BOY VEY The Play
Los Angeles, California | Film Feature
Comedy, Drama
In order to optimize our futures, we must confront our pasts. BOY VEY reminds us that our histories hold power, and it urges us to let go of finding all the answers for what’s to come. With humor and poignancy, this show inspires a fresh outlook on what it means to be a Jew, a woman, and a human.
BOY VEY The Play
Los Angeles, California | Film Feature
Comedy, Drama
1 Campaigns | California, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $31,023 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
353 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
In order to optimize our futures, we must confront our pasts. BOY VEY reminds us that our histories hold power, and it urges us to let go of finding all the answers for what’s to come. With humor and poignancy, this show inspires a fresh outlook on what it means to be a Jew, a woman, and a human.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
THANK YOU x25,000 TO ALL THOSE WHO TURNED OUR CAMPAIGN FROM A 30-DAY FUNDRAISER INTO A 30-HOUR FUNDRAISER!!!
We cannot thank you enough, from your generous contributions to your rapid emails to friends and family to the many social media posts you shared in our honor. And we're SO excited to send you your perks and give you the ultimate gift of a FANTASTIC solo show - BOY VEY!
BUT if you're someone who feels like you missed out on contributing to BOY VEY, or you just can't get enough of it, fear not! We are implementing a.........
While having the $25 K is all we need for this show to live up to its full potential, we would LOVE to pay the incredible student workers on our team (PR, design, and crew) who, so far, have generously worked on this project without compensation. We also hope this stretch goal will help cover more incidental costs that we will for sure run into as this project unfolds. We know we have an indominable, heroic, art-supporting community here, and we can't wait to achieve this final goal with YOU.
It all started eight years ago when Rachel developed a massive crush on someone in her class and wrote what she called “THE BOY AGENDA”...
A top-secret, ten-paged, single-spaced guidebook on how to get her first kiss with the boy of her dreams. Young Rachel was determined, and nothing could stop her.
With six years of dating experience under her belt, Old Rachel had distanced herself from the Boy Agenda and felt pulled towards a different source of intrigue -- her Jewish roots. Having just completed an abroad program in Germany where she studied her family’s Holocaust history and visited concentration camps, Rachel had an intense desire to create, well, something. But she was at a roadblock as to what this “something” might be. Until...
All of a sudden, Rachel’s world was turned upside down, and her perceptions of romantic love broke altogether. Followed by weeks of crying, kvetching, and writing emo songs on her piano, Rachel decided it was time to be productive again. She sat down at her desk, ready to delete all the old, random documents that crowded her laptop. And low and behold, there it was again: the now ill-fated BOY AGENDA. Reluctantly, Rachel opened the document and, in so doing, unlocked the floodgates of her insecure, adolescent past.
Rachel began noticing throughlines between that of her current heartbreak and the bubbly innocence exhibited in her BOY AGENDA. Beyond that, a stranger phenomenon emerged: many of the events in her six years of dating had been strangely entangled with Holocaust-related connections. What could this mean? Why had this happened, more than once? And how could Rachel never have noticed?
BOY VEY is the story of trying to answer these questions. Structured so that it models the format of the authentic BOY AGENDA, this solo show follows two versions of the same Rachel as they navigate love and family history together.
Dating life and the Holocaust don’t seem to go hand-in-hand. But our associate producer and fellow “Jewess,” Rebecca Gross, says it best. This show is a strange yet fascinating mixture of humor, darkness, and quirk.
“I am drawn to projects that feature complexity: stories that take universal ideas and complicate them, that honor the full human experience. These are the kinds of projects the world needs right now. Rachel’s play shows us that our personal stories cannot be invalidated by others. Our experiences, our feelings, and how our feelings change and confuse us: all of this matters. Her play reminds us that we can and should share our stories because it is only through sharing them that we can access our power and allow others to truly understand us. And it is through listening to others share their own stories and experiences that we can begin to truly understand them.
