Tag Archives: Jewish Comedy

MY SON THE WAITER: A JEWISH TRAGEDY at the Michael-Ann Russell JCC – Dec 19-Jan 12

21 Thursday Nov 2019

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Back by Popular Demand!
My Son the Waiter:  A Jewish Tragedy
at
Michael-Ann Russell JCC
December 19, 2019 – January 12,2020

Actor/Comedian Brad Zimmerman’s hilarious and inspiring story
about the grit and passion required to ‘make it’ as an artist and the sweet rewards that come from never giving up on your dream. 

For Immediate Release
Contact:
Carol Kassie
561-445-9244 / Carol@CarolKassie.com  

November 21, 2019

AVENTURA, FL:  Brad Zimmerman will bring his hit New York Comedy back to South Florida this season in his highly praised autobiographical comedy, My Son the Waiter:  A Jewish Tragedy.  Zimmerman’s hilarious and poignant story is universal in its message:  The journey to follow one’s dream… and the parents who SUFFER through it! The show will run from December 19th through January 12th in the Alan and Diane Lieberman Theater at the Michael-Ann Russell JCC in Aventura.

My Son the Waiter:  A Jewish Tragedy is the story of Zimmerman’s struggle to fulfill his dream and ‘make it’ as a comedic actor in New York.  One-part standup, one-part theatrical, and all parts uproarious My Son the Waiter:  A Jewish Tragedy has garnered rave reviews wherever it has played.

“My Son the Waiter: A Jewish Tragedy is now in its sixth year of a national tour,” Zimmerman says. “We’ve been all over the country – in cities such as New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, LA, Minneapolis, and Toronto. It doesn’t matter where the show plays – audiences all seem to find my story authentic and real… and funny! There is new material and old material and the positive audience response allows and enables me to keep it as fresh as the day I wrote it.

“So many fan letters and marriage proposals over the years,” he continues with a grin. “It’s amazing that I’m still very much single. But my mom in Boca is as proud as she could be of me and the show, and of course every time I visit, I get another 15 minutes of material!

Zimmerman’s mother has finally adapted to her ‘actor-waiter’ son’s career choice and financial situation: “If all goes well, I think Brad is going to buy a bookcase,” she boasts to her friends.

Brad Zimmerman has paid his dues.  He spent 29 years “temporarily” waiting tables in New York, all the while chasing a career in acting and comedy.  In My Son the Waiter: A Jewish Tragedy, he delves into the trials and tribulations of waiting on tables – particularly for someone not exactly invested in that career, and with little tolerance for persnickety diners. And he tells stories about his pursuit of his passion, along with tales about his childhood, his family, and his misbegotten love life with warmth, wit, self-deprecating humor, and wicked charm, combining his years of training as an actor with his innate comedic talent.

Zimmerman’s perseverance and hard work eventually did pay off, and he went on to act – he had a small part in “The Sopranos” playing Johnny Sack’s lawyer – and to become the opening act for a number of well-known entertainers, including George Carlin, Brad Garrett, Dennis Miller, Julio Iglesias, and Joan Rivers who said “I’ve had three great opening acts in my lifetime:  Billy Crystal, Garry Shandling, and Brad Zimmerman.”

My Son the Waiter: A Jewish Tragedy will run from December 19 to January 12 in the Alan and Diane Lieberman Theater at the Michael-Ann Russell JCC in Miami.  Tickets are on sale now and are available online at MySonTheWaiter.com or by phone at 1-855-448-7469. For group rates (12 +) call 1-888-264-1788.  Tickets for My Son the Waiter: A Jewish Tragedy range from $45 – $70.

For more information about My Son the Waiter: A Jewish Tragedy please visit mysonthewaiter.com or contact Carol Kassie at 561-445-9244 / Carol@CarolKassie.com.

In the attached photo:  Brad Zimmerman (Photo credit: Carol Kassie)
More photos can be downloaded from https://mysonthewaiter.com/media.htm

~

My Son the Waiter:  A Jewish Tragedy
By Brad Zimmerman
December 19, 2019 – January 12, 2020
Tickets:  $45 – $70
Phone:  1-855-448-7469
On Line: https://mysonthewaiter.com/
Group Rates (12 +):  1–888-264-1788
Showtimes:
Thursday & Saturday at 8 pm
Thursday, Saturday, & Sunday at 3 pm
Sunday at 7 pm
Michael-Ann Russell JCC
(Alan and Diane Lieberman Theater)
18900 NE 25th Ave
Miami, FL 33180
mysonthewaiter.com
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Praise for My Son the Waiter: A Jewish Tragedy:

