DELRAY BEACH, FL — Feeling farklempt about the state of modern language? Longing for a class that is equal parts brainy, bouncy, and a bisl nostalgic? Look no further—Movies of Delray is proud to announce the return of Avi Hoffman’s Yiddish Fun01, a hands-on participatory 3-week series using the original curricula crafted by Columbia University Professor Miriam Hoffman, while her son, the renowned actor and Professor of freylakh, Avi Hoffman, will lead the learning—and the kvelling.
Rooted in the rich academic tradition of Yiddish studies, this course isn’t just about language; it’s about culture, history, music, poetry, and chutzpah. NO prior knowledge of Yiddish required—just an open mind and a curiosity for the mishigas that makes Yiddish tick.
Yiddish may be an ancient language, but around here, it’s always in session—and always a little bit funny. Mazel tov to that!
Participants will:
Engage with the same material taught at Columbia University (minus the tuition bill)
Experience music, poetry, comedy, art, and plenty of “oy vey” moments
Walk away with new words, lots of laughs, and an appreciation of how Yiddish shaped mainstream culture
Whether you are a curious academic or just curious about what your grandparents were muttering when they didn’t want you to understand, this course promises knowledge, nostalgia, and nakhes in equal measure. As one student raved, “Not only is it fun, but the inclusion of history and culture provides a richness that is astounding.” Others just call it “the highlight of my week.”
For more information Avi Hoffman’s Yiddish Fun01, to speak with Avi Hoffman, or to arrange to attend a session, please contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244.
In the attached photo: Avi & Miriam Hoffman Photo credit: Unknown
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Avi Hoffman’s Yiddish Fun01 Based upon material by Miriam Hoffman Led by Avi Hoffman Tuesdays:October 21, October 28, November 4 12 – 1 pm Tickets: $18 per class / $48 for the series For reservations: 561-638-0020 All classes will be held at The Movies of Delray 7421 West Atlantic Avenue Delray Beach, FL
Love Jewish to present a Free Staged Reading of A People by L M Feldman Directed by Avi Hoffman August 25th at Island City Stage Love Jewish is dedicated to give a voice to contemporary Jewish LGBTQ+ artists and content creators.
WILTON MANORS, FL: In celebration of Jewish Pride, Love Jewish, a division of Yiddishkayt Initiative, will present a staged reading of playwright L M Feldman’s theatrical mosaic A People as their inaugural season presentation. The performance will take place on August 25th at 7 pm at Island City Stage.
Directed by Avi Hoffman and featuring South Florida favorites Ana Marie Calise, Eytan Deray, Lela Elam, Rayner Gabriel, Avi Hoffman, Autumn Kioti-Horn, Laura Turnbull, and others, A People will take audiences on a magical lyrical journey into heritage, tradition, religion, and humanity.
Feldman holds up a mirror to 5000 years of Jewish identity and history, reminding us that we are all descendants from somewhere, and we can choose to deny our lineage, wrestle with it, or embrace it. Sometimes hilarious and sometimes terrifyingly honest, A People’s ensemble will take on a mass of old and new-world personalities to create snippets of life the way we see it, the way we want it, and the way it is.
Utilizing the performing arts, media, publishing, education, language, and literature, the mission of Love Jewish is to Advocate for Jewish Pride, Build Cultural Bridges and Challenge Antisemitism Through the Arts by promoting Jewish history and life, and their far-reaching impact on the contemporary world. Based in Miami-Dade County, in proud partnership with the University of Miami and Florida Atlantic University, YI Love Jewish builds engagement and forges multicultural and diverse connections through an immersive and varied range of programming for audiences worldwide.
Tickets for A People are free, with a suggested donation of $10, and are now available. They can be purchased online at www.YILoveJewish.org/events. Island City Stage is located at 2304 North Dixie Highway in Wilton Manors (33305).
For more information about A People, Love Jewish, and Yiddishkayt Initiative please visit https://yilovejewish.org. To arrange interviews, photos, or requests to see the performance, please contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244.
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A People By L M Feldman Monday, August 25th at 7 pm Tickets: FREE ($10 Suggested Donation) To reserve: https://yilovejewish.org/events The performance will take place at Island City Stage 2304 North Dixie Highway Wilton Manors, FL 33305
L M Feldman is a queer, feminist playwright (and circus artist) who pens plays that are wildly theatrical but deeply intimate. Formally ambitious plays that move and take up space. Plays that are questioning, wrestling, and asking. Plays without answers. Plays about women and queers, plays about outsiders and searchers. Plays grappling with voice and agency, opportunity and access, history and its wake. Plays about the human connection. Plays that seek to be a greater, communal, rare theatrical event in which something transcendent transpires – for those both onstage & off.
Her plays include Thrive, or What You Will (Page 73 Residency, New Georges Audrey Residency); Another Kind Of Silence (Magic Theatre Virgin Play Festival, PlayPenn Conference, Playwrights Realm Fellowship, FEWW Prize Honorable Mention); Amanuensis (Georgetown University); A People (Orbiter 3, Jewish Plays Project); The Egg-Layers (Jane Chambers Honorable Mention, New Georges/Barnard College commission); Grace, or The Art of Climbing (Denver Center, Art House Productions, Nice People Theatre, ATCA/Steinberg New Play Award Nomination, Barrymore Nomination); ensemble-devised works, including Gumshoe (New Paradise Labs + Free Library of Philadelphia + Rosenbach Museum), War of the Worlds: Philadelphia (Swim Pony + Drexel University), And If You Lose Your Way, Or A Food Odyssey (The Invisible Dog, New York Innovative Theatre Award Nomination), and others; and a baker’s dozen of short plays. She has been nominated for the Barrie and Bernice Stavis Playwright Award, Wendy Wasserstein Prize, Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, and the Doric Wilson Independent Playwright Award. She was awarded an artist grant through the Boomerang Fund and a creation grant from the State of Vermont, and she has been an artist-in-residence at Terra Firma, SPACE at Ryder Farm, the School of Making Thinking, Tofte Lake Center, Montana Artists Refuge, Montana Repertory Theatre, Sewanee University of the South, Cornell University, and Theater Emory/Brave New Works Festival. A graduate of the Yale School of Drama, L is also a New Georges Affiliated Artist, a devised-work collaborator, a teacher of playwriting (Bryn Mawr College, Lantern Theatre/Jefferson Medical School, PlayPenn), and a freelance dramaturg.
