelly of the classic play.
Theatre dybbuk will also be participating in the Jewish Futures Arts and Culture Salon on Sunday, November 24 from 1pm – 7:30pm. This conference is for Toronto’s Jewish artists and cultural workers exploring the future of Jewish cultural and artistic life.
theatre dybbuk will be completing a residency with the Museum of Jewish Montreal from November 14-18, 2024, as part of their Canadian tour before arriving in Toronto. For more information on events in Montreal please click here.
Presented by: Kultura Collective, Prosserman JCC, Toronto Holocaust Museum, UJA Federation of Greater Toronto, and theatre dybbuk
Programming Partners: CANVAS, The Azrieli Foundation, the Covenant Foundation, UJA Federation of Greater Toronto Jewish Foundation
Promotional partners: Museum of Jewish Montreal, Niv Magazine, the CJN, Koffler Arts and the Harold Green Jewish Theatre Company