I would say that this play has further radicalized me! I have always been a passionate advocate for artistic expression, and now more than ever, I see that our role as artists is to tell the truth boldly and unapologetically, in acts of both resistance and joy.
Theater Latté Da’s new season opens with Indecent, a play about a play – and the artists who risked everything to tell it. Inspired by the true story of Sholem Asch’s seminal Yiddish work, God of Vengeance, and its infamous 1923 obscenity trial, Indecent traces the turbulent journey of a troupe determined to stage a work deemed “indecent.” We talked to director Pirronne Yousefzadeh about why this play resonates so clearly today, artistic freedom, the importance of movement and music to the production and the discussions you’ll probably have after seeing the play. Don’t wait – get tickets here – the play runs until October 16.
Q: Although Indecent begins more than a century ago, it feels remarkably contemporary. Which themes do you think will resonate most with today’s audiences?
A: As Mark Twain may have said (though there’s some debate on this front!), “History doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes.” There are patterns we can recognize in the events of this play that continue to play out in 2026. We see the relationship between fascism and artistic censorship, growing anti-Semitism in Europe and the United States, as well as bigotry in many forms. At the same time, we see the resilience of artists, and that no matter how bleak the circumstances may be, artists will continue to tell stories, and audiences will remain hungry for catharsis and community. So, while the play begins more than a century ago, there’s so much here that resonates with our current moment in both deeply troubling and life-affirming ways.
Q: The play explores censorship, antisemitism, immigration, and LGBTQ+ identity. How do you balance honoring history while allowing audiences to draw their own modern connections?
A: I think that Paula’s brilliant language draws connections to our current sociopolitical moment, as well as countless moments in America’s history. More specifically we honor the history and invest in the story of this play, the more I believe an audience will see, feel, and experience its modern resonances.
Q: Indecent asks difficult questions about who gets to tell stories and whose stories are considered acceptable. How has directing this play influenced your own thinking about artistic freedom?
A: I would say that this play has further radicalized me! I have always been a passionate advocate for artistic expression, and now more than ever, I see that our role as artists is to tell the truth boldly and unapologetically, in acts of both resistance and joy.
Q: The play moves fluidly through time, geography, and memory. What were the biggest challenges in bringing that to life on stage for Theater Latté Da?
A: I would not say it is a challenge as much as it is one of my favorite defining features of this play. I love theater that embraces what only theater can do, and one of those things is the virtuosity and athleticism of incredible actors working at the top of their abilities to tell this story, moving through time, scenic transitions, costume changes…you name it! It is, on one level, what it takes to put on a show. On a deeper level, it is a generous, loving act of solidarity as the troupe facilitates the story together and supports one another. To craft it, it requires time, patience, rigor, precision, and a willingness to play and do some trial and error. But this is one of the most gratifying joys of directing this play.
Q: Music and movement are almost characters themselves in Indecent. How closely did you collaborate with the choreographer and music director to create a unified vision?
A: Emily Michaels King and Spencer Chandler have been integral to this process from the beginning. Emily is an endlessly creative choreographer, and Spencer is an expert music director; each of them brings their wealth of knowledge and decades of expertise to the rehearsal room. We have been in the room together all day every day, and the interwoven nature of music and movement throughout the play requires that we work closely to build it together, one step/measure/line at a time.
Q: How much historical research did you and the cast undertake before rehearsals began?
A: A great deal! We were quite fortunate that two dramaturgs who worked on previous productions of Indecent, Jo Holcomb and Julie Felise Dubiner, were kind enough to share their dramaturgical materials with us. Their rigorous research has informed character choices and further deepened our understanding of the time period and the play’s structure. For a play like this one, research is essential, and I’d say it’s a bottomless well; we can always do more, learn more, and discover more.
Q: Were there discoveries about the real people behind God of Vengeance that surprised you?
A: Yes! While I. L. Peretz discouraged Asch from moving forward with The God of Vengeance, he was a bit of a radical himself, though he wrote in a more quietly subversive way. From 1894-96, he published the Yontev-bletlekh (Holiday Papers). These were stories framed by Jewish holidays and seemed to be simple stories of Jewish life. But underneath, they hid socialist messages in a way that made them quite popular with Jewish progressives while escaping censorship from the Tsar. Even though we see Peretz as a bit more conservative in the play, it’s an important reminder that people work for social progress in different ways, and a small step forward to one is perhaps a gargantuan step to another.
Q: What conversations do you hope audiences are having after the show?
A: I hope that audiences give themselves the time and space to reflect on the play and process the thoughts, questions, and emotions that come up. I hope it sparks conversation about being an immigrant in America, about how we preserve language and cultural traditions, and how we can learn from the past to shape a better future.
Q: If you could invite one of the real artists depicted in the play to see this production, who would it be, and what would you hope they would say afterward?
A: I would invite Sholem Asch. I would want him to see that even now, in 2026, we are still talking about and performing his remarkable play.
