The Braid

The Braid, formerly Jewish Women’s Theatre, is the go-to Jewish story company and the leading nationa What is Salon Theatre?
(1)

A gathering of people in gracious homes to discover new art, enjoy music, hear plays read, and share ideas. Ticket price includes a fabulous dessert buffet, a terrific show and a Q & A with the talent and artists post-performance.

05/20/2026

Meet writer Mariposa (Kimberly) Dueñas! ✍🏼🦋

Mariposa is a California-born community leader, storyteller, and social impact builder whose work lives at the intersection of ancestral wisdom and regenerative futures. A graduate of American Jewish University and valedictorian of her class, she is a Pomegranate Prize recipient, Schusterman ROI community member, and founding member and director of learning at Jewtina y Co., where she’s built transformative programming at the intersection of Latin and Jewish identity.

In recent years, Mariposa returned to El Salvador alongside her father, Solomon—who founded and ran a beloved bakery in Orange County—in pursuit of return, rerooting, and a mission to support local farming families and communities. From that homecoming, “Yugo Colectivo” was born — a father-daughter initiative and collective of local farmers growing ancestral foods and plants, including cacao, coffee, and corn. 🌽 🌱 🍃

Today, living between California and El Salvador, she leads wellness retreats to weave together ancestral storytelling, agriculture, and healing.

We’re honored to share Mariposa and her father Solomon’s story “A Journey of Return” performed by Zoë Hall and Marcelo Tubert in our current Salon show “L’Chaim America!” - a celebration of our nation’s 250th birthday. 🎉

Through poignant and humorous contemporary stories, the show illuminates the richness and diversity of Jewish experience, and the America we hold in our hearts. 🫶

At a time when the world feels intent on dividing us, this show offers a meaningful respite from the rhetoric. We look forward to seeing you there! For the full schedule and tickets 🎟️ visit the-braid.org/calendar

For the full schedule and tickets, visit https://the-braid.org/calendar/

05/19/2026

Meet writer Emily Bowen Cohen! ✍🏼

Emily is a Los Angeles-based artist, who creates comics that explore intersectional identity. She is Jewish and a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, and uses personal experience to tell stories that examine contemporary American and Jewish culture.

A graduate of Harvard University, Emily grew up in rural Oklahoma and spent her teenage years in suburban New Jersey. Emily’s graphic novel, “Two Tribes” is published by Heartdrum, HarperCollins’ Native-focused imprint.

The Braid is honored and excited to present Emily’s story “Rooted Here” performed by Zoë Hall and Kimberly Green in our current Salon show “L’Chaim America!” - a celebration of our nation’s 250th birthday. 🎉

Through poignant and humorous contemporary stories, the show illuminates the richness and diversity of Jewish experience, and the America we hold in our hearts.

At a time when the world feels intent on dividing us, this show offers a meaningful respite from the rhetoric. We look forward to seeing you there! 🎭 For the full schedule and tickets, visit https://the-braid.org/calendar/ 🎟️

05/18/2026

Meet Writer Esther Amini! ✍🏼

Based in Manhattan, Esther is an author and a psychoanalytic psychotherapist whose writings have appeared in Elle Magazine, Tablet, The Jewish Week, and Lilith, among others. Her work has also been published in two of Zibby Owens’ Anthologies: “Moms Don’t Have Time To”
and “Moms Don’t Have Time To Have Kids.”

A longtime member of The Braid’s family of writers, eight of Esther’s stories have been performed in LA Salon shows, and two were staged at the 92nd Street Y in the show “Saffron and Rosewater.” She was awarded the Aspen Words - 2016 Emerging Writer Fellowship. In 2019, The Braid named Esther an Abby Freeman Artist-in-Residence.

Esther also penned “Concealed — Memoir of a Jewish-Iranian Daughter Caught Between the Chador and America” about growing up first-generation American in an Iranian-Jewish home in Queens. She is currently working on a collection of short stories.

We’re thrilled to include her story “A Persian Thanksgiving” - performed by Zoë Hall - in our current Salon show “L’Chaim America!” — a celebration of our nation’s 250th birthday. Through poignant and humorous contemporary stories, the show illuminates the richness and diversity of Jewish experience, and the America we hold in our hearts.

At a time when the world feels intent on dividing us, this show offers a meaningful respite from the rhetoric. We look forward to seeing you there! For the full schedule and tickets, visit https://the-braid.org/calendar/ 🎟️

estheramini.com

05/15/2026

Meet Writer Robin Russin! ✍🏼

Robin Russin is a professor of dramatic writing and chair of the Department of Theatre, Film & Digital Production, at UC Riverside. Robin directed the multi-award-winning indie feature films “When I Sing” and “The Anxiety of Laughing” and co-wrote the studio feature “2 Hearts” starring Jacob Elordi, all currently streaming.

