Photography by Michael McDonald
Book Cover by Yaz Designs
Press Release
For release August 26, 2021 – Women’s Equality Day
Playwright and main character available for interview about her script, The Venus Fly Trap Agency
Salt Lake City, UT - Esther Israel has self-published a play about her treatment while working at a domestic violence shelter. The Venus Fly Trap Agency is set in a ski resort town and takes place from February to April of 2018. It is a tale about unchecked power, slander and greed. The Venus Fly Trap Agency chronicles a self-identified charitable organization. Upon closer inspection, their identity is a means of raising funds, soliciting donations and applying for grants. Something insidious is afoot. The Venus Fly Trap Agency is run by predatory business administrators who utilize their social and political clout to block a mental health therapist from providing the services they hired her to perform. This morality play relies on documentary evidence from emails, text messages, other written and spoken communications and legal records. It is the intellectual property of Esther Israel who registered her work for copyright in June 2021. The International Standard Book Number (ISBN) is 9781637907856. Soft covered hard copies are available for purchase from me for $15. The book is 87 pages and contains 5 acts of 73 pages, a bibliographical note and quotes.
Contact:
Esther Israel
(801)923-8569
Play
Reviews
Esther has been my good friend for decades. We grew up together, and while we have changed in many ways, some things remain the same. Esther's playful sense of humor, which is uproarious at times, is a mainstay of her personality. Her devotion to helping others and to making the world better is similarly undiminished by time. I know that Esther's commitment to helping her clients extends well beyond her therapeutic work with individuals. She works just as much to resolve the systemic inequities that contribute to and exacerbate the mental health issues of her clients. Esther's efforts to remedy systemic problems sometimes get her in trouble with those in authority who wish to maintain the status quo. Despite setbacks, she remains courageously undeterred in her efforts.
Esther's play is a testament to the struggles of those who speak up for what's right despite repeated pressures to remain silent. At the same time, her play illustrates the power of humor to carry one forward through dark times and to heal the spirit. Life is a journey for most, and an adventure for some, like Esther, who wish to effect positive change that benefits many beyond their personal spheres. I can't wait to find out where her adventure next takes her.
- Dr. M. Nissenbaum, Esq.
The Venus Fly Trap Agency terrifically captures the unnecessary frenzy, extremely stressful days, joy and hurt a mental healthcare worker can experience. Throughout the play Esther is able to navigate chaotic situations imposed upon her by coworkers with grace and wit. Her play is equally laced with humor and substantial evidence based knowledge. Each sentence has been placed with meaning, down to the character's last names. The Venus Fly Trap Agency is an enlightening and engaging read. It will resonate with anyone who has encountered a toxic work environment, specifically where there is a betrayal of principles. I enjoyed the character development that took place and the necessary background information.
- Hanna S., BA, Teacher
I read the play in one sitting and my only complaint is that it was not long enough. I wanted an Act Six! That said, the book is lovely to look at.
- Michael Popkin, former Chair of Humanities at Touro College, where the derech eretz is Broadway