“Delicious! Distinctly original… powerfully poignant.” “Great Comedy!” ~ The New York Times

“A Must See. It’s Hysterical, Heartfelt, Timely and Poignant. I cried, I laughed, I forgot where I parked.” ~ Brad Garrett (Everybody Loves Raymond)

“Zimmerman is a funny man with funny material.” ~ Thomas Burns Scully (On Stage)

“This is easily the funniest show to hit an off-Broadway stage since ‘Old Jews Telling Jokes.’ What makes this SUPERIOR is that it isn’t just jokes. It’s a life.” ~ The Jewish Daily Forward

 “AN ABSOLUTE MUST-SEE! You’ll laugh and you’ll walk out of the theater with a lesson: If you can find something that you truly love, it gives your life meaning. ~ Palm Beach Arts Paper

Brad Zimmerman

Playhouse Productions at the PGA Arts Center presents Sandy Gelfound in THE KOSHER CHEERLEADER – August 3 – 27

18 Tuesday Jul 2017

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Playhouse Productions at the PGA Arts Center
presents
Sandy Gelfound
in
The Kosher Cheerleader:
A Truish, Jewish Love Story
August 3 – 27

A former NFL Raiders Cheerleader’s journey to Jewish Orthodoxy… and beyond.

July 18, 2017:
PALM BEACH GARDENS, FL:  Sandy Gelfound’s life story is a fascinating tale filled with love, laughter… and cheerleading.  Beginning August 3rd, the multi-talented comedienne, raconteur, and former NFL Raider cheerleader will spend four weeks at the PGA Arts Center performing her one person show, The Kosher Cheerleader.  The production will run through August 27th. 

Gelfound, who has performed stand-up alongside the likes of Jerry Seinfeld and Jay Leno, tap dances, pom-pom waves, eats, shops, writes, and cartwheels through her life’s journey, which begins with her father – a Borscht Belt performer, who was a Jewish atheist: “He knew he was one of the Chosen People, he just didn’t know by Whom,” she explained recently; and her mother, a Russian Orthodox gypsy flamenco dancer who taught her to play the castanets.  “Theirs was like a marriage between Carmen Miranda and Jackie Mason,” she has said.

Gelfound spent five years as a Raiderette, travelling with the team, and making an impressive $35 per game: “I loved being an NFL Cheerleader,” she says, “But my Jewish grandmother didn’t understand my excitement. “It’s the Raiders, Grandma – I get to cheer for the team – I get to go to the game”.  And she said, “Other people go to the game. The owner’s wife, that’s a job for a Jewish girl!”

Born with a hole in her heart, Sandy Gelfound’s childhood was filled with drama and trauma. Her decision to write, and subsequently perform her story “Came to me during my morning meditation,” she explains.  “The next thing I know I have a clothesline in my kitchen, pinning up and arranging the order of the scenes to a play about my life.  I wanted to share with the world my story…. hoping I can give some experience, strength, hope, and lots of laughter to anyone who is overcoming any hardships.

“In Judaism the Rabbi’s say, “Gams zu la tova” – everything is for the good,” she continues. “I was born with a hole in my heart. How can that be good?  Well after many years the doctors have finally said that nothing needs to be fixed…the hole never grew bigger…only my heart did!”

Tickets for The Kosher Cheerleader are on sale now, and can be purchased on line at www.pgaartscenter.com or by calling 1-855-448-7469.  For group sales (12+), call 888-264-1788. Ticket prices range from $45-$59.

The PGA Arts Center is located at 4076 PGA Boulevard, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410.  Ample parking is available within close proximity to the theatre.

For more information about The Kosher Cheerleader, Sandy Gelfound and/or Playhouse Productions at the PGA Arts Center please contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com at 561-445-9244.

The Kosher Cheerleader
August 3 – 27, 2017
By Sandy Gelfound
Tickets:  $45 – $59
Tickets:  1-855-448-7469 / www.pgaartscenter.com
Group Sales: 1-888-264-1788
Performances:
Thursday, Saturday, Sunday: 2 pm
Thursday, Friday, Saturday:  7:30 pm
PGA Arts Center
4076 PGA Boulevard
Palm Beach Gardens, FL  33410
www.pgaartscenter.com
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Directions to the PGA Arts Center:
On PGA Blvd heading East, (& RCA Blvd) take first right at Shell Gas Station, and then take the 2nd right into the shopping center driveway. The theater is on the left. Formerly the Cinema 6 Movie Theater inside the former Loehmann’s Plaza. This is less than 1/4 mile off of the PGA Blvd. Exit of 95 North.

