By Arnold Mittelman, National Jewish Theater Foundation

Digital Theatre, National Jewish Theater Foundation of America and Jewish Museum London are proud to present the London premiere screening of Jeff Cohen’s play The Soap Myth at the Jewish Museum London.

Those who are unable to attend the screening at Jewish Museum London are invited stream or download the production from Digital Theatre, press play at 7.30pm on Thursday 27 March (the same time the screening starts at the Jewish Museum London) and join in the conversation online using the Twitter handle @DigitalTheatre and the hashtag #SoapMythOnScreen

More than a half century after the end of WWII, at the desperate urging of a passionate survivor, a young investigative reporter finds herself caught between numerous versions of the same story.

Played out against the backdrop of deadline reporting and journalistic integrity, the critically acclaimed The Soap Myth, written by Jeff Cohen, questions who has the authority to write and record history — those people who have lived it and remember, those who study and protect it, or those who would seek to distort it? And what is all our responsibility towards a truth we have lived?

Robert Delamere, Co-Founder and CEO of Digital Theatre said: “Digital Theatre firmly believes that the arts has a unique power to address falsehoods and combat prejudice. We share the hope and belief of the National Jewish Theater Foundation that The Soap Myth will continue to captivate audiences around the world, pay respect to the victims of the Holocaust and serve as a permanent reminder of what history has taught us.”

Arnold Mittelman, Producing Artistic Director of the National Jewish Theater Foundation and project director of its Holocaust Theatre Archive said: “I am so delighted that this important play and production which fortunately was preserved on film has been given this international recognition by the prestigious Digital Theatre. The chance to honour the victims of the Holocaust and their memory by providing access to the play via both the internet and at the world-renowned Jewish Museum London is an privilege indeed.”

Abigail Morris, Chief Executive of the Jewish Museum London said: “I am thrilled the Jewish Museum London can host the London premiere of The Soap Myth. The production explores the importance of archiving history and why we seek an independent voice of truth even if it’s uncomfortable, as we do here at the museum. Thanks to the National Jewish Theater it has been preserved on film, with Digital Theatre enabling audiences around the world to have online access to this engaging work of theatre.”

Full cast and creative details, further information and how to purchase The Soap Myth can be found here.

Panel Discussion The screening of the play will be followed by a panel discussion chaired by Arnold Mittelman, Producing Artistic Director of the National Jewish Theatre Foundation, with a group of eminent guests. Prior to the event, Digital Theatre will collect questions for the panel using the Twitter handle @DigitalTheatre and the hashtag #SoapMythOnScreen.

Henry Goodman: Born in Whitechapel, London, Henry is a hugely successful stage and screen actor. Most recently he won rave reviews for playing Henry Kissinger alongside Harry Shearer’s President Nixon in Nixon’s The One (Sky Arts 1), playing the titular role in The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui (Chichester Festival Theatre / Duchess Theatre, London), Leeds United’s chairman Manny Cussins in the critically acclaimed The Damned United (Columbia Pictures, BBC Films, Screen Yorkshire) and Shylock in RSC’s The Merchant of Venice – for which he won an Olivier Award.

Robert Delamere: The Co-Founder and CEO of Digital Theatre, Robert Delamere has directed the filming of over 20 theatre and opera productions for Digital Theatre since launching the business with Tom Shaw in 2009. With an extensive background in directing theatre, opera and television, Robert is a former Creative Director of Amnesty International.

Arnold Mittelman: Arnold is the Producing Artistic Director of the National Jewish Theater and is the founding President of the American Theater Festival Foundation. He was founding producer of the innovative New York Free Theatre, the widely heralded Whole Theater Company and for two decades, the producing artistic director of the renowned Coconut Grove Playhouse. Arnold leads the National Jewish Theater Holocaust Theater International Initiative.

Howard Falksohn: Howard Falksohn is Archivist at The Wiener Library for the Study of the Holocaust & Genocide, one of the world’s leading and most extensive archives on the Holocaust and Nazi era. Formed in 1933, the Library’s unique collection of over one million items includes published and unpublished works, press cuttings, photographs and eyewitness testimony.

Jeff Cohen is the playwright of The Soap Myth. His other plays include plays include: Men of Clay – a memoir about Jeff Cohen’s father and tennis (Best New Play 2005, Baltimore City Paper), The Man Who Ate Michael Rockefeller, Whoa-Jack! – his American adaptation of Woyzeck (AUDELCO Award), The Seagull: The Hamptons (Boston Globe Ten Best, 1998), Uncle Jack (Kalbie Award, 2000) and many more.

National Jewish Theater Foundation Awards Since 2007, the National Jewish Theater Foundation has presented theatrical works that celebrate the richness of Jewish heritage and culture in an effort to educate the public on Jewish content and themes. It is their commitment to celebrating Jewish history and artistry that has inspired the leaders of NJTF to launch an international Holocaust Theater Initiative that examines how one of the greatest catastrophes in Jewish and World history has been made more understandable through the insights, creativity and courage of Jewish artists and others of differing backgrounds. Starting in 2014 the NJTF will recognize annually a select group of theatrical professionals whose body of work includes a unique contribution to the field of Holocaust awareness and education. The first recipients include:

Henry Goodman, Olivier Award-winning actor who recently won acclaim for his performance   in the Chichester Festival Theatre’s production of The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui (Brecht).

Sir Ronald Harwood, Academy Award-winning author of novels and plays including the Holocaust related Taking Sides, Collaboration and the screenplay The Pianist.  

Sir Antony Sher, multiple award-winning actor celebrated for his acclaimed Shakespearean performances. He adapted and starred in Primo based on If This Is A Man by Primo Levi.

Martin Sherman, esteemed playwright and author of landmark Holocaust plays Bent and Rose

Duncan C. Weldon, respected West End producer for over 40 years including Bent (Sherman), Taking Sides, Collaboration (Harwood) and The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui (Brecht).

About Digital Theatre

Launched in late 2009 by Robert Delamere and Tom Shaw, Digital Theatre works in partnership with Britain’s leading theatre companies to capture live performance authentically onscreen. Using high-definition technology, Digital Theatre brings the drama and emotion of each production to a global online audience.

Each production is available to rent online for a limited period, download to your desktop, view with Samsung Smart TV or stream to an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch with our iOS app. Digital Theatre also recently launched an on-demand IPTV channel for TalkTalk TV Plus customers with YouView.