Actress Iris Bahr Brings One-Woman Performance “Golda’s Balcony” To The White Theatre, April 26-27

Award-winning writer, actor, director and producer Iris Bahr will present her unique take on the one-woman show, “Golda’s Balcony,” coming to The Lewis & Shirley White Theatre on April 26-27.

Bahr will include reflections on the story’s relevance to today’s dynamic in Israel, Oct. 7, Zionism, and the nature of a fragmented American Israeli identity. Discussions will follow each performance. Tickets for both performances – Saturday, April 26 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, April 27 at 4 p.m. – are available at TheWhiteTheatre.org.

Having appeared in countless TV shows, Bahr is best known for her roles on “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “Hacks,” “The Conners,” and her cable series “Svetlana,” executive produced by Mark Cuban, which she also wrote directed for two seasons.

Bahr had been interested in performing at The White Theatre, and after conversations with Keith Wiedenkeller, director of arts & culture and managing artistic director at The White Theatre, they determined “Golda’s Balcony” would be the right fit.

“What an iconic figure to play, what a powerhouse of a woman whose complexity and challenges are fascinating and emotional, and of course, considering the events of Oct. 7, even more resonant,” Bahr said.

While Bahr had originally planned to perform “Golda’s Balcony” as written, she felt it was important to reflect on today’s dynamic in Israel.

“I was in Israel on Oct. 7 and have been sharing the story of that day in my solo show ‘Stories from the Brink,’” she said. “…Of course many believe that Hamas planned the surprise attack on the anniversary of the Yom Kippur war, so the connection there is inevitable. Regardless if that’s the case, the tragedy of Israel's history and its endless loops of war and struggle, not to mention the added tragedy of this being another surprise attack, has traumatized Israelis to their core, even beyond the tragedy of loss and grief that has been relentless the last 18 months.”

Bahr hopes the attendees will connect both with the performance and through the subsequent discussion.

“I always believe in letting the audience connect in whatever ways work for them; beyond just gaining insight into Golda’s life, belief system and struggles, her wit and her coping mechanisms, I’m looking forward to the discussion with the audience to follow post-performance, to listen to their experiences as Jews in America today, and their relationship to Israel pre- and post-Oct. 7,” she said.

“Golda’s Balcony,” a tight-knit story of war and peace, opens in 1973, on the eve of the Yom Kippur War, and uses flashbacks to allow Golda tell the story of her life: her journey from her birthplace in Russia to the United States, where she settled in Milwaukee, became a school teacher and married. She describes her role as a socialist Zionist, her emigration to Palestine in 1921, the birth of her two children and the breakup of her marriage. These details form an intriguing backdrop for a dramatic look at idealism, power and the strength it takes to shape the destiny of a nation.

The White Theatre continues its 2024-25 season with Leonard Bernstein’s classic “West Side Story,” produced in partnership with the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Greater Kansas City on July 5-27 and “Stuff of Dreams,” a new musical, Sept. 13-21. For more information, visit TheWhiteTheatre.org.

Full descriptions and performance times for each event are available at TheWhiteTheatre.org. Auditions for musicals and plays produced at The White Theatre are announced online and on Facebook. 

The White Theatre is located at The J – 5801 W. 115^th Street, in Overland Park, and features fully accessible seating, assistive listening devices, secured entrances, and lots of free parking. Tickets are available online at TheWhiteTheatre.org and at the box office, which is open Tuesday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. as well as one hour prior to the show on performance days.

Photo of Iris Bahr from imdb.com