We live in a world where there is so much information at our fingertips, so it makes sense that we are constantly in search of the “right” way, the “right” answer. We are often so scared of failure and of getting hurt, that fear keeps us from chasing our dreams, from pursuing our wildest hopes, and from jumping toward opportunities that excite us. But, as Rachel’s play shows us, the best way to do something is your way of doing it. By staying true to ourselves, not compromising our values, and staying aware of the things we hold dear, we can handle anything. That’s not to say it won’t be difficult, or that we won’t still feel heartbreak and pain. But, if we stay true to ourselves and remember that we are always here for ourselves, then there isn’t anything that we are incapable of overcoming.”
Theatre productions take a village, and BOY VEY is no exception. With your contribution, we can pay our talented crew members, rent the theatre space for a week of rehearsals and filming, manage/run the livestream equipment, and feed ourselves during long days of tech.
At a time when so many artists are struggling financially due to COVID-19, we want to make sure that BOY VEY elevates their work to a professional level, which means paying artists for their precious time and energy.
Katie Stottlemire is a student and creative artist living in Los Angeles who has worn many hats. She began her acting career in her hometown of Columbus, Ohio where she acted in projects on both stage and screen. During that time she appeared in various films, including Tragedy Girls and My Friend Dahmer. She attended Loyola Marymount University to study Theatre Arts and Women’s and Gender Studies where she continued to develop her passion for directing and writing. During that time, she co-wrote and assistant directed a short, Lost in A Mistake, which premiered at the Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival in 2020. She has directed multiple short plays at LMU, including a play that was selected to participate at this year’s Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival. She is beyond excited and grateful to have the opportunity of directing BOY VEY.
Giselle Durand (she/her) is an emerging theatre and film director who utilizes storytelling to explore the truth and vulnerability of human connection. She is so excited to be a part of the BOY VEY team as the stage manager! Set to graduate from Loyola Marymount University with a BA in Theatre Arts and emphases in Directing, Political Science, and Philosophy, Giselle recently closed Love by Kate Cortesi as the first student to direct a mainstage production for the LMU College of Communications and Fine Arts. Serving as Producing Director and Creative Director of Events for the Del Rey Players over two seasons, she focuses on the vibrancy of creative leadership through direction, design, and executive strategy. Other notable credits include the first workshop of Downstairs Neighbor written by Beth Henley (2020); The Nerd (2020); The Wolves (AD, 2019); LAUGH (ASM, 2018); Andrew Lippa’s Wild Party (2017), and The Miss Firecracker Contest (2016). She is currently a participant in New York Stage and Film's inaugural NYSAF NEXUS project. Having experimented with different faculties of theatre and film, Giselle relishes in versatility and rawness, creating art that challenges societal norms and encourages understanding.
Rebecca Gross is a writer, researcher, and editor living in Los Angeles. She is in the final semester of her graduate program at Loyola Marymount University, where she studies Jewish trauma and memory in literature, film, and television. Even when she's not studying, Gross manages to keep her face in books: She teaches LMU first-year students rhetorical arts ("that's Professor Gross to you!") and she runs a zines called All Female Menu and Off Menu Press, which feature the writing and art of people who identify with canonically excluded genders (@offmenupress on Instagram). Gross has been published widely in online spaces including the LA Review of Books Blog, Terse Journal, Stone of Madness Press, and Seiren Quarterly. When covid is over, find her playing drums in her band Lady Starshine at venues around LA. https://www.rebeccagross.com
It’s really quite simple: the reason this page is so pretty? It’s because of Lara. And the reason you’re on this page now, even though just moments before you were mindlessly scrolling through Instagram and Facebook feeds? It’s because of Olivia. These two shining stars (also recent LMU Theatre graduates) have dedicated their genius to BOY VEY from the very start. Learn more about their talents on our “The Team” tab!
