A staged reading of a new play by Princeton alumna Juliette Carbonnier ’24 written during her Martin A. Dale ’53 Fellowship.
When Polin’s grandmother, Frances, is struck with an unbearable sadness after a lifetime of performing comedy on Yiddish stages, Polin worries that this melancholy runs in the family. In the hopes of escaping family ghosts, Polin journeys to Frances’ homeland of Poland, where she must grapple with what is and isn’t left behind.
Polin: Child of Possessions is a one-woman dark comedy play about being possessed by and obsessed with family ghosts, while asking whether comedy can be bred from tragedy. What does it mean to make art in a graveyard? Inspired by the playwright’s Yiddish performer great-grandmother, Polin is a creative mix of Fleabag, Cabaret, and A Real Pain, featuring original music, clown comedy skits, and a series of Yiddish nostalgias. Polin is performed by Carbonnier, directed by alumnus Wasif Sami ’25 and Hadassa Roz, and produced by alumni Alison Silldorff ’25 and Eliana Cohen-Orth ’21.
Polin is both a travel story and a ghost story: The show takes us through the Warsaw cabaret scene of the 1920s; the Lodz ghetto in the 1930s; the Terezin concentration camp in the 1940s; the Catskills Borscht Belt of the 1950s. Polin is also a love story to New York City as homeland, so that is where we begin and end the journey.
In the tradition of a Yiddish theater—which was traditionally enjoyed alongside a cold drink and snacks in a bar or park in front of a boisterous and socially diverse audience—Polin is meant to be performed in non-traditional venues, in order to be more financially and socially friendly!
Supported through Princeton’s Office of International Programs’ Martin A. Dale ’53 Fellowship, which enables an outstanding Princeton senior to devote the year following graduation to an independent project of extraordinary merit that will widen the recipient’s experience of the world and significantly enhance his or her personal growth and intellectual development. The fellowship embodies the conviction of its donor, Martin A. Dale ’53, of the transformative potential of a year-long project of focused effort and self-discovery before a new graduate embarks on the next major phase of life and career.
Tickets & Details
The event is free and open to the public; advance tickets required.
Reserve tickets through University Ticketing
Reach University Ticketing by email at tixhelp@princeton.edu or by phone at 609-258-9220.
Directions
Get directions to the Drapkin Studio, located on the 2nd floor of Wallace Dance Building at the Lewis Arts complex.
Accessibility
Drapkin Studio is an accessible venue with an assistive listening system. Visit our Venues and Studios section for accessibility information at our various locations. Students in need of access accommodations are invited to contact the Lewis Center at 609-258-5262 or email LewisCenter@princeton.edu at least one week in advance of the event date.