Call Me Izzy
Studio 54
August 20, 2025
Jean Smart delivers
a brilliant performance in Call Me Izzy. Playwright Jamie Wax crafted a
beautifully rhythmic script with a character who is full of hope. Director Sarna Lapine molded this piece with
layers for Ms. Smart to explore in an intimate manner. She invites the audience into her story, sharing
her secrets and revealing her innermost desires. 
Photo courtesy of Call Me Izzy
Isabelle (played by Jean Smart) decides at an early age she wants to be called Izzy, but only a few people do. She performs a poem in a third-grade assembly, which opens the world of words to her. She decides she wants to be a poet, and writes as often as she can. She shares her notebook with her teacher, who buys her a book of verse to study. When she turns nineteen, Izzy’s father marries her off to a man five years her senior. They move to a trailer park, where he severely limits her social connections. He does not allow her to write, so she does it secretly, keeping her notebooks hidden. She befriends a neighbor behind her husband’s back, who takes her to the local library. She pushes Izzy to join a writing class. When Izzy wins a writing contest, her husband finds and burns all her notebooks. She starts over, pushes against her husband’s abuse, and does not stop sharing her writing.
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| Jean Smart as Izzy Photo courtesy of Call Me Izzy |
character is open and honest, yet holds back on sharing the physical and emotional damage her husband causes her. The reveal of this abuse is powerful and jarring. Ms. Smart’s portrayal of her character’s ability to rise up and move on is stunning.
Call Me Izzy is playing at Studio 54 through August 24. It is an emotional and inspirational story of creativity and perseverance. Don’t miss Jean Smart in this role!
Domenick Danza
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