Making its UK premiere, this funny and moving solo play charts the astonishing journey of Dr Ruth Westheimer, from escaping Nazi Germany on the Kindertransport to becoming an international celebrity and TV’s most beloved sex therapist at age 50. Starring Broadway’s Anne O’Sullivan, the production delivers a larger-than-life portrait of an unlikely household name who shattered taboos surrounding intimacy with wisdom, wit, and a signature twinkle in her eye.
Would you mind giving us an insight into what your show/event/performance is?
Stephen: Becoming Dr. Ruth is a moving, eye opening and very very funny one-woman show starring Broadway’s Anne O’Sullivan as Dr. Ruth K. Westheimer (at 50 she was sometimes called “Grandma Freud”). You are welcomed into her living room and she tells you her life story. You will feel like you are making a new friend – that lifts you up and makes you laugh (and cry).
Beginning in the 1980’s the tiny 4’7” let the world know “size doesn’t matter”. She brought the honest discussion about Sex from a taboo topic to the forefront. Dr. Ruth wished everyone “Good Sex for the rest of their lives.” With her unique accent humor and warm giggle, the grandmotherly Dr. Ruth K. Westheimer opened the public conversation about Sex. On radio and television, she let people know there is “no normal” and they should not be embarrassed and are not alone.
She removed the taboos around talking about pleasure, love, knowledge about reproductive and sexual helath for consenting adults. Through her radio and television programs, the world-renowned Sex Therapist and Pop Icon, took questions from the anonymously from the public.
At 10, she was sent from Germany to Switzerland on a Kindertransport – becoming an Orphan of the Holocaust. She travelled and lived in Israel, Paris, and then the United States in her search for family and her path to become an educator. It was a unlikely journey that led her talking about sex would become her calling.
Dr Ruth was a groundbreaker opening true expressions for so many aspects of our world – even aspects we find ourselves fighting for in the current day. I want the world and the next generation to know that they had an unlikely grandmotherly trailblazer before them. Come visit with Dr. Ruth.
Anne: Becoming Dr. Ruth is the story of a great humanitarian who was forged from suffering, and challenge and who became unexpectedly famous, which was good for all of us!
Tell us about the creative team and the process involved?
Stephen: The acclaimed playwright Mark St. Germain had written “Freud’s Last Session” which played Off-Broadway (and later was made a film with Anthony Hopkins), Dr. Ruth loved the play and would do talk backs with the actors after the show and she was introduced to Mark St. Germain and agreed to let him write this play. He captured her story and essence, and after reading it to her – she had two notes. The play began at Barrington Stage under the guidance of Julianne Boyd – and made it’s off-Broadway premiere in 2010. I was asked to direct the first production regionally and collaborated with Anne O’Sullivan for her first production as Dr. Ruth.
Dr Ruth and her family had a summer house (in Putnam Valley, NY) next to my Uncle and cousins house and across the lake from my grandfather’s house. My cousin cut her grass. I met her when I was about 8 years old when my family came up to the lake. She was a tiny woman who rowed a boat with her husband and kids across the lake. She had such an infectious giggle. That night, driving us home, my father had the radio on – it was late on a Sunday night – and I recognized that voice and giggle – before I could put it together, he turned off the radio and switched it to music. Letting us know that the lady we had met had been in Israel after World War II. I saw her at family weddings and functions over the years – and in 2015, when I was asked to direct the first regional production, in collaboration with playwright Mark St. Germain – Dr. Ruth and I reconnected and began a wonderful friendship. When Anne and I were doing a production in Cincinatti when professional theatre reopened after the Covid shut down, we had Ruth on speaker phone.
Anne O’Sullivan is a light, a joy and a chameleon who fully immerses into a role. Her mischief, joie de vivre and gravitas – all connect with the real Dr. Ruth I so many ways. Each time we return to work on the play, we find new things that bring us closer to Ruth and why the story is so inspirational. Anne and I have a shorthand now, and just have so much fun – her connection to the audience is incredible. She embraces you and welcomes you on a joyous ride.
Mark St. Germain was a good friend of Dr. Ruth’s as well – and has such a respect and care for her essence, her life and story. He generously worked on a new draft for the Edinburgh Fringe and we are so exicited to share this with the audiences.