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Love Jewish proudly presents Avi Hoffman in Celebrating ‘Yosl’: Remembering Joe Papp A live and streaming concert event featuringCelebrity Video Testimonials
Theater icon Joseph Papp, aka Yosl Papirofsky, creator of the New York Shakespeare Festival & Public Theater, to be remembered and honored in a live and streaming concert celebrating his 104th birthday at the Triad Theatre on June 22, 2025, at 1 pm (EST).
“The single most creative and controversial figure in American theater” – Newsweek
June 5, 2025 New York, NY – Joseph Papp (1921-1991), born ‘Yosl Papirofsky’, revolutionized modern theater as we know it. This theatrical icon – winner of 28 Tony Awards – will be the subject of a memorial concert on what would have been his 104th birthday on June 22 at 1 pm. This tribute will be presented by Love Jewish (a division of Yiddishkayt Initiative) at the Triad Theatre, 158 W. 72nd St., New York, NY 10023.
The concert event will also feature pre-recorded celebrity testimonials from Mandy Patinkin and Kathryn Grody, F. Murray Abraham, Blythe Danner, John Lithgow, Estelle Parsons, and many others.
Joe Papp’s vision led him in 1957 to establish the “Shakespeare in the Park” free theatrical productions. Ten years later, he founded The Public Theater in the building that had formerly housed the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS), a haven for newly arrived refugees fleeing persecution. The building was saved from demolition through Mr. Papp’s efforts after a long negotiation with the City of New York. It became the permanent home of the New York Shakespeare Festival/Joseph Papp Public Theatre (The Public) and is currently designated as a New York City Historical Landmark.
Hair, A Chorus Line, and Runaways, are among the most famous shows to evolve from his ‘workshops’, along with over 700 other shows Papp nurtured and/or produced. Modern blockbusters like Hamilton were also developed at The Public. He championed the cause of multi-ethnic casting and socially relevant topics and was a social activist who also helped develop other off-Broadway experimental theaters. He worked to preserve the historic Broadway Theatre District and was considered one of the most philanthropic providers of inner-city access to the arts, believing that “if public libraries were free, public theatre should be free as well.”
Celebrating Yosl is a tribute that features YI Founder and CEO, Drama Desk Award nominee (Death of a Salesman) and world-renowned actor and Jewish cultural activist Avi Hoffman, who Joe Papp mentored in the 1980s with the creation of the Joseph Papp Yiddish Theatre.
Avi Hoffman was recently awarded Congressional recognition, invited to the Vatican to meet the late Pope Francis, and was inducted into the Bronx Jewish Hall of Fame for his lifetime dedication to advancing Jewish culture, Yiddishkayt, and Holocaust Awareness. He is best known for his Too Jewish Trilogy: Award-winning, one-man shows Too Jewish, Too Jewish, Too! (PBS, Performer of the Year ’95 – NY Press Magazine; L.A. OVATION award – Best Actor In a Musical 2001; NY Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle award nominations) and Still Jewish After All These Years. On TV, he was featured as Sid Raskin in the Starz TV series Magic City, as well as on Netflix’s Bloodline, A&E’s The Glades, and on the NBC series Law and Order. He has recently starred in several indie films: You Will Not Play Wagner and the International Award-winning short Yiddish Films: Shehita (Best Thriller – HollyShorts Festival), Boxed, and the motion picture – The Imported Bridegroom. Avi has performed all over the world, has numerous acting and directing credits, and has received many awards and nominations.
In the photos below: Joseph Papp Avi Hoffman Photo credits: Unknown ~ What: CELEBRATING ‘YOSL’:Remembering Joe Papp! Where: Triad Theatre, 158 W. 72nd St., New York, NY 10023 When: Sunday, June 22nd at 1:00 pm EST Click: General Admission Tickets: $36 Click: 20 VIP/Reserved Seating and Private Post-Show meal with Avi: $90 Click: Balcony Student Tickets: $18 (with any valid student ID) Click: Streaming Tickets: $18/$36 To sponsor this event, please contact Ana Marie Calise anac@whyilovejewish.org ~ YI Love Jewish is a division of Yiddishkayt Initiative (YI), a 501(c) (3) not-for-profit organization that builds Jewish engagement and forges multi-cultural connections through an immersive and varied range of programming for audiences around the globe. YI offers a global clearinghouse of Jewish culture and entertainment staffed by experts in subject matter and production. The organization works with a wide range of organizations, including the University of Miami’s Sue and Leonard Miller Center and the George Feldenkreis Program in Contemporary Judaic Studies. YI partners with local Jewish Federations, JCCs, synagogues, Hadassah chapters, Hillel chapters, men’s groups, women’s guilds, special interest clubs, youth groups, summer camp programs and educational institutions worldwide.
Yiddishkayt Initiative and The University of Miami Center for Jewish Studies in Association with Miami New Drama and Second Serve Productions to present a staged reading of The Righteous A new play by Jeff Cohen
In a World filled with turmoil and amorality, what does it mean to be Righteous?
MIAMI BEACH, FL: In honor of Yom HaShoah – Holocaust Remembrance Day – Yiddishkayt Initiative (YI Love Jewish) and The University of Miami Miller Center for Judaic Studies in association with Miami New Drama and Second Serve Productions will present a staged reading of Drama Desk Award-winner Jeff Cohen’s (The Soap Myth) new play The Righteous. The event will take place at Miami New Drama (at The Colony Theatre) on April 22nd at 7:30pm.
