This new play brings the women of the Torah into the 21st century

The Matriarchs, by Liba Vaynberg, is a new play that follows six modern Orthodox girls—each one loosely inspired by the women of the Torah that they share names with—as they navigate adolescence, adulthood and everything that comes along with growing up… including dips into unorthodoxy.

Directed by Dina Vovsi, the 100-minute production opened earlier this week at Theaterlab, the experimental theater space near the Garment District at 357 West 36th Street, and will run through September 28. Tickets for each show are available here.

According to the New York Jewish Week, “the idea for The Matriarchs came in 2021, after Vaynberg witnessed a Shabbat afternoon study session for young Orthodox girls led by a college friend of her husband’s, a female Talmud teacher.” Just like in the Talmud, the play’s characters embark on seemingly endless tangents when dissecting a variety of issues. The result? According to the outlet, something akin to Gilmore Girls meets Chaim Potok meets Girls: clearly a New York must-see.

Some of the performances will be followed by talks with special guests like filmmaker Leah Gottfriend, staff members of Lilith Magazine, author Kelsey Osgood and actress Julia Greer. You can browse through a full list here.

Given the heaviness of Jewish-related topics dominating today’s headlines, The Matriarchs offers a welcome shift: a play that’s just as thoughtful and probing, but lighter on its feet. It celebrates what makes our culture unique without feeling weighed down. Perhaps, it will be the perfect way to kick off your fall cultural calendar.