Oklahoma Samovar

Praise for Oklahoma Samovar

"From its opening moments, Oklahoma Samovar... immediately situates the audience in a world where the past is not abstract but palpably present, waiting to be acknowledged... Cohen achieves something rare: she renders history intimate without sentimentalizing it, allowing humor and hardship to coexist naturally.” – Theatre Beyond Broadway

"Oklahoma Samovar explores the little-known history of Jews in the Midwest in a deeply human way...allowing them moments of moral failing while portraying them with empathy."

– The Forward

“A tale of immigration and the American dream, with magic realism and puppetry folded in.” 

– a NEW YORK TIMES Pick  

“Cohen’s dramaturgy is filled with humor, wit, and her interest in complexity and diversity within the Jewish immigrant community.” 

– Theatre Reviews Kurahashi

“The genius of Cohen's play...[It] crosses boundaries between lives in the past and people who are living and breathing today.” 

– Jewish Boston Magazine

“I loved this work deeply. It reminded everyone around me, a sudden community of people sitting in the dark engrossed in Cohen’s tale, of the power of theater to restore our connection to our living history.” 

– Deb Margolin (playwright)

“Poignant and insightful…Oklahoma Samovar tells a heartfelt story that so many people will identify with and relate to.” 

– Winnie Holzman (WICKED book writer & screenwriter)

“I just loved OKLAHOMA SAMOVAR. I hope it gets produced everywhere!” 

– Deb Laufer (playwright)

“In its ambition and scope, it is a welcome addition to epic plays like Leopoldstadt, Prayers for a French Republic, and The Lehman Trilogy… She skillfully mixes humor and pathos, looking at the challenges of immigration, assimilation and generational trauma, but also love.” 

– Joan Lipkin (playwright, producer)

“Captivating and poignant. I love it.” 

– Cassandra Medley (playwright)

“A gorgeous work... Smart, funny, and full of heart, Oklahoma Samovar is a play full of rich theatrical discovery – and one we need in our current moment now more than ever.” – Crystal Skillman (playwright)