Truman vs. Israel
Written by William Spatz; Directed by Randy White
Theater at St. Clement’s | 423 West 46th Street, New York, NY 10036
October 11, 2025 – January 4, 2026
Photo Credit: Darin Chumbley
Truman vs. Israel, a riveting new play by William Spatz, offers a candid portrayal of the 33rd United States President Harry S. Truman. We embark on an inside look into his inner conflict of personal character by his own affiliations, obligations to family, friends, and service. From the moment we arrive in St. Clement’s Episcopal Church and Theater, the gorgeous bones of the building already set the ambiance for the anticipation of the theater about to unfold. We are greeted with large printed timelines of the history of the land Israel, lawyer and activist Bella Abzug, and Harry S. Truman onwards to the artfully crafted stage set in 1953, Independence, Missouri, inside the home of Harry S. Truman.
Walking past the large printed timeline signs, one cannot help but ponder: What history are we about to watch unfold? Will we be able to follow the play even if we have no knowledge of the backstory of the events that historically occurred? Who is Bella Abzug? What if we stand divided over the current state of Israel? Does our modern political stance on Israel further implicate a bias towards the play or create unity? If there was ever a question posed in one’s mind, this play is sure to answer it all and more. Ninety historically fueled, packed minutes is all it takes to leave the audience in deep reflection over the high stakes and challenges of government; most importantly, the road to good intentions is sometimes paved in hell.
Greeted with subtle stumbles of femininity and the undeniable force of wit, our protagonist, activist, feminist and lawyer, “Battling Bella” Bella Abzug, played by actress Helen Laser, in an artful conversation about defying odds by challenging authority in favor of humanitarian causes. There is not an argument she cannot win, and her stroke of genius one-liners lights the stage for challenging President Truman, played by Willy Falk, in his idiosyncrasies of fairness and justice versus where his loyalties truly lie.
The play examines Truman’s moral and complex grasps that are the fabric of his being: the juxtapositions of racial divide, puritanical upbringing, birth right under the lens of dominating forces that dictate moral supremacy. We walk away with shocking and cringe-worthy moments of excruciating platitudes of commonplace race relations tossed around. Sometimes a playwright must tackle the ugly in search for reason, motivation, and truth. As an audience, we must accept that this is how certain historical leaders throughout history governed with internal conflicts. Man in division with himself and those around him is a tale as old as time.
Director Randy White masterfully crafts interwoven scenes from past to present with use of lights, sounds, and multiple role playing. Haunting sounds reverberate off the speakers to indicate the ravages of war. Somehow, hearing the speakers echo the actors' lines sets the tone for the audience on how certain events create hollow historical shackles in which we will never escape, and that our chance of survival depends on quick thinking and stealth.
Truman vs. Israel is America in relation to the world. When is world politics too little or just enough? When does doing right by your own country make it acceptable to turn away from other countries in need? Do we judge a man by his actions? Does his appearance of indifference undermine humanity, or is the veil needed to further push for progress? This play asks us to see history as a means to the current state; whether we accept history or not, perhaps our acceptance of it is the very moral fiber that keeps pioneers challenging forth in the face of all adversity. May we all rise to the challenge of inner reflection as a means to seeing how those around us are reflected throughout.
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Review by Bianca Lopez.
Published by Theatre Beyond Broadway on October 18, 2025. All rights reserved.