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The Concert and Theatre Arts Series at B’nai Torah & present James Sherman’s BEAU JEST – February 22

09 Thursday Feb 2017

Posted by in Shari Upbin

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The Concert and Theatre Arts Series at B’nai Torah
&
Shari Upbin
present
beau-jest-red-1ckJames Sherman’s
Beau Jest
February 22 at 7:30 pm


“Hilarious and quite moving …blending farce and genuine insight.” ~ Chicago Sun Times

“Very funny…The well-crafted play has a lot to say about nuclear families of any ethnic persuasion.” ~The Wall Street Journal


February 9, 2017

BOCA RATON, FL: The Concert and Theatre Arts Series at B’nai Torah and Producer/Director Shari Upbin will bring James Sherman’s ‘comedy with romance’, Beau Jest, to the B’nai Torah Stage for one performance only, on February 22nd at 7:30 pm.

Sarah Goldman is a nice Jewish girl with a problem:  her parents want her married – to a nice Jewish boy, of course. They’ve never met Sarah’s boyfriend, who happens to have the unfortunate name of Chris Kringle, and who doesn’t exactly fit that description, so to make them happy she invents Dr. David Steinberg – the man of their dreams.  When they insist upon meeting Dr. Steinberg, Sarah contacts an escort service to provide her with a Jewish date – but instead they send her Bob Schroeder, an out of work actor who agrees to perform the impersonation.  Sarah’s mother – armed with challah and lokshen kugel sets out to snare this Beau for her daughter with hilarious mix ups and consequences!

Now in its 21st season, The Concert Series at B’nai Torah has proven to be a popular program for congregational members and non-members alike.  The Theatre Series, spearheaded by Cantor Udi Spielman and Producer/Director Shari Upbin, was added three years ago.

shari-upbin-by-michael-thomas

Shari Upbin

“When Cantor Udi Spielman asked me to bring a comedy to B’nai Torah, I immediately thought of the wonderful Beau Jest by James Sherman, the author of the highly successful Door To Door – which I also directed for our Theatre Series,” Director Upbin says. “This well-crafted play has a lot to say about families of any ethnic persuasion. Coming from a family devoted to comedy – my dad was a writer for Jack Benny – it was a wonderful experience blending farce with a genuine insight into this family I knew so well.

“Jewish mothers are a tribute to society,” she continues. “I miss my own Jewish, mother but now that I have grown children of my own, I get the opportunity – over and over again – to pass down the very statements my own mother used to say to me. “So… that’s what you are wearing?” is now an anthem filled with love and familiarity. I believe our audiences will enjoy seeing the Goldman family on stage!”

Emily Freeman, who recently placed first in the National Society of Arts and Letters Musical Theatre competition will play Sarah Goldman.  Roy Lynam, Christopher Mitchell, Larry Bramble, Chris Anthony Ferrer, and Phyllis Spear round out Upbin’s talented cast.
b-j-actor-stripJames Sherman is the author of numerous plays, including The God of Isaac, Mr. 80%, The Escape Artist, Romance in D, From Door to Door, The Old Man’s Friend, Affluenza, and Jacob and Jack. He began his professional career as a writer and performer with The Second City in Chicago and received an M.F.A. degree from Brandeis University. Since 1985, he has had thirteen plays premiered at the Tony Award-winning Victory Gardens Theater in Chicago, and he was a founding member of the Victory Gardens Playwrights Ensemble. His plays have been published and are regularly produced by theatres throughout the United States and have also been seen in Canada, Mexico, Australia, South America, England, Germany, Austria, Turkey, South Africa, Australia, China, and Korea.

Beau Jest will play for one performance, only – on Wednesday, February 22nd, at 7:30 pm at Congregation B’nai Torah in Boca Raton.  Tickets are $45 ($36 for congregational members), and may be purchased by calling 561-392-8566 or on line at www.bnai-torah.org.  Group rates are available.

For more information about Beau Jest or Shari Upbin, please contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244.