What would you do if you learned that your country planned to exterminate an entire race of people? That is the horrible question faced by Eduard Schulte, a captain of German industry and member of Hitler’s inner circle. The Righteous is the true story of the man who sounded the alarm of Hitler’s plan to murder all the Jews in Europe. Schulte’s warning reached the desk of President Roosevelt in December 1942. Roosevelt refused to act.
Schulte’s identity was a closely guarded secret for over forty years and his heroic act to stop the Holocaust was kept hidden from his family and from the world. The Righteous tells his story through the lens of Priscilla Schulte, the American granddaughter who never knew him. She uncovers a compelling and poignant portrait of a man who risked his life and the lives of his family to stand up against evil. In 1988, Eduard Schulte was posthumously honored by Yad Vashem as Righteous Among the Nations – a Righteous Gentile.
The Righteous will be directed by the playwright Jeff Cohen, and feature Tony Award nominee Craig Bierko (The Music Man) and two-time Drama Desk Award nominee Avi Hoffman (Death of a Salesman), along with an award-winning cast of some of South Florida’s most talented actors, including Laura Turnbull, Patti Gardner, Irene Adjan, Peter Galman, Chiz Chisholm, Stephen Schnetzer,and Dave Corey.
The Righteous will be staged for one night only at Miami New Drama (The Colony Theatre, 1040 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach, FL 33139). Admission to the reading is FREE, however reservations are required, and can be made online at https://yilovejewish.org/events.
For more information about The Righteous, to arrange for interviews, for photos, and/or to arrange to see the performance, please contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244. ~ The Righteous By Jeff Cohen Tuesday, April 22 at 7:30 pm Admission: FREE (Reservations required) For reservations: https://yilovejewish.org/events Or call 954-678-1496 The performance will take place at Miami New Drama/Colony Theatre 1040 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach, FL 33139 ~
Jeff Cohen (Playwright). Jeff Cohen’s drama The Soap Myth is considered one of the most important plays about antisemitism and Holocaust denial. Ed Asner toured the country in The Soap Myth as a “concert reading” and the play was filmed and broadcast by PBS starring Mr. Asner and Tovah Feldshuh. Other notable actors who have performed The Soap Myth include Richard Dreyfuss, Bob Gunton, John Rubinstein, Harris Yulin, and Jayne Atkinson. His play The Man Who Ate Michael Rockefeller was a NY Times and Time Out New York Critic’s Pick. He received international acclaim and a special 2002 Drama Desk Award for his response to the attacks of 9/11. The Tribeca Playhouse Stage Door Canteen, his 10-week USO-style variety show to “entertain the troops” (the rescue and recovery workers at Ground Zero) featured such stars as Kristen Chenoweth, Phylicia Rashad, Sandy Duncan, Colin Quinn and many more. He produced and directed a number of award-winning new plays including Christopher Shinn’s Four (NY Times Critic’s Pick)and Tristine Skyler’s The Moonlight Room (NY Times annual Ten Best productions). The NY Times Arts & Leisure profiled him alongside internationally acclaimed avant-garde artists Ivo Van Hove and The Wooster Group for his groundbreaking work adapting classic plays to an American milieu. In his five-decades in the theater, Mr. Cohen has helped launch the careers of Laura Linney, Kathryn Hahn, Christopher Shinn, Michael Ealy and DB Sweeney – to name just a few.
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jeff CohenCraig BierkoAvi HoffmanIrene AdjanChiz ChisholmDave CoreyPeter W. GalmanPatti GardnerStephen SchnetzerLaura Turnbull
DAVIE, FL: LoveJewish.org in association with NSU Florida’s Alvin Sherman Library and the University of Miami Sue and Leonard Miller Center will present a FREE reading of award-winning playwright Debbie Slevin’s critically acclaimed play Gate B23: Carry-On Baggage. The reading will take place at 1:00 pm on January 15thin the Sherman Library.
This ‘dramedy’, directed by Avi Hoffman, is a witty and compelling exploration of human connection amid uproarious chaos. It follows a diverse cast of travelers, each wrestling with personal challenges, as they are stranded at Gate B23 at Palm Beach International Airport whilst enduring an increasingly prolonged flight delay. The play promises to deliver a unique theatrical experience that blends humor, tension, and profound human insights.
The reading of Gate B23: Carry-On Baggage will feature some of South Florida’s most prominent actors, including Brandon Campbell, Rayner Gabriel, Harriet Oser, Emma Garcia Seeger, Devra Seidel, Barbara Sloan, and Troy Stanley. Dave Corey will take on the role of the progressively disturbed Gate Attendant.
Debbie Slevin, an award-winning essayist and author is a writer, producer/director, and teacher. She conceived and co-produced The Apron Strings Project in Riverhead, NY, produced and directed The Last Five Years at Guild Hall in East Hampton, and the first NYC revival of Songs for a New World. Her play Gate B23: Carry-On Baggage was a best-selling selection of NYC International Fringe Festival and Manhattan Repertory Theater’s Winterfest. Now a well-read blogger for Huffpo50, Debbie’s writing has also appeared in Essence Magazine, Woman’s World, and Reform Judaism. She was also a staff writer for the Jewish Standard.
Tickets for Gate B23: Carry-On Baggage are FREE. Reservations can be made online at www.YILoveJewish.org/Events or at The Alvin Sherman Library at Nova Southeastern University, located at 3100 Ray Ferrero Jr. Blvd, Davie, FL 33314.
For more information about Gate B23: Carry-On Baggage, to speak with anyone involved in the reading, or to arrange to see the performance, please contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244.
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Gate B23: Carry-On Baggage By Debbie Slevin January 15, 2025 at 1:00 pm Tickets: FREE For tickets: www.YILoveJewish.org/Events The reading will take place in The Alvin Sherman Library at Nova Southeastern University 3100 Ray Ferrero Jr. Blvd. Davie, FL 33314
AVENTURA, FL: YI Love Jewish in partnership with the City of Aventura, and in collaboration with the Rose & Alfred Miniaci Performing Arts Center and the Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts will present Anne Being Frank, a new play by Israeli-born Australian playwright Ron Elisha. Directed by Amanda Brooke Lerner, the production will run at three venues in South Florida: November 9th (at the Aventura Arts & Cultural Center), November 10th (in the Rinker Playhouse at the Kravis Center) and November 12th (at the Miniaci Performing Arts Center).