We love motherly support! Kristin Marra (mama of the writer/performer) and Tara Stottlemire (mama of the director) have spent every week with us preparing for the launch of this fundraiser and are just as much associate producers as they are figures of emotional support. You can learn more about them on our “The Team” tab!
Rachel Kaftan is an actor, writer, and student in Los Angeles. She credits her love for performance to the many irrational fears she had growing up because they caused her to stay indoors and create imaginative, mystical worlds in the safe confines of her bedroom. Eventually, Rachel moved into the REAL world where she played Tevye in an all-girls’ production of Fiddler on the Roof, led a scrappy team of young lawyers to numerous mock trial championships, and traveled to New York City to compete in the National August Wilson Monologue Competition. Currently, Rachel is a senior at Loyola Marymount University, where she studies Theatre Arts, Jewish Studies, and Philosophy. In 2019, Rachel traveled to Europe for an abroad acting program and was trained by a slew of professional artists from Germany, Croatia, and Russia.
During summer of 2020, in between writing the first drafts of BOY VEY, Rachel shifted gears and focused her energy on studying the trends, effects, and ethics of intergenerational Holocaust trauma. Her findings culminated in a 32-page research paper, for which she became a RAINS Undergraduate Research Fellow with LMU.
Ironically, Rachel has now returned to the place she started, her “childhood bedroom of fears,” which is where her show begins. But this time, she won’t hide. Rachel is ready to share the personal, the gruesome, the raw truth with all of you.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Production Team + COVID Safety
Costs $4,280
For our production team and COVID safety equipment when we're all in the theatre together!
Labors/Contractors
Costs $7,550
For independent contractors, designers, and camera crew who are dedicating their time to our show!
Post-Production
Costs $2,160
For all that goes into a full edit copy of BOY VEY THE PLAY, including sound design and credits!
Rentals + Expendables
Costs $6,600
For renting the theatre during tech + craft services, props, livestream equipment, and insurance!
Additional Fees
Costs $4,410
For production contingency (10%) and crowdsourcing fees!
Share this update!
About This Team
Additional Team Member Bios
MARKETING + SOCIAL MEDIA - OLIVIA ORESKOVICH
Olivia Oreskovich graduated summa cum laude from Loyola Marymount University’s Theatre Arts Department in May of 2020. Olivia is currently an Assistant at 23 Management Group, Creative Administrative Assistant at Real Actor’s Lab, and does micro-influencer work with various brands/companies. She does freelance work in social media management and training. Olivia co-hosts a podcast with her sister called Kombuchat, set to launch on all podcast platforms January 2021. Olivia is an actor, does improv, and bounces between LA and Denver. She likes short walks on the beach and sitting in LA traffic. Follow her on all social media platforms, @olivihuh.
GRAPHIC DESIGN - LARA GONÇALVES
Lara is a Freelance Graphic Designer who recently “graduated” from LMU, class of 2020 with degrees in Theatre Arts and Studio Arts - Graphic Design. She really enjoys doing work that bring her two majors together, which is why Boy Vey has been such a joy to design for. her spare time she adores caring for her plants and is now working part time at a new plant store in Culver City called Plant Mama, if you’re in the neighborhood come say hi! www.behance.net/laragoncalves303
KRISTIN MARRA - ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
Kristin Marra was born a long time ago in northern Montana where the wind blows and rattlesnakes rule. So she became a bookworm early on. She attended Montana State University for a Bachelor's in Criminal Justice. Then she attended the University of Montana to become a teacher, eventually completing her master's in education at Antioch University in Seattle.She taught at the Flathead Indian Reservation in Montana and ended up at Shoreline Community College in Seattle. During all those years, she managed to be a cowboy boot salesman, a professional tarot reader, a lesbian pulp novelist (Wind and Bones), a cook, and a mom to Rachel. She's now retired and living in Seattle with her beloved wife Judith Kaftan and and old dog named Spud.
