Sometimes, against all odds, relationships grow between two people who don't even speak the same language.
Actress Midge Mamatas knows something about falling in love without a common language. Her first husband was Japanese, and until she reached the conclusion that she was a better teacher than a student, and decided he should learn English--they used dictionaries when other forms of communication failed.
Mamatas plays the grandmother in "Handle With Care," which is on at Stageworks in Tampa through December 21st.
The play by Jason Odell Williams, is being directed at Stageworks by Jimmy Kontos. He said, "It has that kind of idealistic Christmastime story that we grew up with and I like the sweetness of it. I also like the idea that it's about community coming together through religious tradition and religious ceremony and the idea of overcoming barriers."
Stageworks Producing Artistic Director Karla Hartley said they chose to do this play because, "We thought it was the perfect blending of Jewish tradition and Christmas tradition, which I never thought would work. And this season is about how to work beyond barriers."
