Drawn to axis of easel

One of the best things about the new off-Broadway drama “My Name Is Asher Lev” is how old-fashioned it is. Although there are moments of levity, the show isn’t afraid to be deeply earnest. Watching it reminds you of how rare this has become.

Adapted by Aaron Posner from Chaim Potok’s 1972 novel of the same name, “Asher Lev” tackles big issues in a warm, sensitive way, and makes them feel universal despite the play’s very specific setting.

We’re in the 1950s, and the title character (Ari Brand) lives in Brooklyn with his Hasidic parents, Aryeh (Mark Nelson, also playing the other supporting male roles) and Rivkeh (Jenny Bacon, in all the supporting female roles).

Like them, Asher is observant, but he’s also compelled to draw, including reproductions of Christian art. “I am fighting every day to spread Torah and Hasidus, and I return to find a pagan in my own home!” his father rails.

The young boy finds an unexpected ally in the rebbe, who introduces him to a successful Jewish painter named Jacob Kahn.

Kahn becomes Asher’s guide, teaching him his craft and taking him to the great museums of Europe. For the mentor, art is a religion with its own rules. In that respect at least, Kahn isn’t so different from Aryeh, who’s dedicated his life to protecting another heritage.

Explaining the difference between a naked woman and a nude to his father, Asher finally connects when he says that nudes are part of a tradition — a concept Aryeh understands very well.

Every step of the way, Asher tries to straddle mutually exclusive worlds. His is the ages-old story of the rebellious child, alienated from his family but still loving.

As the action moves through the years and locations, director Gordon Edelstein makes the most of Eugene Lee’s versatile single set, which suggests both an austere household and a welcoming artist studio. Bacon — gotta love that treif name! — and Nelson are just as fluid, moving back and forth between very diverse characters. And Brand is a charismatic anchor who grounds the show while reflecting Asher’s struggles.

With his dark eyes burning, the young actor — who was meant to be in the aborted revival of Neil Simon’s “Broadway Bound” three years ago — brings a grave, sincere intensity to a character willing to sacrifice his culture and faith to follow his calling.

It’s not the showiest performance of the year, but it may be one of the most affecting.

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