TARA STOTTLEMIRE - ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
Tara is a mom, wife, and volunteer. She graduated from Indiana University Kelley School of Business and worked at CompuServe helping people get on the Internet for the very first time! These days, she puts her skills to use as a volunteer, currently with pet shelters, and taking on restoration projects with her husband in their 100 year old home. She is an avid reader and enjoys travel, coffee, skiing, family and pets!
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
THANK YOU x25,000 TO ALL THOSE WHO TURNED OUR CAMPAIGN FROM A 30-DAY FUNDRAISER INTO A 30-HOUR FUNDRAISER!!!
We cannot thank you enough, from your generous contributions to your rapid emails to friends and family to the many social media posts you shared in our honor. And we're SO excited to send you your perks and give you the ultimate gift of a FANTASTIC solo show - BOY VEY!
BUT if you're someone who feels like you missed out on contributing to BOY VEY, or you just can't get enough of it, fear not! We are implementing a.........
While having the $25 K is all we need for this show to live up to its full potential, we would LOVE to pay the incredible student workers on our team (PR, design, and crew) who, so far, have generously worked on this project without compensation. We also hope this stretch goal will help cover more incidental costs that we will for sure run into as this project unfolds. We know we have an indominable, heroic, art-supporting community here, and we can't wait to achieve this final goal with YOU.
It all started eight years ago when Rachel developed a massive crush on someone in her class and wrote what she called “THE BOY AGENDA”...
A top-secret, ten-paged, single-spaced guidebook on how to get her first kiss with the boy of her dreams. Young Rachel was determined, and nothing could stop her.
With six years of dating experience under her belt, Old Rachel had distanced herself from the Boy Agenda and felt pulled towards a different source of intrigue -- her Jewish roots. Having just completed an abroad program in Germany where she studied her family’s Holocaust history and visited concentration camps, Rachel had an intense desire to create, well, something. But she was at a roadblock as to what this “something” might be. Until...
All of a sudden, Rachel’s world was turned upside down, and her perceptions of romantic love broke altogether. Followed by weeks of crying, kvetching, and writing emo songs on her piano, Rachel decided it was time to be productive again. She sat down at her desk, ready to delete all the old, random documents that crowded her laptop. And low and behold, there it was again: the now ill-fated BOY AGENDA. Reluctantly, Rachel opened the document and, in so doing, unlocked the floodgates of her insecure, adolescent past.
Rachel began noticing throughlines between that of her current heartbreak and the bubbly innocence exhibited in her BOY AGENDA. Beyond that, a stranger phenomenon emerged: many of the events in her six years of dating had been strangely entangled with Holocaust-related connections. What could this mean? Why had this happened, more than once? And how could Rachel never have noticed?
BOY VEY is the story of trying to answer these questions. Structured so that it models the format of the authentic BOY AGENDA, this solo show follows two versions of the same Rachel as they navigate love and family history together.
Dating life and the Holocaust don’t seem to go hand-in-hand. But our associate producer and fellow “Jewess,” Rebecca Gross, says it best. This show is a strange yet fascinating mixture of humor, darkness, and quirk.
“I am drawn to projects that feature complexity: stories that take universal ideas and complicate them, that honor the full human experience. These are the kinds of projects the world needs right now. Rachel’s play shows us that our personal stories cannot be invalidated by others. Our experiences, our feelings, and how our feelings change and confuse us: all of this matters. Her play reminds us that we can and should share our stories because it is only through sharing them that we can access our power and allow others to truly understand us. And it is through listening to others share their own stories and experiences that we can begin to truly understand them.
We live in a world where there is so much information at our fingertips, so it makes sense that we are constantly in search of the “right” way, the “right” answer. We are often so scared of failure and of getting hurt, that fear keeps us from chasing our dreams, from pursuing our wildest hopes, and from jumping toward opportunities that excite us. But, as Rachel’s play shows us, the best way to do something is your way of doing it. By staying true to ourselves, not compromising our values, and staying aware of the things we hold dear, we can handle anything. That’s not to say it won’t be difficult, or that we won’t still feel heartbreak and pain. But, if we stay true to ourselves and remember that we are always here for ourselves, then there isn’t anything that we are incapable of overcoming.”