Performed Off-Broadway to rave reviews, this one-woman show starring Alexis Fishman is a total reimagining of the iconic story of Anne Frank. The play, which received the 2023 Broadway World – Best Production award, takes place within three worlds: Anne and her family’s secret annex hiding place, the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp where Anne died, and an imagined world where Anne survives WWII to go over the manuscript of her diary with her editor at a publishing house in Manhattan. But now, with her devastating new insight into the depths of human depravity, she has rewritten her entire diary at the great personal cost of constantly having to justify her choices to her editor, who wants to maintain the purity and innocence of the original story.
Anne Being Frank poses the philosophical question: “Had Anne known precisely what was in store for her and her family at the hands of the Nazis, would she still have written, ‘In spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart’?”
Australian-born Fishman is a Helpmann Award-nominated actor and singer who currently lives in New York. She is a board member of 3GNY, an educational non-profit for the descendants of Holocaust Survivors and tells her grandparents’ story in New York public schools.
Anne Being Frank is presented as a commemoration of Kristallnacht by YI Love Jewish and Executive Producer Marc Levin.
Tickets for Anne Being Frank are on sale now at all three venues and can be purchased online at yilovejewish.org/events. Ticket prices begin at $52.
For more information about Anne Being Frank, to speak with anyone involved in the production, or to arrange to see a performance, please contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244 or Jenna Swanson at Jswanson@piersongrant.com / 954-776-1999, ext. 235.
Anne Being Frank contains adult language or content.
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Anne Being Frank A New Play by Ron Elisha Saturday, November 9 at 8 pm at The Aventura Arts & Cultural Center 3385 NE 188th Street Aventura, FL 33180 Sunday, November 10 at 8 pm in The Rinker Playhouse at the Kravis Center 701 Okeechobee Boulevard West Palm Beach, FL 33401 Tuesday, November 12 at 7:30 pm at Rose & Alfred Miniaci Performing Arts Center 3100 Ray Ferrero Jr. Boulevard Davie, FL 33314 Tickets: $52 and up. To purchase tickets at any of the above venues, and/or for more information visit https://yilovejewish.org/events
CORAL SPRINGS, FL: YILove Jewish (a division of the Yiddishkayt Initiative) will host a Sunday Schmooze series beginning October 13th at the Coral Springs Center for the Arts. Each event will begin with coffee, bagels, and ‘schmoozing’ (‘talking with someone in a friendly and engaging way!’), followed by lively, educational, and entertaining programming.
YI Love Jewish, founded by actor/producer/Jewish cultural activist Avi Hoffman and his mother, Miriam Hoffman, world-renowned scholar and professor of Yiddish language at Columbia University, is not-for-profit organization that celebrates and promotes Jewish history, life, and culture and their positive and far-reaching impact on the world. From performing arts, publishing, and education to language, philosophy and literature, YI offers a global clearinghouse of Jewish learning, culture and entertainment.
The Sunday SchmoozeSeries will offer a wide variety of programming and discussion opportunities and fits neatly into the YILove Jewish goal to utilize the arts to promote Jewish culture and identity both within and outside the Jewish community.
The first four programs to be offered are:
October 13th: Anne Frank: A discussion centering on how Anne Frank’s Diary influenced people’s perception of the Holocaust. There will be a video interview with playwright Ron Elisha and star Alexis Fishman introducing their play Anne Being Frank, which will be presented at various venues in South Florida in November.
November 17: How are Jews portrayed in the media? Igor Shteyrenberg, founder of the Miami Jewish Film Festival will discuss how Jewish culture has made its way into mainstream cinema.
December 22: Chanukah Around the World. How do Jews around the world celebrate? Explore the different customs and traditional foods associated with ‘The Festival of Lights’ while enjoying latkes and donuts, and perhaps even playing a round or two of a dreidel game.
January 19: Rhythm and Schmooze ‘Singalong’. Join Avi Hoffman and Aaron Kula for a celebration of Jewish music.
For more information about YI Love Jewish and the Sunday Schmooze Series, and/or to purchase tickets, visit the organization’s website at https://yilovejewish.org or contact Sheri Smith – sheris@whyilovejewish.org / 561-254-5494 or Carol Kassie – carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244.
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Sunday Schmooze Series at the Coral Springs Center for the Arts October 13/November 17/December 22/January 19 For tickets and Information: https://yilovejewish.org Single Schmooze tickets are $18 per person/series tickets are $54 All Schmoozes will take place from 11:30 am (Schmooze) 12 pm – 1:30 pm program at The Coral Springs Center for the Arts 2885 Coral Springs Drive Coral Springs, Florida 33065
2024-2025 THEATRE/CONCERT PRODUCTION SCHEDULES for Boca Stage Pigs Do Fly Productions Hy Juter Presents Off Glades Theater Company Broadway at LPAC Pompano Players YI Love Jewish/Yiddishkayt Initiative Delray Beach Playhouse
Below is a current list of the productions and concerts scheduled for the 2024-2025 season. Please note that this list and these productions are subject to change, and that there will possibly be additions and rescheduling as time goes by! Please don’t hesitate to contact me should you need more information about any of these companies and/or shows. Show graphics can be found below the list.
