You know a play is a Jewish one when it sets a scene at a JCC. That’s just one aspect of Jewish culture that turns up in “The Reservoir,” a darkly funny look at a young man who turns to his Jewish grandparents when his life is falling apart.
“The Reservoir” by Jake Brasch premiered earlier this year in Denver and then had runs in Atlanta and Los Angeles. Now it’s coming to the Bay Area on Sept. 5 for five weeks at Berkeley Rep. The heartfelt comedy follows Josh, a queer young man struggling to get sober. At the same time, Josh decides he wants to help his four grandparents, some of whom are struggling with dementia and other problems. So who’s really helping whom?
The cast is led by Ben Hirschhorn, 27, who plays Josh. He spoke to J. about what it’s like as a Jewish actor to perform in a Jewish play. This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
Let’s start with a little background on you.
I was born and raised in New York, in Manhattan, in a very artistic family. My dad works in theater. My mom is vice president of the American Museum of Natural History. Both very creative people, my parents. They’re amazing. A lot to live up to.
My twin brother and my older sister, they’re also artists, so it was a crazy, wacky household. I went to LaGuardia High School [of Music & Art and Performing Arts] in New York, and then I went to USC for their BFA Acting Program.
Tell me about the play. Are there certain elements you really respond to?
I got very excited when I read the synopsis. This play is about a kid and his grandparents and how they help each other. I am incredibly lucky that I grew up with pretty much all four of my grandparents most of my life, two of whom are still alive at 97 and 95.
There’s a very specific, nuanced specificity between this character of Josh and me. I mean he and his parents and grandparents play Scrabble every night. I grew up playing Scrabble with my grandma and my mom. They talk about food so much, and I’m a huge foodie. They talk about being Jewish, and I’m very Jewish.
A big part of this play is alcoholism, which I don’t have experience with. But I think that the feelings of this character going through moments of real depression and real emotion and feeling lost in the world are things that I very much relate to as an artist … trying to figure out how to be a human being during these really crazy, scary times.
Is it interesting, as an actor, to play a very Jewish character?
I mean, I approach it as I would approach anything. But I will say that the two major theater credits that I have, have been Jewish characters. [Hirschhorn previously starred in “Trayf.”] That’s interesting because I wouldn’t say I’m necessarily the most Jewish actor, or the most Jewish-looking actor even. But it’s been really wonderful.
[“The Reservoir”] is about a human being who happens to be Jewish, not necessarily a play about Judaism. But it’s so interesting to be able to bring my experience with Judaism to this part and to this play, especially right now. It’s such a privilege to be able to do that.
Is it funny?
The play? Yeah, it’s very, very funny. And it’s the kind of humor that I grew up with, too.
There are a lot of funny moments between the grandparents and him, as well as a lot of intense emotional parts that I’m excited to explore. But it’s a very funny play. It’s a very relatable play as well. And I think that our playwright, Jake Brasch, has done a brilliant job of balancing the two.
Is there anything else you want people to know about the play?
For me, at least, it’s about how we can always work on ourselves, no matter what age we are. It’s really about accepting the fact that no one’s perfect. There’s always room to improve.
It’s a feel-good play — and not just that you’re going to walk away feeling happy. It’s a play that will make you think and make you feel and hopefully make you call your grandparents or your parents and say, “I love you.”