Theatre productions take a village, and BOY VEY is no exception. With your contribution, we can pay our talented crew members, rent the theatre space for a week of rehearsals and filming, manage/run the livestream equipment, and feed ourselves during long days of tech.
At a time when so many artists are struggling financially due to COVID-19, we want to make sure that BOY VEY elevates their work to a professional level, which means paying artists for their precious time and energy.
Katie Stottlemire is a student and creative artist living in Los Angeles who has worn many hats. She began her acting career in her hometown of Columbus, Ohio where she acted in projects on both stage and screen. During that time she appeared in various films, including Tragedy Girls and My Friend Dahmer. She attended Loyola Marymount University to study Theatre Arts and Women’s and Gender Studies where she continued to develop her passion for directing and writing. During that time, she co-wrote and assistant directed a short, Lost in A Mistake, which premiered at the Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival in 2020. She has directed multiple short plays at LMU, including a play that was selected to participate at this year’s Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival. She is beyond excited and grateful to have the opportunity of directing BOY VEY.
Giselle Durand (she/her) is an emerging theatre and film director who utilizes storytelling to explore the truth and vulnerability of human connection. She is so excited to be a part of the BOY VEY team as the stage manager! Set to graduate from Loyola Marymount University with a BA in Theatre Arts and emphases in Directing, Political Science, and Philosophy, Giselle recently closed Love by Kate Cortesi as the first student to direct a mainstage production for the LMU College of Communications and Fine Arts. Serving as Producing Director and Creative Director of Events for the Del Rey Players over two seasons, she focuses on the vibrancy of creative leadership through direction, design, and executive strategy. Other notable credits include the first workshop of Downstairs Neighbor written by Beth Henley (2020); The Nerd (2020); The Wolves (AD, 2019); LAUGH (ASM, 2018); Andrew Lippa’s Wild Party (2017), and The Miss Firecracker Contest (2016). She is currently a participant in New York Stage and Film's inaugural NYSAF NEXUS project. Having experimented with different faculties of theatre and film, Giselle relishes in versatility and rawness, creating art that challenges societal norms and encourages understanding.
Rebecca Gross is a writer, researcher, and editor living in Los Angeles. She is in the final semester of her graduate program at Loyola Marymount University, where she studies Jewish trauma and memory in literature, film, and television. Even when she's not studying, Gross manages to keep her face in books: She teaches LMU first-year students rhetorical arts ("that's Professor Gross to you!") and she runs a zines called All Female Menu and Off Menu Press, which feature the writing and art of people who identify with canonically excluded genders (@offmenupress on Instagram). Gross has been published widely in online spaces including the LA Review of Books Blog, Terse Journal, Stone of Madness Press, and Seiren Quarterly. When covid is over, find her playing drums in her band Lady Starshine at venues around LA. https://www.rebeccagross.com
It’s really quite simple: the reason this page is so pretty? It’s because of Lara. And the reason you’re on this page now, even though just moments before you were mindlessly scrolling through Instagram and Facebook feeds? It’s because of Olivia. These two shining stars (also recent LMU Theatre graduates) have dedicated their genius to BOY VEY from the very start. Learn more about their talents on our “The Team” tab!
We love motherly support! Kristin Marra (mama of the writer/performer) and Tara Stottlemire (mama of the director) have spent every week with us preparing for the launch of this fundraiser and are just as much associate producers as they are figures of emotional support. You can learn more about them on our “The Team” tab!