Beau Jest
February 22, 2017
7:30 pm
By James Sherman
Tickets:  $45 ($36 for congregational members)
Click HERE to purchase tickets on line.
Phone: 561-392-8566
B’nai Torah Congregation
6261 SW 18th Street
Boca Raton, FL 33433
www.bnai-torah.org

Shari Upbin:
Shari Upbin (Producer/Director) has been a theatre professional since the age of 13 when she became a member of Actors Equity. (Her father was a writer for Jack Benny). She has been a professional tap dancer and choreographer and is a member of the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers; she was the president of the League of Professional Theatre Women/New York for seven years, and is currently President of the National Society Of Arts And Letters, Florida East Coast Chapter.
Shari has produced and directed over 50 productions in New York and around the country. Her directing Credits include Vincent, The Passions Of The Artist Van Gogh, Danny And Sylvia at the Forum Theatre in New Jersey. Other credits include Life With Father,  Fiddler On The Roof, Cabaret, Jacques Brel, and The Roar Of The Greasepaint; she was awarded Best Director for her production of Side By Side By Sondheim. Shari will be producing the national classical ballet competition En Pointe in South Florida in 2017.
Along with Beau Jest, some of Shari’s Florida directing credits include Bridge & Tunnel, Women’s Minyan, Broadway Live! and Hollywood Live!, Confessions Of A Jewish Shiksa Dancing On Hitler’s Grave at the Kravis Center, Dames In Divaland, From Door to Door, and In the Voice of Our Mothers (at the Posner JCC).
Shari served as assistant director to the world renowned British Director Michael Langham for the first Black/Hispanic Julius Caesar and Coriolanus at the New York Shakespeare Festival with Joe Papp starring Morgan Freeman.
Shari Upbin and Sandi Durell have been long time producing partners in Hollywood Live! and Broadway Live! as well as the Manhattan Association of Cabaret Award nominated Timeless Divas! series with hosts Ben Verreen, Tony Randall, Karen Mason,  Tovah Feldshuh , Phyllis Newman, and Leslie Uggams.   She is producing the 2017 National Classical Ballet Competition at Florida Atlantic University in June.

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Stage Door Theatre presents THE BRIS, THE BAR MITZVAH, & BEYOND – February 10 – March 26

06 Monday Feb 2017

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Stage Door Theatre
presents
David Jay Bernstein’s
bris-strokedFebruary 10 – March 26

“Funnier than The Producers!”  David Jay Bernstein’s Mother

 

February 6, 2017

MARGATE, FL:  Stage Door Theatre will present David Jay Bernstein’s delightful comedy,The Bris, The Bar Mitzvah, & Beyond, beginning February 10th.  The production will run through March 26th in the popular Margate venue’s Theatre 2.

“And, verily, The Lord said unto Abraham: “Cut the off the foreskin of thy organ as a covenant of obedience.”  And Abraham did replieth: “You’re kidding, right?” Playwright David Jay Bernstein has long wondered what the ‘guest of honor’ at a Bris ceremony would be thinking if he knew what was going on.

“And on the eighth day after his birth, little Max Shapiro begins a life-long conversation with his dad, Gary, by asking the age-old question: “What do you think you’re doing with that knife?”  The Bris sets the stage for the Shapiro’s lifetime together,” Bernstein explains, “As we stop to visit with them at some of the rites of passage that define the relationships between Jewish fathers and sons.”

“The Bris, The Bar Mitzvah, & Beyond is, I feel, actually a drama with some very funny moments in it,” says the show’s director, Randy Brenner. “In fact, I’ve been referring to it as a ‘dramedy’. It’s about relationships – and from a director’s point of view, it’s always a challenge to do a play with three characters and bring those three characters’ lives to life on stage. At the same time, you try to stay true to the author’s vision.”

Brenner has cast Jonathan Brett as Max, Ben Prayz as Gary, and Emily Freeman as Lori.  Emily recently placed first in the National Society of Arts and Letters Musical Theatre Competition.

The Bris, The Bar Mitzvah, & Beyond will run from February 10 – March 26 at Stage Door Theatre. The theatre is located at 8036 Sample Road, in Margate.

Tickets for The Bris, The Bar Mitzvah, & Beyond are $38 – $42; $16 student tickets are also available.  Tickets may be purchased at the Broward Stage Door Theatre box office at 954-344-7765 or on line at  www.stagedoorfl.org

For more information about The Bris, The Bar Mitzvah, & Beyond and/or Stage Door Theatre, please visit www.stagedoorfl.org, or contact Derelle Bunn Executive Producer/Artistic Director, at DerelleBunn@yahoo.com / 954-344-7765 or Carol Kassie (carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244).

Photographs and graphics available on request.

The Bris, The Bar Mitzvah, & Beyond
February 10 – March 26, 2017
By David Jay Bernstein
Tickets:  $38 – $42
Phone:  954-344-7765
Showtimes:
Wednesday, Saturday, & Sunday at 2 pm,
Friday & Saturday at 8 pm
The Stage Door Theatre
8036 W Sample Rd
Margate, Fl 33065
www.stagedoorfl.com
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