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BOCA STAGE
Sidekicked by Kim Powers September 18 – 29, 2024 It’s the last night on set filming I Love Lucy and America’s favorite housecoat-wearing sidekick, Ethel Mertz, played by Vivian Vance, has a lot to get off her chest. In her dressing room she issues an SOS to her long-time analyst: “Help me understand who I am before I’m stuck being Ethel forever.” And she relives it all: The good, the bad, and the Lucy. Directed by Genie Croft/Starring Irene Adjan
The Last Night of BallyHoo By Alfred Uhry October 24 – November 3, 2024 Atlanta, Georgia, December 1939. Gone with the Wind is having its world premiere and Hitler is invading Poland. But Adolph Freitag (owner of the Dixie Bedding Company), his sister Boo, and sister-in-law Reba, along with nieces Lala and Sunny – a highly assimilated Jewish family – are looking forward to Ballyhoo, a lavish cotillion ball sponsored by their restrictive country club. Comedy, romance, and revelations all combine as the family finally confronts their identity in this rapidly changing world. Directed by Keith Garsson
Living on Love By Joe DiPietro Based on the play Peccadillo by Garson Kanin January 16 -26, 2025 When a demanding diva discovers that her larger-than-life maestro husband has become enamored with the lovely young lady hired to ghostwrite his largely fictional autobiography, she hires a handsome young scribe of her own. Sparks fly, silverware is thrown, and romance blossoms in the most unexpected ways in this delightful and hilarious romantic comedy. Directed by Keith Garsson
Dry Powder By Sarah Burgess April 24 – May 4, 2025 The same week his private equity firm forced massive layoffs at a national grocery chain, Rick Hannel threw himself an extravagant engagement party, setting off a publicity nightmare. Fortunately, Seth, one of Rick’s partners, has a dream of a deal to invest in – an American-made luggage company – that will rescue his boss from the PR disaster. But Jenny, Rick’s other partner, has an entirely different plan: to maximize the returns, no matter the price of success and the real cost of getting the deal done. Directed by Genie Croft
Tickets: $59/$69 For tickets & information: https://delraybeachplayhouse.com/off-broadway-series 561-272-1281 All performances will take place at The Delray Beach Playhouse 950 NW 9th Street Delray Beach, FL 33444
PIGS DO FLY PRODUCTIONS
The Long Weekend By Norm Foster November 1 – 24, 2024 The truth and lies of a friendship come to the surface during a weekend visit between two couples. There are plenty of surprises along the way in this biting comedy of manners. Directed by Christopher Michaels
Tickets: $45 Tickets: www.pigsdoflyproductions.com 954-678-1496 Performances: Friday, & Saturday: 8 pm Sunday: 5 pm All performances will take place at Empire Stage1140 N Flagler Drive, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304
A second production which will run in March 2025, is to be announced.
HY JUTER PRESENTS
To Life 5 – Jewish Broadway to Hollywood! January 17 – February 2, 2025 Written and Directed by Shari Upbin Musical Direction by Elliot Weiss Produced and Created by Hy Juter Stories and music celebrating the contributions of Jewish composers to Broadway and the great Hollywood musicals. The popular series returns to the Willow Theatre with more stories and music celebrating the contributions of Jewish composers and artists to Broadway and the great Hollywood musicals. Featuring amusing anecdotes, fascinating facts, and stunning performances honoring the composers and entertainers who created and performed in such iconic productions as Singing in the Rain, Guys and Dolls, Hello Dolly, Fiddler on the Roof, Milk and Honey, and many more. Starring Shelley Keelor, Shane Tanner, Jinon Deeb, and Michael Scott Ross. Hosted by Shari Upbin
Tickets: $46 Group rates: $41 (for groups of 6 or more tickets purchased in a single transaction) For tickets & Information: https://www.myboca.us/2508/Willow-Theatre 561-347-3948 Performance days and times: Friday and Saturday at 7 pm Saturday and Sunday at 1 pm All performances will take place at The Willow Theatre in Sugar Sand Park 300 S. Military Trail Boca Raton, FL 33486
OFF GLADES THEATER COMPANY
I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change February 14 – 23, 2025 Book and Lyrics by Joe DiPietro Music by Jimmy Roberts This musical celebration of the mating game takes on the truths and myths behind that contemporary conundrum known as ‘the relationship’! From dating and waiting to love and marriage… and the agonies and triumphs of in-laws, newborns, trips in the family car, and the pick-up techniques of the older set, this hilarious revue pays tribute to those who have loved and lost, to those who have fallen on their face at the portal of romance, and to those who have dared to ask, “What are you doing on Saturday night?” Directed by Jodie Langel
Tickets: $35 Group rates available For tickets & Information: https://www.myboca.us/2508/Willow-Theatre 561-347-3948 All performances will take place at The Willow Theatre in Sugar Sand Park 300 S. Military Trail Boca Raton, FL 33486
BROADWAY AT LPAC SERIES
9 to 5 January 16 – February 2, 2025 Music and Lyrics by Dolly Parton Book by Patricia Resnick Based on the Twentieth Century Fox Film Set in the late 1970s, this hilarious story of friendship and revenge in the Rolodex era is outrageous, thought-provoking and even a little romantic. Pushed to the boiling point, three female coworkers concoct a plan to get even with the sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot they call their boss. In a hilarious turn of events, Violet, Judy and Doralee live out their wildest fantasy – giving their boss the boot! While Hart remains “otherwise engaged,” the women give their workplace a dream makeover, taking control of the company that had always kept them down. Hey, a girl can scheme, can’t she?
Legally Blonde February 27 – March 16, 2025 Book by Heather Hach Music and Lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe, Nell Benjamin Based on the novel by Amanda Brown and the Metro-Goldwyn Mayer motion picture Elle Woods appears to have it all. Her life is turned upside down when her boyfriend Warner dumps her so he can attend Harvard Law. Determined to get him back, Elle ingeniously charms her way into the prestigious law school. While there, she struggles with peers, professors and her ex. With the support of some new friends, though, Elle quickly realizes her potential and sets out to prove herself to the world.
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South Pacific April 10 – 27, 2025 Music by Richard Rodgers Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II Book by Oscar Hammerstein II and Jushua Logan Adapted from the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Tales of the South Pacific by James A. Michener On a South Pacific island during World War II, Ensign Nellie Forbush, a spunky nurse from Arkansas, falls in love with French planter Emile de Becque. When Nellie learns that the mother of Emile’s children was an island native, she refuses Emile’s proposal of marriage, unable to overcome the bias with which she was raised. Meanwhile, the strapping Lt. Joe Cable falls in love with a Tonkinese girl named Liat, but he, too, denies himself a future due to the same fears that haunt Nellie. When Emile accompanies Joe on a dangerous mission that claims Joe’s life, Nellie chooses to embrace a future with Emile and his children, thus confronting and conquering her prejudices.
