Production still from the film TOVAH, courtesy of David Serero.
A Film by David Serero
Presented by Guild Hall & the Jewish Center of the Hamptons
For more than five decades, Tovah Feldshuh has stood among the most celebrated and influential performers in American entertainment. From her acclaimed portrayal of Golda Meir and iconic Broadway performances to memorable roles in film and television, Feldshuh has continually reinvented herself while remaining devoted to artistic excellence.
Directed and produced by David Serero, TOVAH offers the definitive portrait of a woman whose intelligence, courage, and artistry have inspired generations of audiences and performers. Through exclusive interviews, rare archival footage, and intimate behind-the-scenes access, the documentary traces Feldshuh’s journey from a fearless young actress to a Broadway institution and cultural icon. The film features an extraordinary roster of voices, including Dustin Hoffman, Oscar Isaac, Kristen Bell, Patti LuPone, Katie Couric, and many others, reflecting Feldshuh’s profound impact across theater, film, and popular culture.
Following the screening, Feldshuh will join bestselling author, publisher, and literary tastemaker Zibby Owens for a live conversation exploring the film, her remarkable career, and the stories behind a lifetime dedicated to performance, resilience, and the enduring power of storytelling.
Tovah Feldshuh
Tovah Feldshuh has been lighting up Broadway marquees for over 50 years. A six-time Emmy and Tony Award nominee, she is a four time Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Award winner. Her most celebrated of her 10 Broadway roles include Yentl, Golda’s Balcony, Irena’s Vow, Lend Me A Tenor, Pippin, and Rosie Brice in Funny Girl. Television audiences recently delighted in her scene-stealing turn as the formidable Russian mother on Netflix’s hit series Nobody Wants This, alongside beloved roles on Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, The Walking Dead, and Law & Order. On May 7th, she debuted in a second series, I.A., for NBC Peacock in which she plays the sleeper agent, Lena Silver. She stars opposite Dustin Hoffman in the recently released, Tuner, directed by Oscar winner Daniel Roher. The accomplished author of LILYVILLE: Mother, Daughter, and Other Roles I’ve Played, she is also the founder of the Feldshuh Fund for Women’s Health for early detection of all reproductive cancers. For her philanthropic work, she has received 3 Honorary Doctorates and is the recipient of the Israel Peace Medal and Eleanor Roosevelt Humanities Award. www.tovahfeldshuh.com
Zibby Owens
Zibby Owens is the bestselling author and editor of seven books includingBlank, Bookends: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Literature, Princess Charming, and the On Being Jewish Now anthology, which has spent 29 weeks on the USA Todaybestseller list and inspired a companion essay platform and a stage adaptation. Between Books: How I Started Over, Took Some Chances, and Found the Plot comes out September 22, 2026. She also edited the anthologies Moms Don’t Have Time to Have Kids and Moms Don’t Have Time To. She has contributed to Vogue, Oprah Daily, Good Morning America, and the Washington Post among other outlets, and writes a weekly bestselling Substack “Zibby’s Highlights.”
Owens hosts the award-winning podcast Totally Booked with Zibby with more than 2,300 author episodes, and the weekly TV show Totally Booked with Zibby on JBS (Jewish Broadcasting Service). A frequent speaker repped by UTA, moderator and broadcast guest, Owens is known for highlighting the book industry’s most anticipated new releases and emerging authors.
In 2021 she founded Zibby Media with the launch of Zibby Publishing and unique year-round hosted retreats and events for book lovers. In 2023, she opened Zibby’s Bookshop, the independent bookstore in Santa Monica, CA. A graduate of Yale University and Harvard Business School, Owens, a mother of four, lives in New York and L.A. with her husband, Kyle Owens of Morning Moon Productions.
David Serero
David Serero is an award-winning film and stage director, producer, and performer whose work spans theater, musicals, opera, and documentary filmmaking. He has established a distinctive signature in the documentary genre through in-depth portraits of prominent cultural figures, including Rocancourt, The United States of Elie Tahari, Richard Orlinski: The Art Documentary, Akon: From Africa to the World, Hélène Grimaud: Between The Notes, Serge Lama, and Christian Clavier: La Vis Comica. His work has screened internationally to critical acclaim.
Sponsors
Performing Arts programs are supported by 2026 season sponsors Galia Meiri-Stawski and Axel Stawski, with additional lead support from Henry and Peggy Schleiff, The Melville Straus Family Endowment, Monica and Peter Tessler, and Vital Projects Fund.
Guild Hall’s Performing Arts programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
Additional support provided by Friends of the Theater: Natascia Ayers and Jim Ciquera, Bonnie and Joel Bergstein, Gene Bernstein and Kathy Walsh, Amy Cooney and Marty Feinman, John and Joan D’Addario, Suzanne and John Golden, Hilarie and Mitchell Morgan, Steve and Susan Pesner and Peace, in memory of Michéle Pesner, whose entire life was devoted to all aspects of culture, The Schaffner Family Foundation, Lisa Schultz and Ezriel Kornel, Stacey and Oliver Stanton, and Susi and Peter Wunsch.
