Easy Lenny Lazmon and the Great Western Ascension,

David E. Kemp, a former professor of drama at Queen’s University, is
the author of The Pleasures and Treasures of the United Kingdom.

This play, which won four Dora awards (including outstanding new play)
in 1998–99, tells the story of a would-be Jewish cowboy and his female
sidekick who are searching for a vague promised land. As they head west
on an abandoned desert road, they cross paths with a lonely and
mysterious old rancher and his scarred and seemingly deranged wife. The
encounter gives the travelers insight into the aspirations and dangers
of their quest.

Underlying the surface narrative is an ambitious exploration of Western
expansion, Jewish history, and ancient religious traditions—especially
the mysterious trappings of Kabbalism, a mystic offshoot of the Jewish
faith. Piatigorsky, who studied religion and theatre at Brown
University, has written a play that challenges and rewards in equal
measure.