Under pressure, New Rep cancels play
The family of former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has forced Watertown's New Repertory Theatre to cancel a planned run next spring of a one-act play about a 1976 hostage rescue mission because it was to have been paired with the story of a pro-Palestinian American activist.
"To Pay the Price" centers on Jonathan "Yoni" Netanyahu , the older brother of the former prime minister, and a hero in Israel. Yoni Netanyahu was the lone Israeli military person killed in the daring mission in which a planeful of hijacked Air France hostages on their way from Tel Aviv were rescued at Entebbe Airport in Uganda. The play draws on Netanyahu's letters and interviews with family and friends.
"My Name Is Rachel Corrie " is a one-woman play about the American activist who became a member of the International Solidarity Movement, an organization that advocates for Israeli troops to leave the West Bank. In 2003 , Corrie died during a protest when she was hit by a bulldozer. She was 23 .
Iddo Netanyahu, the youngest of the three brothers and the one who handled discussions with the New Repertory Theatre, declined interview requests. In a statement released by New Rep, Netanyahu said that he feels "that there is an inherent incompatibility in the joining together, in one evening, of a play based on my brother Yoni's letters with the play 'My Name Is Rachel Corrie.' "
Netanyahu holds the rights to his brother's letters, which were used by playwright Peter-Adrian Cohen to create "To Pay the Price." New Rep producing artistic director Rick Lombardo said yesterday he didn't know the details of the arrangement between the family and the playwright, but said the theater would not push to produce the play out of respect for the Netanyahus.
Cohen could not be reached for comment, but the theater released a statement in which he expressed disappointment with the decision to cancel the production.
"I deeply regret that this project will not go forward. I want to do everything I can to make this evening of theater happen; I want the audience to meet these two incredible people -- Yoni Netanyahu. And Rachel Corrie. That this so necessary evening of theater will not happen saddens me," Cohen said. "But then I am confident that, if not together, each of these two plays will make its way on its own. Young Israelis and young Palestinians are still dying; and, for as long as they do, 'My Name Is Rachel Corrie' and 'To Pay the Price' will have a vital and urgent story to tell."
To replace "To Pay the Price" for the March 2008 run, New Rep worked quickly to obtain the rights to "Pieces," a play written by Zohar Tirosh about her experience serving in the Israeli military during the 1990s. Like "My Name Is Rachel Corrie," "Pieces" is a one-woman play. Because "Pieces" is longer than "To Pay the Price," it will be rotated with "Rachel Corrie" instead of being presented on the same nights.
Since its debut in London two years ago, "My Name Is Rachel Corrie" has been canceled in New York, Toronto, and Florida. It has also been presented in many theaters.
In announcing the pairing in March, Lombardo said: "We're offering probably the most controversial play in America, one with a pro-Palestinian perspective, and we're pairing it with another play with a pro-Israeli perspective."
This week, Lombardo said he was disappointed he couldn't present "To Pay the Price." But he said "Pieces" will accomplish the same result for the theater by presenting two views of the complicated Middle East conflict.
"There are so many sides, so many perspectives, and the one thing I did not want to say was, 'Here are two opposites or a point and counterpoint,' " said Lombardo. "I was interested in finding two compelling voices and telling two stories."
"Pieces" will be performed by its writer, Tirosh, who was 18 when she entered the Israeli army in 1994. During her two years of military service, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin's efforts led to the Oslo Accord, and his assassination.
Tirosh has protested past cancellations of "My Name Is Rachel Corrie." She said she's pleased to be presenting her work at New Rep.
"It's a different perspective because I was in Israel and serving in the Israeli military at a time when the chance for peace actually existed," said Tirosh. "Rachel was there much later, when it was all violence and she was on the Palestinian side."
Of Netanyahu's decision to stop the play , Tirosh said: "It's not surprising to me. I'm happy for 'Pieces.' And I think that the one thing that is lacking in the Middle East is dialogue."
Craig Corrie, Rachel Corrie's father, said in an interview this week he wasn't about to criticize the Netanyahu family for pulling the play. He said he didn't know whether the productions should have been paired.
"How a family feels about all of this, I know, is pretty private," said Corrie. "I'm not going to question that or their loss. If they have a wish not to have it paired there I'd certainly encourage everybody to respect that wish. If it is paired, or whatever play is paired, my goal would be to make sure both plays have the artistic space in which they can be respected by the audience."
Geoff Edgers can be reached at gedgers@globe.com. For more on the arts go to boston.com/ae/ theater_arts/exhibitionist. 
