"BECOMING DR. RUTH” A FASCINATING JOURNEY

At the height of four foot, seven inches, Dr. Ruth Westheimer is a petite powerhouse of energy and enthusiasm. She is forthright and honest, especially if you have a question of a sexual nature. Her fascinating life adventure began when her parents and grandmother put her on the train, the Kindertransport, at the age of ten from her home in Germany and sent her to Switzerland to save her from the Nazis. She never saw her family again. Now at the age of ninety-two, her story is being told at Music Theatre of Connecticut in Norwalk and you are invited to this intimate one woman show until February 21, either in person or by streaming. Dr. Ruth Westheimer has packed a lot of living in her more than nine decades on earth. At the orphanage in Switzerland, Ruth helped with the younger children, protecting them and calming them. Through the many dark years that followed, she held on to her grandmother's philosophy: "Always be happy and cheerful. You are loved." Mark St. Germain has penned a delightful and intense look into the life of this astonishing woman. She is brought to vibrant and enchanting life in the hands of actress Amy Griffin. She embodies Dr Ruth in dedication, body and spirit, with actions and voice, as she relates her intriguing tale with anecdotes, photos and mementos. After residing for thirty-six years in the same New York City apartment, with views of the Hudson River and the George Washington Bridge, she is moving. Her third husband Fred has died and she knows change is good. As she packs her books, pictures and collections of dollhouses and turtles, she reminisces about her past, from losing her family, settling in France, Palestine and later in America. Can you imagine this diminutive lady as a sniper in the Haganah? Her size was actually a bonus in this spy work as a scout. You will learn that this woman who worked diligently to earn her doctorate, loved Shirley Temple, encouraged Governor Bill Clinton to run for the presidency and would have been happy to be a kindergarten teacher. Kevin Connors directs this rare portrait of a remarkable journey as Karola Ruth Siegel at the helm steering her way to her destiny as Dr. Ruth, on a homey set designed by Lindsay Fuori. For tickets ($39-70), call Music Theatre of CT at 203-454-3883 or online at www.musictheatreofct.com. Performances are Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. Pod discounts are available for 3, 4, 5, 6 and 10 ticket purchases. Live stream the play, 90 minutes in length without an intermission for $28. Two lessons that Dr. Ruth learned through the collections she has saved over the years: her dollhouses are safe havens for her dolls because she didn't have any control over her life growing up and her turtles that are symbolic that it has to take a risk and stick its neck out if its wants to move forward. She feels she has an obligation to live long and large and to make the world a better place. That she certainly does.