He is currently working on “The Rescuers: The Mystery of Goodness” - a documentary series about the diplomats who saved Jewish lives during the Holocaust.

On stage, his play “Painted Eggs” was reviewed by the LA Times as “ambitious, heart-felt and hypnotic,” and his play “The Face in the Reeds” had a sold-out four-month run at the Ruskin Group Theater. He is co-author with William Missouri Downs of “Naked Playwriting and Screenplay: Writing the Picture.” Robin is a Rhodes Scholar with degrees from Harvard, Oxford, RISD, and UCLA, and is proud to be an Artist-in-Residence with The Braid.

Robin’s riveting true story “The Man from Laramie”, about growing up as the only Jewish boy born in Laramie, Wyoming, is part of our stellar line up in our current Salon show “L’Chaim America!” - a celebration of our nation’s 250th birthday. Through poignant and humorous contemporary stories, the show illuminates the richness and diversity of Jewish experience, and the America we hold in our hearts. 🇺🇸🫶

At a time when the world feels intent on dividing us, this show offers a meaningful respite from the rhetoric. We look forward to seeing you there! For the full schedule and tickets, visit https://the-braid.org/calendar/ 🎟️

05/14/2026

Meet writer Susan Baskin! ✍🏼

Susan wrote the Academy Award-winning film “Violet” and has written extensively for television and film. Her essays have been published in The LA Review of Books, Los Angeles Magazine and The Los Angeles Times Magazine, among others.

A longtime Braid writer and supporter, we are thrilled to feature her piece “A Simple Phrase” performed by Zoë Hall & Joshua Reuben Silverstein in our latest Salon show “L’Chaim America!” Other stories presented by The Braid include “Windows” and “I, Citizen”, which were commissioned pieces. Susan also wrote “Like A Monkey”, which won the StoryNosh, Best Story of the Year Award.

A celebration of our nation’s 250th birthday, “L’Chaim America!” illuminates the richness and diversity of Jewish experience and the America we hold in our hearts through poignant and humorous contemporary stories.

At a time when the world feels intent on dividing us, this show offers a meaningful respite from the rhetoric. We look forward to seeing you there! 🤩

For the full schedule and tickets 🎟️, visit https://the-braid.org/calendar/

05/13/2026

Meet Writer Natalya Bogopolskaya! ✍🏼

Natalya has a unique origin story having emigrated from Yalta, Ukraine to San Francisco after the fall of the Soviet Union—when she was just seven years old. Multilingual in over three languages, she earned a bachelor’s degree from Claremont McKenna College, a master’s degree from the Teachers College, Columbia University, and a doctorate in school psychology from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.

Natalya is a full-time public school psychologist, a board member of the American Foundation for Su***de Prevention Greater Los Angeles, and a mentor/facilitator for Oxiana Fellowship, a virtual teen program based in Uzbekistan. She’s also an active member of Temple Isaiah and lives in Los Angeles with her partner and three children.

We’re thrilled to feature Natalya’s beautiful story “Identity Shift” in our current Salon show “L’Chaim America!” Her story was adapted from interviews conducted by The Braid’s Artistic Director Ronda Spinak and our Marketing Manager and writer David Chiu.

🎉 A celebration of our nation’s 250th birthday, “L’Chaim America!” illuminates the richness and diversity of Jewish experience, and the America we hold in our hearts, through poignant, humorous, true contemporary stories.

At a time when the world feels intent on dividing us, this show offers a meaningful respite from the rhetoric. We look forward to seeing you there! 🎭

For the full schedule and tickets, visit https://the-braid.org/calendar/ 🎟️

05/12/2026

Meet Writer David Chiu! ✍🏼

David Chiu is not only a writer, but also a full-time staff member at The Braid, where he serves as Communications and Marketing Manager. A proud Jew of Color of Litvak and Cantonese heritage, David’s journey with The Braid began as a writer for our landmark show “True Colors.” An alumnus of The Braid’s NEXT Emerging Artists Fellowship, he has written for numerous Salon Theatre productions and has also served as a literary curator/adaptor, director, and dramaturg on a wide range of Braid projects.

David also produced The Braid’s acclaimed Salon Theatre show “What Do I Do with All This Heritage?” — the first-ever theatre production centered on Asian Jewish stories — as well as The Braid’s digital content studio, StoryNosh, including its “Tastes of Tradition” series. He currently produces The Braid’s Candlelight Storytelling series for young professionals.✨

Beyond The Braid, David serves as Vice President of Social Justice at Temple Isaiah of Los Angeles and was honored with its 2019 Emerging Leader Award. He is also a board member of California Interfaith Power & Light and an LA Community Leader for The LUNAR Collective. .jews

We are thrilled to bring David’s story -, “The Greatest Blessing” - to The Braid stage as part of “L’Chaim America!” — a celebration of our nation’s 250th birthday. Through poignant and humorous contemporary stories, the show illuminates the richness and diversity of Jewish experience — and the America we hold in our hearts.