Tickets: Individual tickets will be on sale September 1st. Various subscription packages are available now. For more information: https://www.lpacfl.com 954-777-2055 All performances will take place at the Lauderhill Performing Arts Center (LPAC) 3800 NW 11th Place Lauderhill, FL 33311
POMPANO PLAYERS
Love, Loss, And What I Wore October 11 – October 20, 2024 By Nora Ephron and Delia Ephron Based on the book by Ilene Beckerman A play of monologues and ensemble pieces about women, clothes, and memory covering all the important subjects – mothers, prom dresses, mothers, buying bras, mothers, hating purses, and why we only wear black.
I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change November 8- November 17, 2024 Book and Lyrics by Joe DiPietro Music by Jimmy Roberts A comedic exploration of the complexities of modern relationships, I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Changehas been updated for the 21st century. Act I navigates the journey from dating to marriage, while Act II dives into the joys and challenges of family life, from in-laws to newborns. This delightful revue celebrates the highs and lows of love, paying homage to those who’ve experienced the ups and downs of romance and dared to ask, “Hey, what are you up to Saturday night?” Directed by Jeremy Quinn
Jerry’s Girls January 10-January 19, 2025 Music and Lyrics by Jerry Herman Concepts by Larry Alford, Wayne Cilento, and Jerry Herman An exhilarating two-hour musical extravaganza celebrating glamour, optimism, love, melody, and women! Featuring music and lyrics by Jerry Herman, this Broadway sensation showcases the greatest hits for women from Herman’s timeless musicals such as Mame, Hello Dolly!, Milk and Honey, Mack and Mabel, A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine, and La Cage Aux Folles. Directed by Michael Ursua
Respect: A Musical Journey Of Women March 28-April 6, 2025 By Dorothy Marcic Based on the book by Dorothy Marcic – “Respect: Women and Popular Music” A vibrant musical revue that celebrates the resilience and strength of women in America through popular music – from 1900 to today. From the dependency of “I Will Follow Him” to the defiance of “These Boots are Made for Walking” and the empowerment of “Hero,” Respect captures a spectrum of women’s experiences. Featuring excerpts from 60 songs and real-life stories of dreams, love, work, and independence, it’s an exhilarating ride through history. With classics like “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend,” “I Enjoy Being a Girl,” “I Wanna Be Loved By You,” “As Long As He Needs Me” and “Whatever Lola Wants,” and modern standards like “The Greatest Love of All,” “Where the Boys Are,” “It Must Be Him,” and “Stand by Your Man.” Directed by Jeremy Quinn
The World Goes ‘Round April 25- May 4, 2025 Music by John Kander Lyrics by Fred Ebb Conceived by Susan Stroman, David Thompson, and Scott Ellis A dazzling tribute to the legendary Tony award-winning musical duo Kander and Ebb, The World Goes ‘Round (winner of three Drama Desk Awards), takes audiences on a journey filled with humor, romance, drama, and irresistible melodies. Through hits like “Cabaret,” “Chicago,” and “New York, New York,” it celebrates the resilience and vitality of life. Follow five individuals as they navigate love, parenthood, and the daily grind, all set to unforgettable tunes. With gems like “Mr. Cellophane” and “Maybe This Time,” this high-energy musical extravaganza is a harmonious celebration of the enduring spirit of musical theater.
I Do! I Do! May 23-June 1, 2025 Book by Tom Jones Music by Harvey Schmidt Lyrics by Tom Jones I Do! I Do! is an intimate musical that chronicles the ups and downs of one couple’s fifty-year journey through love and marriage. From wedding night nerves to raising a family, facing midlife crises, and overcoming infidelity, the couple’s bond is tested time and again. Yet, through it all, they rediscover the depth of their love and commitment to each other. As they bid farewell to their home after five decades together, their story leaves a lasting impression on the next generation of newlyweds.
Pompano Players Inaugural Season October 2024 – June 2025 Individual tickets: $45/$55/$65 Subscription prices begin at $99 Performance days and times: Fridays and Saturdays at 7 pm Saturdays and Sundays at 2 pm For tickets and information: www.pompanobeachculturalcenter.com All performances will take place at The Pompano Beach Cultural Center 50 West Atlantic Boulevard Pompano Beach, FL 33060
YI LOVE JEWISH (A Division of the Yiddishkayt Initiative)
The Wheel: Songs from the Road – Featuring the Zisl Slepovitch Klezmer Trio Thursday, October 17 at 8 pm Tickets: $45 and up Musicologist, singer and composer D. Zisl Slepovitch presents a collection of rare, beautiful and sometimes revelational songs and instrumental pieces that he recorded from mostly elderly Jewish people and/or discovered in the archives together with his mentor, Dr. Nina Stepanskaya in Easter Europe. Slepovitch is an internationally renowned multi-instrumentalist (clarinet, saxophone, flute, keyboards, vocal), conductor, composer, translator, arranger, and music and Yiddish educator.
Yiddish Tangos Saturday, October 19 at 8 pm Tickets: $50 and up Aaron Kula and his Klezmer Company Jazz Orchestra created Yiddish Tangos, fusing Yiddish melodies with tango rhythms, producing a unique and sensuous sound embracing two distinct cultures. During World War II tango was the rave on both sides of the Atlantic, and Jewish composers added their voices to this popular genre. The program will also feature Avi Hoffman, and live dancers.
Anne Being Frank A New Play by Ron Elisha Saturday, November 9 at 8 pm Tickets: $52 and up A total reimagining of the story of Anne Frank, the play poses the basic question: Had Anne known precisely what was in store for her and her family at the hands of the Nazis, would she still have written the famous line: “In spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart.” This one-woman show starring Alexis Fishman was performed Off-Broadway in 2023.
