‘Band’s Visit,’ Fran Lebowitz and Nissim Black will go on — omicron permitting By Andrew Esensten Jan 3, 2022 Let’s start 2022 off with some good culture news: Most venues that were closed this time last year are now open, and big shows and acts are coming to town once again. The bad news, as we all know, is that omicron is spreading among the vaccinated and unvaccinated alike, leading to low ticket sales… Read More
Comedy How one Jewish woman became the mother of improv comedy This piece first appeared at the Forward. Jews have been at the forefront of North American comedy since its inception. Folks like Eugene Levy, Harold… By Joshua Flanders, Forward Dec 16, 2021
First Person How Stephen Sondheim helped me find my gay Jewish sensibility If I had to identify my first self-actualizing gay experience, it would be back in high school in the mid-1970s. A friend and I nervously got in the car… By Rabbi Irwin Keller Nov 30, 2021
Theater The last and greatest gift Stephen Sondheim gave us This piece first appeared at the Forward and is reprinted with permission. The thing about Stephen Sondheim is that there is almost nothing meaningful to… By Talya Zax, Forward Nov 29, 2021
Theater Sweden’s national theater stages its first ever Yiddish production Actors in a recent production of “Waiting for Godot” at the Royal Dramatic Theater in Stockholm performed neither in the classic play’s original English… By Katarzyna Andersz, JTA Nov 22, 2021
First Person My first viewing of ‘Fiddler’ was underwhelming — until it wasn’t When the Forward’s culture desk met earlier this year to plan coverage for the 50th anniversary of the 1971 movie musical “Fiddler on the Roof,” I had to… By Irene Katz Connelly, Forward Nov 4, 2021
Opinion No, Jewish characters do not need to be played by Jewish actors I was never a fan of the late Joan Rivers. Nevertheless, I would have looked forward to the television series based on her life. Except, it is not… By Rabbi Jeffrey K. Salkin, RNS Nov 4, 2021
Cultured Bay Area in-person performances mark a step back to normal “Cultured” is a new column by Culture Editor Andrew Esensten with his recommendations of new and noteworthy events in the community. According… By Andrew Esensten Oct 26, 2021
Philanthropy Koret Foundation to give $2M to local arts, cultural orgs The San Francisco-based, Jewish-founded Koret Foundation has committed $2 million in grants to a dozen Bay Area arts organizations. The grants, announced… By J. Staff Oct 12, 2021