What, exactly, is a "Jew movie"? "A Jew movie, for example, would be Gentleman's Agreement, Crossfire--you could even say that a movie such as Schindler's List would qualify as a Jew movie--but Sam [the protagonist of the play] wants to make a movie more akin to Wuthering Heights."

Only about Jews instead of tormented, lust- ridden Brits. "Right. But you still have to have all the party scenes and the romantic scenes on the moors. Just with a Hanukkah or bar mitzvah celebration thrown in."

How about Prince of Egypt? Would that be a Jew movie? "I haven't seen Prince of Egypt--but it's about Moses, right? Moses was a Jew."

The thing about Prince of Egypt was, perhaps because it was animated rather than live-action like The Ten Commandments, it raised curious questions about the personality of God--like, what's up with someone who can only express himself by turning rods into snakes and sending plagues of frogs? Isn't he all-powerful? Why can't he just do what he wants to do? "It's a worthy story for them to tell; children should know about Moses. I don't know much about it; I assume it was the 10 plagues, the Passover story?"

Yes, and the section on the firstborn of Egypt being killed was particularly horrifying. "I guess our play is more wholesome than that."

Isn't God responsible for Pharaoh's heart being hardened? Doesn't the Bible say that explicitly? "I don't know; I'm such a bad Jew--God was responsible for all of that, for all the misery and the suffering; it all happened for a reason--I think the Bible would say that. I think that's why all my friends are godless and cynical people."

What's your favorite Jew movie? "Barton Fink qualifies as a Jew movie, because it's about a Jewish writer who goes to Hollywood and encounters culture shock--but it's not really about him being Jewish. I would say the complete works of Woody Allen, most especially Annie Hall and Hannah and Her Sisters. There's a line where Woody Allen's father says, 'What do I know about God; I can barely figure out the can opener.' Woody himself wants to convert to Christianity, so he buys a picture of Jesus, a loaf of Wonder Bread, and a jar of mayonnaise. That's what I call a Jew movie."

Did you pick this play because your first name appears in the title? "Contrary to popular opinion, no."

NOTE: Last week, due to a Stranger error, we ran a picture of horror hostess Elvira instead of a picture of Open Circle Artistic Director Melanie White. Melanie's picture appears below. The Stranger meant no disrespect and regrets the error.