Anne: our original creative team is playwright Mark St. Germain, Director Stephen Nachamie and me, Anne O’Sullivan who started out understudying the role, then was asked to perform it first in a theatre outside NYC, the rest is history, and now there are many fabulous members of our team, Andy and Chris and now
How does it feel coming to (back to) the Fringe?
Stephen: I have never been to the Fringe before – but have so many good friends and colleagues who have had extraordinary experiences seeing or directing and performing in the Festival. I cannot wait to be in the tsunami of creativity, talent and joy that floods the festival in August. I am so excited to bring a unique true life story to the festival.
Anne: It feels very exciting to be coming to the Fringe, I’d always dreamed of coming, and so I made the dream real!
With shows from all over the world at the Fringe, what sets yours apart?
Stephen: The experience in Becoming Dr. Ruth is a singular experience – it is like meeting an old friend – getting to see a bit of the personal life of an icon. Being with Dr. Ruth herself was like getting a “battery jump” of positive energy – Anne O’Sullivan will leave you with that same joyous feeling.
Anne: What sets ours apart? Well refer to question 1, and I will add that we all need inspiration to go on when there is always negativity floating around. And this woman carried on through unspeakable loss and the daily struggles of a refugee, with endless good humor and resilence to become a great and happy influence on a repressed American culture!
On that, is there anything in the production or production team’s backgrounds which influences the way the show is performed or told?
Stephen: Mark St. Germain, the playwright and Stephen Nachamie the director were both friends of the real Dr. Ruth K. Westheimer – until her passing at 96 in 2024. There is such a specific love and reverence to the way we tell this story – Mark has captured her essence and story – and with Anne (who also was a friend of Dr. Ruth) – we try to bring all of that to every audience. Dr. Ruth’s children Miriam and Joel are friends and supporters as well – so there is a love in every aspect of her life and what we’d like to keep bringing into the world about this wonderful trailblazer. This is not a cartoon or a impersonation – it is Anne’s joie de vivre as it meets with Dr. Ruth’s
Anne: Well, Stephen has known Dr. Ruth since he was a kid, I am an Irish immigrant playing an orphan of the Holocaust, and Dr. Ruth told me that she “loved that Gentiles are playing me”, and i love diversity in Life and Art, so that’s my answer.
Is there anything specific you’re hoping the audience will take away?
Stephen: I hope the audience will feel like they have met a new friend, a formidable friend. I hope they can take in her experience as an Orphan of the Holocaust – but also that nothing in her life was ever an obstacle it was a challenge. I hope that they will take away that there is no “normal” in the world. She followed her calling – family and education and she made a beautiful life that helped make the world a better place. I also hope they take a look at this Tiny Woman and learn that in an epic life, size doesn’t matter.
Anne: Yes, that they will be moved to help others as Dr. Ruth always was, and that bigotry does not evolve us!
Your Ideal audience is in attendance, who’s watching? Or more importantly – who isn’t…?
Stephen: My ideal audience would be those who remember sneaking Dr. Ruth’s radio show and with joy and love learning that they are not alone – that we are all loving sexual beings. My ideal audience may not know Dr. Ruth – but I want people of all backgrounds and ages to get to know this woman. They will have fun and be very moved along the way. Anyone who only wants heavy audience participation and trapeze artists should probably not come
Anne: Young and old and in between too!
It’s an intense month, so where you’re able, how do you plan to relax, and are there any other shows you intend to see or want to recommend?
Stephen: I am looking forward to sightseeing. I love exploring and taking photos. I am looking forward to seeing so many performances that are new to me and shows that some friends and colleagues are bringing – such as CHIP and GUS, CAMELTON and I’m looking forward to seeing HOLE! by Jake Brasch and extraordinary playwright – I just directed his last play THE RESERVOIR and his work is really wonderful
Anne: Definitely plan to see other shows, I know 2 fabulous pole dancers who have another show there–gotta see that! I’m not worried about relaxing, the way will be shown!
Becoming Dr Ruth will run at Venue 20, Front Room at Assembly Rooms
Runs: August 6th – August 30th at 16.55pm
Photo credit – Mikki Schaffner
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