Jenny juxtaposes Eliza’s story with her own complicated journey to motherhood, in a critically acclaimed intergenerational reflection on resilience and women’s rightsDescribed by Los Angeles critic Samantha Simmonds-Ronceros as “the personification of all that is perfect and true in a solo theatre play” and hailed by New Jersey critic Allen Neuner as “a one-woman tour-de-force,” MEZRAB is proud to present the European premiere of TWO ELIZAS by Jenny Mercein. This acclaimed solo show explores the true story of Jenny’s ancestor Eliza Mercein Barry and her landmark 1847 U.S. Supreme Court case, Barry v. Mercein, which established a woman’s right to retain custody of her child. In an emotionally gripping intergenerational reflection on resilience and women’s rights, Jenny mirrors her ancestor with her own trials and tribulations to motherhood. Don’t miss the show NJ Arts Maven called “a terrific character study of two very interesting women, alike in their feistiness, independence and pride” and “a poignant reminder that women have come a long way…and have a long way to go.”
Jenny Mercein is an actor, teacher, director, and writer currently living in New Orleans, where she is an Associate Professor at Tulane University, teaching acting and storytelling. She is a Moth StorySLAM champion, and the author of four solo shows. Her most recent solo piece Two Elizas received critical raves at Luna Stage (New Jersey) and the Whitefire Theater (Los Angeles). She also directed two solo shows by storyteller Christian Hege, including Gryla-Not for Children, which won the Act Alone award at the RVK Fringe in Iceland, and Alexander Klaus: The Story of the One-Legged Shoemaker Man (Edinburgh Fringe, 2023 and 59E59 in NYC, December of 2024). She is proud a producer of Roleplay, a play and documentary film project exploring student perspectives on love, sex, power, and consent. The Roleplay documentary will premiere March of 2024 at SXSW. Her acting credits include Your Honor, NCIS: New Orleans, 30 Rock, Blue Bloods, Unforgettable, Law & Order, and extensive theater credits spanning the United States. A proud member of AEA, SAG-AFTRA, and the National Alliance of Acting Teachers, Mercein received a Bachelor of Arts in Theater Studies and the History of Art from Yale University and a Master of Fine Arts in Acting from the University of Washington.
photo credit: Stephanie Gamba for Luna Stage the production stills
Doors open: 19:00
Show starts: 20:00
There’s soup!
Tickets: 12.00 euro (+0.50 cent bank fee)
Ticket link: https://mezrab.nl/events/two-elizas-by-jenny-mercein/
Event Venue
Veemkade 576, 1019 BL Amsterdam, Netherlands, Veemkade 576, 1019 BL Amsterdam, Nederland,Amsterdam, Netherlands
Tickets
