“HARRY & EDDIE: The Birth of Israel” opened off-Broadway at St. Luke’s Theatre on August 25,  2011 and moved to Actors Temple Theatre October 12, 2011. It CLOSED at Actors Temple Theatre December 18, 2011 after playing a total of 42 performances.   The play was written by Mark Weston, directed by Bob Spiotto and produced by Jessimeg Productions and  featured RICK GROSSMAN, DAN HICKS & LYDIA GLADSTONE

 Dan Hicks (as Harry S. Truman) & Rick Grossman (as Eddie Jacobson)
Photo credit: Carol Rosegg

ABOUT THE PLAY : “HARRY & EDDIE: The Birth of Israel” tells the largely-unknown story of how President Harry S. Truman’s friendship with his former business partner, Eddie Jacobson, leads to the creation of Israel in 1948. Eddie Jacobson, a Jewish haberdashery salesman, and Harry Truman initially bonded during World War I where the Missouri men were put in charge of a struggling army canteen.  The success of that venture leads to their joining forces after the war to open a haberdashery store in Kansas City, MO.  When the depression hit and their store failed, Harry went into politics and Eddie went back on the road as a traveling salesman.  In 1948, as the Zionists were struggling to convince President Truman to support the United Nation’s recognition of Israel, Eddie was asked to push their unlikely friendship to the breaking point. [CLOSED]