Fiddlers on the Roof – A YI Love Jewish Sing-A-Long Saturday, April 5, at 8 pm Tickets: $45 and up Join us for a magical sing-along evening celebrating one of the most beloved musicals of all time! Belt out songs like “Tradition,” “Matchmaker, Matchmaker,” and “Sunrise, Sunset” with lyrics provided on screen. Live musicians will accompany the audience as we sing along to this timeless story of family, faith, and finding your place in the ever-changing world. Don’t miss this unforgettable interactive experience! All performances will take place at the Aventura Arts & Cultural Center 3385 NE 188th Street Aventura, FL 33180 For tickets and information: https://www.aventuracenter.org 877-311-7469 / 954-462-0222
Jimmy Buffet’s Escape to Margaritaville January 31 – February 23, 2025 Book by Greg Garcia and Mike O’Malley Music and Lyrics by Jimmy Buffett Jimmy Buffett’s Escape to Margaritaville is a musical comedy featuring the most-loved Jimmy Buffett classics, including “Cheeseburger in Paradise”, “Margaritaville,” “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere,” “Fins,” “Volcano,” and many more. With a book by Emmy Award winner Greg Garcia (“My Name is Earl,” “Raising Hope”) and Emmy nominee Mike O’Malley (“Survivor’s Remorse,” “Shameless”), this hilarious, heartwarming musical is the party you’ve been waiting for!
DELRAY BEACH PLAYHOUSE
Mainstage Productions: The Producers – A Mel Brooks Musical November 22 – December 15, 2024 Book by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan Music and Lyrics by Mel Brooks Bialystock and Bloom! Those names should strike terror and hysteria in anyone familiar with Mel Brooks’ classic cult comedy film. A down-on-his-luck Broadway producer and his mild-mannered accountant come up with a scheme to produce the most notorious flop in history, scamming their investors, (all ‘little old ladies’) out of millions of dollars. Only one problem: the show is a smash hit! Follow Max and Leo as they fecklessly maneuver finding a show, hiring a director, raising the money and eventually going to prison for their misdeeds. At the core of the insanely funny adventure is a poignant emotional journey of two very different men who become friends.
Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express March 21 – April 13, 2025 Adapted from the book by Agatha Christie by Ken Ludwig Ken Ludwig’s clever adaptation of the Agatha Christie classic boasts all the glamour, intrigue, and suspense of Dame Agatha’s celebrated novel, with a healthy dose of humor added to quicken the pace.
The Bridges of Madison County May 9 – May 25, 2025 Book by Marsha Norman Music and Lyrics by Jason Robert Brown Adapted from the book by Robert James Waller Based on the best-selling novel, and developed by Tony Award winner Jason Robert Brown (The Last Five Years, Parade, Songs for a New World) and Pulitzer Prize winner Marsha Norman, The Bridges of Madison County captures the lyrical expanse of America’s heartland along with the yearning entangled in the eternal question, “What if. Francesca Johnson, a beautiful Italian woman who married an American soldier to flee war-ravaged Italy, looks forward to a rare four days alone on her Iowa farm when her family heads to the 1965 State Fair. When ruggedly handsome, National Geographic photographer, Robert Kincaid, pulls into her driveway seeking directions, though, what happens in those four days may very well alter the course of Francesca’s life.
All performances will take place at The Delray Beach Playhouse 950 NW 9th Street Delray Beach, FL 33444 Tickets will be on sale soon For tickets and Information: https://delraybeachplayhouse.com 561-272-1281
Best of Broadway Cabaret Series:
Bachelors of Broadway/Gentlemen of the Theatre December 16 – 18, 2024
Tovah is Leona! – Starring Tovah Feldshuh January 6 – 10, 2025
This Could Be the Start – Starring Linda Purl February 10 – 13, 2025
Broadway’s Jersey Boy – Starring John Lloyd Young March 24 – 27, 2025
Sing Me a Showtune – Created by Michael Ursua May 12 – 15, 2025
Nostalgic Concert Series: Feelin’ Groovy:
The Story and Songs of Peter, Paul & Mary December 3 & 4, 2024
Pop Hits by Jewish Artists February 4 & 5, 2025
Celebrating Women Singer-Songwriters of the 60s & 70s April 1 & 2, 2025
All performances will take place at The Delray Beach Playhouse 950 NW 9th Street Delray Beach, FL 33444 www.delraybeachplayhouse.com / 561-272-1281
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For more information about this schedule or any of the productions listed, please don’t hesitate to contact me at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244.
YI Love Jewish to Host “Celebrating ‘Yosl’” featuring a live concert event and celebrity video testimonials.
Theater icon Joseph Papp, aka Yosl Papirofsky, creator of the New York Shakespeare Festival and the Public Theater, to be remembered and honored virtually and live on his 103rd birthday.
May 29, 2024 BOCA RATON, FL: He revolutionized theater as we know it today, and now Joseph Papp, born ‘Yosl Papirofsky’, will be the subject of a memorial/tribute concert on June 22ndat 7 pm, on what would have been his 103rd birthday. Celebrating Yosl – The Legacy of Joe Papp – A Musical Celebration will be presented by YI Love Jewish (a division of Yiddishkayt Initiative) at the West Boca Community Theatre in Boca Raton.
Celebrating Yosl will be hosted by YI Founder and CEO, world renowned actor and Jewish cultural activist Avi Hoffman, who was mentored by Papp in the 1980’s. The concert event will feature live, virtual, and pre-recorded celebrity testimonials.
“Joe Papp did more to revolutionize the world of theater than any impresario in the world,” says Hoffman, himself an internationally recognized entertainer and founder of YI, a global provider of Jewish cultural programming. Hoffman and his mother, retired author, journalist and Columbia University Professor Miriam Hoffman, became friends and colleagues of Papp in NYC in the 1980s, when they launched the Joseph Papp Yiddish Theatre.
