An Actress’ Secret Weapon

By Jennifer Watson | Photos by Matthew Holler

Anat Cogan has been on stage since the age of nine. Born in Tel-Aviv, Israel, Cogan performed in the Israeli theater as a kid, and then studied acting in high school. 

Following high school, like all Israeli citizens – both male and female – Cogan was required to serve in the Israeli Defense Force. But Cogan didn’t let her military assignment keep her from her true passion. 

“When I graduated from high school, I served in the Israeli Defense Force in their theater ensemble,” said Cogan. “I come from a family of artists, so I guess theater has always been in my life.”

Five years ago, she decided to move to the US to pursue her dream. “And here I am,” continued Cogan, “in the US, playing an Israel character in both English AND Hebrew – a character with the same name as my mother’s (Ayelet). Life is interesting, indeed.”

Eight times a week, Cogan brings her character, Ayelet, to life in Florida Studio Theatre’s production of Handle with Care, a romantic comedy where two people meet and fall in love despite one very important issue: They don’t speak the same language.

“I think my main challenge in taking on this role is to bridge the language gap and make audiences understand what I’m saying without them knowing Hebrew,” she shared. “After a few years of acting only in English, it is an absolute joy to work in Hebrew again. I love this language and am very connected to it.

Of course, this means Cogan doesn’t just have Hebrew lines to memorize, but English ones as well.

“The fact that I will play in both languages in this play is very exciting and feels like I have a secret weapon of some sort,” shared Cogan. “I think one of the biggest joys that will come up from that will be to listen to the audience reactions every night – will they laugh and understand the jokes even though they are in Hebrew?”

Not only does Cogan have to move effortlessly from one language to another in this challenging production, but she will also have to convince audiences that she cannot make out a word her fellow cast members are saying. “I believe this is the first show I’m doing in which I have to act as though I don’t understand my scene partner at all,” said Cogan. “I think it is part of the point in this play – the way we communicate with one another and make human connections is a lot more than just words.”

For Cogan, it’s challenging to work in the theater world as an Israeli actress. “I usually get called in for Middle Eastern or Mediterranean roles,” she shared. ”I know that is my ‘type,’ which is great, but I can do so much more. I would love to be able to play classical roles or get cast in a modern American play, but usually, I wouldn’t be the top option for those projects. That being said, I am who I am, and that’s what makes me stand out. I’ve learned to see it as my strength and not my weakness.”

Called “Hilarious and Heartwarming” by The New York Times, Handle with Care is now playing at Florida Studio Theatre. Tickets are on sale at floridastudiotheatre.org or by calling their Box Office at 941.366.9000. 

About Handle with Care
By Jason Odell Williams with Hebrew written by Charlotte Cohn

A young woman from Israel, Ayelet, reluctantly joins her grandmother on a trip to the United States. Circumstances both absurd and tragic bring Ayelet, who has little command of the English language, together with Josh, a young American man who has little command of romance, on Christmas Eve. Is their inevitable love an accident…or is it destiny, generations in the making?