The next event of the MIT Club of New Mexico will have some familiarity to active members of the club. In 2004, our group attended "Warm Ashes," a one act play by Robert Benjamin. In 2006, we saw his play entitled "Time Enough." Now we have the opportunity to see a staged reading of his latest theatrical endeavor, "Parted Waters," before its world premier in Phoenix in March 2009.
Robert Benjamin is a very active member of the MIT Club of New Mexico who graduated from MIT with a PhD in physics in 1973. After ending a successful career at Los Alamos National Laboratory, he has been devoting considerable time to his longtime interest in playwriting. Through his writings, he wants to share wisdom and tell the stories of the issues and concerns faced by mature adults living in the 21st century in an amusing but provocative way with people of all age groups. Join the MIT Club of New Mexico members for a staged reading of "Parted Waters." This contemporary play by Robert set in New Mexico brings to life three generations of Hispanics dealing with the knowledge and secrets of their lineage. It is about crypto-Jews (hidden-Jews), assimilation, anti-Semitism, and sustainability. Crypto-Jews is the name for those Hispanics who are descendent from the Spanish Jews of the time of the Inquisition in the late 1400's. Forced to convert to Christianity, many retained vestiges of their Judaism. For example, a grandmother may still light candles on Friday nights although she is no longer sure why. They migrated to northern Mexico, New Mexico, and southeast Arizona. Some estimates are that nearly 30% of Mexican and Cuban-Americans can trace their roots back to Judaism.
The MIT Club of New Mexico will meet on Sunday, September 14, 2008, at the Vortex Theater located at 2004 1/2 Central Ave. in Albuquerque, at 1:00 p.m. for the free staged reading. At the conclusion of the performance, the audience will participate in a 30 minute discussion with Robert. At approximately 4:45 p.m., our group will reconvene at Brasserie La Provence a few blocks away at 3001 Central Ave. for dinner.
If this sounds great to you so far, here is further enticement. Robert will join us for dinner at the restaurant for additional discussion. You will order your drinks and food from their menu and will receive $10.00 toward your costs provided you meet the following requirements. You must be a paid member of the MIT Club of New Mexico for 2008-2009. Each paid member is allowed to bring only one guest. The maximum attendance for the event is 30 people. The restaurant will provide individual checks. Advance reservations are necessary. They must be received by return email no later than noon on Wednesday, September 10. Reservations will be accepted in the order received. You will receive an email reply confirming that your reservation has arrived before the maximum of 30 people.
If you are not a member of the MIT Club of New Mexico and wish to join to take advantage of this terrific offer, please send a check for $40.00 payable to the MIT Club of New Mexico to the following:
David J. Bentley, Jr., 4808 Glenwood Hills Dr., NE, Albuquerque NM 87111-3067
Please direct any questions to Dave Bentley (e-mail).