From May 21 – June 1, 2025, Coachella Valley Repertory will present the world premiere of The Beverly Hills Hotel Peace Talks, written by Gregg Ostrin and directed by Randy Brenner. The play, inspired by the real-life controversy surrounding the 1968 film Funny Girl, imagines a high-stakes meeting between Israeli and Egyptian diplomats at the Beverly Hills Hotel, as a studio executive and publicity officer attempt to salvage the film amid political tensions. Ostrin, whose previous work Kowalski recently debuted Off-Broadway, tackles themes of diplomacy, identity, and the complex dynamics of Middle East peace negotiations. It’s an exploration of identity, loyalty, and the quest for peace.
Following the tremendous Off-Broadway success of Kowalski, Stage and Cinema‘s writer Jason Mannino caught up with Gregg Ostrin to discuss the evolution of his creative journey.
On the excitement of a new premiere:
“It’s a bit surreal, to be honest. Kowalski had a brief run in Los Angeles 11 years ago at Two Roads Theater in Studio City. After that, it kind of got shelved. That’s when a producer friend, Aaron Grant, stepped in and believed in the project, reviving it. Around the same time, I was working on another play, The Spy Who Went Into Rehab, which got picked up by Pacific Resident Theater in Venice. That one is actually heading to the Fringe Festival this August.
But Kowalski happened independently of that. We started rehearsals in December/January and now we’re aiming for Broadway. The way everything lined up felt like perfect timing. When Kowalski closed, there was this brief lull. It’s incredible to be able to jump right into this next world premiere. Walking into the theater, knowing that your play is being worked on by a team that believes in it—that’s a feeling I’ll never get tired of. The energy is great, and [CV Rep Artistic Director] Adam [Karsten], who’s been so supportive, is genuinely passionate about theater. It’s an exciting vibe all around.”
A Fan of Funny Girl?
Though it might seem expected, Ostrin shares a personal connection to the iconic Funny Girl—but not exactly in the way you might think.
“My mother, Barbara, was a huge Funny Girl fan. We had the Broadway soundtrack, and I grew up listening to it. But honestly, I was more into movie soundtracks growing up. I loved big orchestrations and cinematic music. The first Barbra movie I ever saw was Hello, Dolly! But I’ve always had an appreciation for showbiz history. Being Jewish, the Peace Talks story felt deeply significant to me, not just because of the film but because of the political and cultural implications of Barbra Streisand and Omar Sharif being cast together. It’s a wild, layered history that fascinated me—especially the protests that erupted at the time. It’s more than just Funny Girl; it’s about the cultural tensions that shaped the film.”
On Research and Writing Process
When it came to researching this project, Ostrin dove deep into a variety of sources to uncover the story behind the making of Funny Girl.
“Unfortunately, I didn’t have direct access to any of the original individuals involved, but I was able to do extensive research online. The challenge, though, is that most of the material out there is rehashed from the same sources. I read every biography I could find—even Omar Sharif’s. One interesting tidbit I found was how the film’s investors, all Jewish, wanted to get rid of Sharif, but director William Wyler fought to keep him in the role. I also found a fantastic Barbra Streisand archive website with tons of behind-the-scenes photos and casting details.
Originally, I wanted to write a play about Barbra and Sharif’s affair, but after consulting with someone close to Barbra, I realized it might not be the best route. Still, what fascinated me were the parallels between the fictionalized story in Funny Girl and the very real tensions surrounding the movie’s production. The layers of identity, diplomacy, and performance became the heart of the play.”
Exploring Themes of Identity and Conflict
The play explores the deep themes of identity, loyalty, and the complexities of cultural conflict. For Ostrin, these themes arose organically from the story’s foundations.
“The core theme of the play is about identity. It’s about a Jewish-American man who has distanced himself from his heritage, only to be confronted with the very essence of what it means to be Jewish. It’s about questioning loyalty to your country, how far you’re willing to go to protect it, and whether you can open yourself to your enemy’s perspective. This all connects to larger political and racial questions—can we bridge the divide? Can we find common ground with those we think we have nothing in common with?
The play raises important questions about nationalism, loyalty, and identity, but it’s also grounded in the real-life struggles of the Middle East, which are still so relevant today. At its heart, it asks: Can there be peace? What does it mean to belong to a culture? What does it mean to be Black, Jewish, White, Egyptian, Israeli? These are the questions the play grapples with, and they resonate on both a macro and micro level.”
The Audience Experience: What Do You Want People to Take Away?
When it comes to what audiences should expect from this production, Ostrin has clear intentions.
“I want them to be entertained, transported, and maybe even leave with a new perspective on issues they hadn’t thought about before. I hope they’ll be reflecting on their own lives and the ‘enemies’ in their lives—what that concept means to them. Ultimately, I want the audience to walk away moved, thinking about the big and small questions raised in the play. These four characters are all trying to answer the same question: Who am I, and what is my place in the world?”
The Beverly Hills Hotel Peace Talks
Coachella Valley Repertory
68510 East Palm Canyon Dr in Cathedral City
Wed & Sat at 2 & 7; Thurs & Fri at 7; Sun at 2
May 21 – June 1, 2025
for tickets, call 760.296.2966 x115 or visit CV Rep
