In Defense of Women: A Jewish Perspective Aaron Henne in conversation with Prof. Erith Jaffe-Berg

Written in Italy in the 16th century by Jewish dramatist Leone De' Sommi Portaleone, the poem "In Defense of Women" touches on the role of women in drama and reveals a great deal about the cultural considerations and power dynamics of this time when women were coming to the fore on the theatrical stages of Northern Italy, Rome, and Venice in the professional world of the commedia dell’arte. Dr. Erith Jaffe-Berg, in dialogue with theatre dybbuk's artistic director, Aaron Henne, guides us through the work, its relevance to both historical and contemporary issues of equity and belonging, and discusses the author's biography and position in society. Erith Jaffe-Berg is a Professor of Theatre, Film and Digital Production at UC Riverside, specializing in commedia dell'arte and performances by minority groups in Early Modern Italy. She is the author of three books, including Jewish Theatre Making in Mantua, 1520-1650 (2022), and has published widely on the representation of the Middle East in contemporary performance. Her work has been supported by grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Canadian embassy. Aaron Henne is the founding artistic director of theatre dybbuk, an arts and education organization that uses Jewish history to explore the complexities of our world. He teaches storytelling nationally and has led workshops at Lucasfilm, Pixar, and Dreamworks. He has served on faculty with Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion and worked with organizations including The Bronfman Fellowship and the Jewish Federations of North America. Aaron has received LA Weekly and SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Awards for Playwriting.