With the recent passing of Dr. Ruth Westheimer, the production of “Becoming Dr. Ruth” at Curtain Call Theatre becomes very significant.
The play, written by Mark St. Germain takes place in 1997 as she is leaving her New York City apartment after the death of her third husband, Fred.
As she decides whether to keep or discard particular objects it evokes emotional memories. This device reveals a life of adventure that most people did not associate with diminutive woman.
Playing Dr. Ruth at Curtain Call is veteran actor Carol Charniga. In a telephone interview she revealed her most startling discovery was learning Dr. Ruth served in the Israeli army as a sniper.
The most emotional, for her, was that as a child she was on a Kinder-transport to Sweden. She escaped death, but both of her parents died in concentration camps.
Of course, the work also covers the period of time when, while in her 50’s, Dr. Ruth became famous for her frank advice about sex.
What made her unique is it was delivered on the radio into private homes. More unique was Westheimer’s heavy accent and matter-of-fact demeanor which somehow made it acceptable to most of her listening audience.
One of the pleasures of the play is discovering the woman behind the woman and ultimately realizing that every person has life experiences different from their public persona.
This is certainly true of Charniga. She has been one of the most active actors in the area for the past few decades.
She has recently garnered acclaim for her portrayals of the heads of dysfunctional families. Earlier this year she was Violet in “August: Osage County,” at Schenectady Civic. A few years ago she won raves for her portrayal of the rigid grandmother in “Lost in Yonkers,” which was also at Curtain Call.
However, for many years Charniga was the go-to character actor if you needed laughter in a play. For example, she has been in several productions of “Sister Act.”
Indeed, she has made better every play in which she has appeared. Her best estimate numbers is about 80 different portrayals.
However, Charniga also has another side to her life. This talented lady of the theater had a day job as a scientist working in the field of stem cell research.
Indeed, one of her final accomplishments before retirement was discovering a way to harvest stem cells from behind the retina. Recently approved for further testing by the FDA, her discovery promises a future way to prevent molecular degeneration of the eye. It is a legacy that is at least equal to Dr. Ruth’s accomplishments.
Clearly, Charniga loves challenges on and off the stage. She calls this show a “100-minute monologue.” As for capturing the mannerisms of Westheimer she has studied numerous tapes of her broadcasts.
She insists she is not going to do an imitation. Instead, it is her goal to capture the spirit and essence of the woman she admires.
About Westheimer, she says, “Here was a survivor of the Holocaust who was always positive about life. Because of that trait she herself lived a remarkable life.”
Her final tribute to the character she is portraying was to comment on how people would respond to her enactment since she is much taller than her character.
“I believe, after a while, people will stop looking for a person who was only 4’7”. My hope is the audience discovers a woman who always overcame challenges. She never saw her size as a handicap because in truth, she was a giant.”
“Becoming Dr. Ruth” plays at Curtain Call Theatre in Latham through August 4. For tickets and schedule go to curtaincalltheatre.com.
Bob Goepfert is theater reviewer for the Troy Record.
The views expressed by commentators are solely those of the authors. They do not necessarily reflect the views of this station or its management.