Joseph Papp
After Papp’s death, they continued a close association with Joe’s widow, Gail Merrifield-Papp, and his daughter Susan Papp-Lippman, who serves on the YI Board of Directors.
Papp’s vision led him in 1957 to establish Free Shakespeare in Central Park. Ten years later, he created The Public Theater in the building that was formerly the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS), a haven for newly arrived refugees. The building was saved from demolition through Mr. Papp’s efforts after a long negotiation with the City of New York. It became the permanent home of the New York Shakespeare Festival/Joseph Papp Public Theatre (The Public) and is currently designated as a New York City Historical Landmark.
At the Public, an innovative model was used for creating a new dynamic way of producing plays in a workshop-style manner that had never been tried before. The concept involved bringing writers, directors, designers, and actors together in one place to brainstorm and create the foundations for new and groundbreaking productions. Some of the iconic Broadway shows to evolve from these workshops include the original productions of Hair, A Chorus Line, and Runaways.
One of the signature events of Celebrating Yosl will feature Hoffman’s re-creation of Joe Papp at the Ballroom – a recounting, in Papp’s own words (based on transcripts, quotes, and material from the Papp Archives), of his Brooklyn Yiddish upbringing, his political struggles, and his reconceiving of the creative process. Hoffman will also share his own personal recollections of his relationship with Papp.
Celebrating Yosl: The Legacy of Joe Papp – A Musical Celebration will take place at 7 pm on June 22nd, 2024, at the West Boca Community Theatre, 12811 Glades Road, Boca Raton, FL 33498.
Tickets are $36 for the Live event and $72 for VIP/Special Seating and Backstage Access. Click HERE to purchase tickets.
For more information about Celebrating Yosl, please contact Sheri Smith at sheris@yilovejewish.org / 561-254-5494 or Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244. Photos and graphics available on request.
Celebrating Yosl: The Legacy of Joe Papp – A Musical Celebration June 22nd at 7 pm Tickets: $36/$72 (VIP Special Seating/Backstage Access) To purchase tickets: https://tinyurl.com/3ze4jw89 West Boca Community Theatre 12811 Glades Road Boca Raton, FL 33498 https://yilovejewish.org
About YI Love Jewish: YI Love Jewish is a division of Yiddishkayt Initiative (YI), a 501(c) (3) not-for-profit organization that builds Jewish engagement and forges multi-cultural connections through an immersive and varied range of programming for audiences around the globe. From performing arts, publishing and education to language, philosophy and literature, YI offers a global clearinghouse of Jewish culture and entertainment staffed by experts in subject matter and production. The organization works with a wide range of organizations, including the University of Miami’s Sue and Leonard Miller Center and the George Feldenkreis Program in Contemporary Judaic Studies and Federations, JCCs, synagogues, Hadassah chapters, Hillel chapters, men’s groups, women’s guilds, special interest clubs, youth groups, summer camp programs and educational institutions.
MIAMI DADE and BROWARD COUNTIES, FL: A whirlwind of entertainment and cultural celebration awaits audiences in Miami Dade and Broward counties when YI Love Jewish presents two Purim Holiday Mini-Fest events in March. The festival promises to bring laughter, insight, and inspiration to audiences of all ages and backgrounds.
Esther in the Spotlight, by acclaimed playwright Rich Orloff, is an irreverent and hilarious retelling of the biblical story of Esther (the genesis of the Purim holiday). Described as “Mel Brooks meets The Bible,” this free concert version of Orloff’s comedic masterpiece offers more than just laughs; it delves into themes of identity, destiny, and the pursuit of meaning. With Orloff’s track record of theatrical excellence, including Critic’s Picks and international productions, audiences can expect an unforgettable evening of entertainment.
The ground-breaking one-person play and documentary film celebrating the character of Gimpel the Fool created by Nobel Laureate Isaac Bashevis Singer will star Howard Rypp of Israel’s acclaimed Nephesh Theatre Company. Featuring music by Ron Wiseman, and Singer’s text translated by Saul Bellow, the film, combined with Rypp’s live performance weaves klezmer music into a surrealistic theatrical presentation. Audiences will be captivated by Gimpel’s unwavering faith and his journey through betrayal and ridicule, inspiring reflection, and belief in human goodness. A video preview can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3TkVAFHMMA
YI Love Jewish is a division of The Yiddishkayt Initiative, Inc., a not-for-profit public charity dedicated to fighting antisemitism through the arts by preserving and presenting Jewish culture and its far-reaching impact on the world. Through theater, music, lectures, film, TV, and other media, the organization strives to make the world a more accepting place. For more information visit www.yilovejewish.org.
For event registration and tickets visit YILoveJewish.org/events. Tickets for Gimpel the Fool range in price from $18-$36-$54. Tickets for Esther in the Spotlight are free.
For more information, to speak with anyone involved in the festival, more photos and/or graphics, or to attend a performance, please contact Sheri Smith at sheris@yilovejewish.org.
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Purim Mini-Fest Dates, Times and Locations:
Esther in the Spotlight Tuesday March 19, 2024 – 7:30 PM Miami Beach JCC 4221 Pine Tree Drive, Miami Beach, FL 33140 Wednesday March 20, 2024 – 7:30 PM Alper JCC 11155 SW 112th Avenue Miami, FL 33176
Thursday March 21, 2024 – 7:30 PM Soref JCC 6501 West Sunrise Boulevard Plantation, FL 33313
Gimpel the Fool Friday, March 22, 2024 – 7:30 PM The Rose and Alfred Miniaci Performing Arts Center 3100 Ray Ferrero Jr. Boulevard, Davie, FL 33314
Saturday, March 23, 2024 – 7:30 PM Coral Springs High School 7201 West Sample Road, Coral Springs, FL 33065
Sunday, March 24, 2024 – 7:30 PM Alper JCC 6501 West Sunrise Boulevard Plantation, FL 33313
Howard RyppRich OrloffTara WeidenfellerAlexa LasantaMarah LiebermanMichael Scott RossZoe Kanter
Carol Kassie 