At a time when the world feels intent on dividing us, this show offers a meaningful respite from the rhetoric. We look forward to seeing you there!

For the full schedule and tickets, visit https://the-braid.org/calendar/ 🎟️

05/11/2026

Meet Actor/Singer/Writer Lillian Mimi McKenzie! 🎭✍🏼🎶

We’re so excited to have Lillian back with us on The Braid stage! Lillian had her Los Angeles debut with The Braid in our acclaimed Salon show “What Do I Do With All This Heritage.”

A vocalist, actor, and dancer raised in Santa Barbara, Lillian graduated from Berklee College of Music. Lillian is also the lead singer and co-founder of the Lil Jazz Group, and song leader for the LUNAR Collective. You can listen to her on all streaming platforms! Fun fact: Lillian is featured as a dancing nose in the award-winning short film “Catalogue of Noses” written/produced by another Braid actor Lauren Schaffel.

Lillian will be performing in our Bay Area shows of “LChaim America!” - a celebration of our nation’s 250th birthday. Through poignant and humorous contemporary stories, this show illuminates the richness and diversity of Jewish experience, and the America we know in our hearts.

When the world is trying to divide us, this show gives us a respite from the rhetoric! We look forward to seeing you there. For the full schedule, and tickets, visit https://the-braid.org/calendar/ .jews

05/10/2026

Meet performer Rhiannon Lewis! 🎶🎭✍🏼

Rhiannon is a singer-songwriter, composer, and actor, born and raised in the heart of LA. She started at The Braid as the 2024 production and stage management intern, and has since transitioned to working with The Braid both behind the scenes and on the stage. Rhiannon holds a BFA in performance and composition from CalArts. Their debut album “Yearbook” showcases a decade’s worth of songwriting, detailing the emotional rollercoaster of young friendships, relationships, and self-worth. Outside of music and theatre (but not that far outside) Rhiannon is engaged at Temple Beth Israel of Highland Park and Eagle Rock as a cantorial soloist.

Rhiannon will be performing in several pieces in our upcoming Salon Show, “L’Chaim America!” - a celebration of the nation’s 250th birthday. Through poignant and humorous contemporary stories, this show illuminates the richness and diversity of Jewish experience, and the America we know in our hearts.

When the world is trying to divide us, this show gives us a respite from the rhetoric! We look forward to seeing you there. For the full schedule, and tickets 🎟️, visit https://the-braid.org/calendar/

05/09/2026

Meet Actor Kimberly Green! 🎭

Kimberly is a Korean/Puerto Rican actress and dancer born in Seoul, Korea. A longtime member of The Braid, Kimberly is The Braid’s “Abby Freeman Artist-in-Residence” and has appeared in over ten productions, including “True Colors” and “What Do I Do With All This Heritage?”

Her stage work includes roles at the Group Repertory Theatre, Road Theatre, Odyssey Theatre, Smart Phone Theatre, and Red Door Jukebox. Her screen credits include The Company You Keep (ABC), Lucifer (Fox), The Young and the Restless (CBS), The Hot Chick, and the award-winning indie Alone Time, as well as national campaigns for Dunkin’ Donuts and Target.

Kimberly will be performing in several pieces in our upcoming Salon Show, “L’Chaim America!” - a celebration of the nation’s 250th birthday. Through true contemporary stories, this show illuminates the richness and diversity of the America we know in our hearts.

When the world is trying to divide us, this poignant and humorous show gives us a respite from the rhetoric—join us!

For the full schedule, and tickets, visit https://the-braid.org/calendar/

05/06/2026

Meet Actor Marcelo Tubert! 🎭

We’re thrilled to welcome Marcelo Tubert to The Braid stage in our upcoming salon show “L’Chaim America!” Marcelo has been a working actor for almost 40 years with an extensive career in TV, film, voiceover, and theatre, including The Mark Taper Forum, The Old Globe, Yale Rep, and many more.

Also an LA Ovation winner, a founding member of The Antaeus Theatre, and a member of the Road Theatre Company, Marcelo will be performing in several pieces in our upcoming Salon Show, “L’Chaim America!” - a celebration of the nation’s 250th birthday. 🎉🇺🇸

Through poignant and humorous contemporary stories, this show illuminates the richness and diversity of Jewish experience, and the America we know in our hearts.

For the full schedule, and tickets, visit https://the-braid.org/calendar/ or LINK IN BIO 🎟️

Address

3435 Ocean Park Boulevard
Santa Monica, CA
90405

Telephone

+13103151400

Website

http://www.the-braid.org/

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