Wednesday, October 7, 2026
The Friedberg JCC in Oceanside will host “Being Somebody” — a truly singular theatrical event on June 19 — starring 89-year-old psychologist-turned-actor Dr. Howard Mase and his daughter, singer and performer Marla Mase, 60.
Together with director and co-producer Elizabeth Browning, the real-life father-daughter duo takes audiences on a sweeping, intergenerational journey through storytelling, music and movement — testing the boundaries of age, memory, and the enduring power of family.
The idea for “Being Somebody” was born in December 2022, just days after Howard’s wife of many decades died at age 84.
“It was essentially an accident,” Howard recalled about how “Being Somebody” was created.
On Dec. 31, while they were observing the Jewish tradition of sitting shiva, their friend — and Marla’s longtime acting coach — Browning encouraged Howard to read aloud some childhood vignettes he’d penned in 1988. Browning was moved to tears.
“Howard, this is a show the world needs to hear,” she said.
Howard was initially reluctant, saying “I love reading my stories, but acting onstage? That’s not really my game plan.”
Howard agreed when Browning suggested he didn’t even have to memorize lines. “You know, you can just read the stories,” she said. “Reading, I could do,” he responded.
Marla said she remembered the moment vividly. “Five days later, we were alone, and Elizabeth said, ‘Read your stories, because he loves reading his stories … he wants to read them, and it would make him happy.’”
Howard began to share personal tales of his 1940s Brooklyn childhood — “growing up as a skinny little Jewish kid” amid post-war optimism — and has transformed them into a critically acclaimed theatrical experience that has touched audiences across multiple venues.
“Being Somebody” is structured in two halves. In the first half, Howard presents nostalgic narratives — spanning his early school days to adolescence — delivered straight from a script he tucks under his arm. In the second, Marla responds with dynamic musical vignettes that echo the gritty disco era of the 1970s. Throughout the production, Browning said she watched as Howard shed his psychologist’s poise for theatrical presence.
“He’s exploring … doing acting exercises,” she said. “I knew something really special was happening here.”
Both performers draw on their professional backgrounds — Howard’s decades as an organizational psychologist lend his stories a problem-solving ethos, or as he puts it, “as a psychologist, I’m always looking to fix the problem,” while Marla’s experience as a writer and singer infuses her songs with both raw emotion and polished performance.
“There are moments of sadness and drama, and then lots of laughter,” Howard said. “It’s hopeful — it brings hope to me at my age, and to people in their 20s, 40s, or 102. That’s the universal appeal.”
Since its debut, “Being Somebody” has earned standing ovations at sold-out venues across New York City, Westchester County, Rhode Island, New Jersey and Florida. Audiences range from college students to centenarians, drawn by the show’s blend of humor, pathos, and unspoken familial love.
“Everything I do in my life has been something that I would have been like, ‘never in a million years,’ and then it happened,” Marla said. “I’m a big believer in the power of storytelling as far as healing is concerned.”
Performing together has deepened the theatrical duo’s relationship in unexpected ways.
“We’ve always been close, but sharing the stage has knit us tighter,” Marla said. “In between songs, we dance in the wings. During intermission, he’ll say, ‘I can’t believe I’m up here with you.’”
Marla’s reflections — both onstage and off — offer powerful counterpoints to her father’s stories. She sings “Do You Remember?” as she’s seated beside him in one poignant moment, and offers her own vivid sketches of 1970s life.
“My part is almost like a reaction to his stories,” she said. “There’s an underlying feeling of hope and goodness. Hard things happen, but here’s someone who’s 89, vibrant and alive.”
The performance at the Friedberg JCC, on Thursday, Juneteenth, at 7:30 p.m., promises the full arc of the show’s emotional landscape — from a Brooklyn teacher’s life-changing lesson in junior high, “Mrs. Frost,” as Howard calls her, to Marla’s vocals and playful stage banter.
“This isn’t just a performance, it’s a celebration of life,” Browning said. “It’s about recognizing the magic in our own stories and connecting through shared humanity.”
The show has already completed 13 performances, receiving standing ovations and moving audiences from ages 22 to 102. Notably, Howard, a practicing organizational psychologist, discovered a new passion for performance at an age when many might consider slowing down.
“You’re never too old to be young,” Howard said.
Tickets for Being Somebody are $15, with a discounted price of $10 for JCC members. To purchase tickets, call 516-766-4341, or visit the Friedberg JCC’s registration site at registration.friedbergjcc.org/MyCenter and type Being Somebody into the search bar. For more information, contact Marcy Hallerman at mhallerman@friedbergjcc.org.