Rachel Kaftan is an actor, writer, and student in Los Angeles. She credits her love for performance to the many irrational fears she had growing up because they caused her to stay indoors and create imaginative, mystical worlds in the safe confines of her bedroom. Eventually, Rachel moved into the REAL world where she played Tevye in an all-girls’ production of Fiddler on the Roof, led a scrappy team of young lawyers to numerous mock trial championships, and traveled to New York City to compete in the National August Wilson Monologue Competition. Currently, Rachel is a senior at Loyola Marymount University, where she studies Theatre Arts, Jewish Studies, and Philosophy. In 2019, Rachel traveled to Europe for an abroad acting program and was trained by a slew of professional artists from Germany, Croatia, and Russia.
During summer of 2020, in between writing the first drafts of BOY VEY, Rachel shifted gears and focused her energy on studying the trends, effects, and ethics of intergenerational Holocaust trauma. Her findings culminated in a 32-page research paper, for which she became a RAINS Undergraduate Research Fellow with LMU.
Ironically, Rachel has now returned to the place she started, her “childhood bedroom of fears,” which is where her show begins. But this time, she won’t hide. Rachel is ready to share the personal, the gruesome, the raw truth with all of you.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Production Team + COVID Safety
Costs $4,280
For our production team and COVID safety equipment when we're all in the theatre together!
Labors/Contractors
Costs $7,550
For independent contractors, designers, and camera crew who are dedicating their time to our show!
Post-Production
Costs $2,160
For all that goes into a full edit copy of BOY VEY THE PLAY, including sound design and credits!
Rentals + Expendables
Costs $6,600
For renting the theatre during tech + craft services, props, livestream equipment, and insurance!
Additional Fees
Costs $4,410
For production contingency (10%) and crowdsourcing fees!
Share this update!
About This Team
Additional Team Member Bios
MARKETING + SOCIAL MEDIA - OLIVIA ORESKOVICH
Olivia Oreskovich graduated summa cum laude from Loyola Marymount University’s Theatre Arts Department in May of 2020. Olivia is currently an Assistant at 23 Management Group, Creative Administrative Assistant at Real Actor’s Lab, and does micro-influencer work with various brands/companies. She does freelance work in social media management and training. Olivia co-hosts a podcast with her sister called Kombuchat, set to launch on all podcast platforms January 2021. Olivia is an actor, does improv, and bounces between LA and Denver. She likes short walks on the beach and sitting in LA traffic. Follow her on all social media platforms, @olivihuh.
GRAPHIC DESIGN - LARA GONÇALVES
Lara is a Freelance Graphic Designer who recently “graduated” from LMU, class of 2020 with degrees in Theatre Arts and Studio Arts - Graphic Design. She really enjoys doing work that bring her two majors together, which is why Boy Vey has been such a joy to design for. her spare time she adores caring for her plants and is now working part time at a new plant store in Culver City called Plant Mama, if you’re in the neighborhood come say hi! www.behance.net/laragoncalves303
KRISTIN MARRA - ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
Kristin Marra was born a long time ago in northern Montana where the wind blows and rattlesnakes rule. So she became a bookworm early on. She attended Montana State University for a Bachelor's in Criminal Justice. Then she attended the University of Montana to become a teacher, eventually completing her master's in education at Antioch University in Seattle.She taught at the Flathead Indian Reservation in Montana and ended up at Shoreline Community College in Seattle. During all those years, she managed to be a cowboy boot salesman, a professional tarot reader, a lesbian pulp novelist (Wind and Bones), a cook, and a mom to Rachel. She's now retired and living in Seattle with her beloved wife Judith Kaftan and and old dog named Spud.
TARA STOTTLEMIRE - ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
Tara is a mom, wife, and volunteer. She graduated from Indiana University Kelley School of Business and worked at CompuServe helping people get on the Internet for the very first time! These days, she puts her skills to use as a volunteer, currently with pet shelters, and taking on restoration projects with her husband in their 100 year old home. She is an avid reader and enjoys travel, coffee, skiing, family and pets!