A Jewish comedian, a Muslim comedian and a Christian comedian enter a Zoom room. That’s the setup for a Covid-era joke, but it’s actually happening tonight, when the JCC of Sonoma County presents a cross-cultural stand-up event called “Comedy for Peace” at 7 p.m. Tickets can be purchased here. “Comedy for Peace” is the brainchild…
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On Stage
Culture
Our Pandemic Year: Artists faced a choice — pivot or perish
Part Three of OUR PANDEMIC YEAR, a week-long series examining how the Covid pandemic has changed our local Jewish world. Debra Schaffner has spent much of…
Theater
A queer, heretical Yiddish play too edgy for 1906 lives again on Zoom
In spite of months of tsuris over production challenges, the Yiddish Theatre Ensemble soon will stream an adapted, videotaped performance of “God of…
Religion
What are we ready to joke about this Purim?
Among Purim’s traditions, perhaps the most well known is the Purim spiel, a theatrical retelling of the Book of Esther that can be pointed, satirical,…
Theater
Local treasure Naomi Newman: 90 years old and still acting
Ask Naomi Newman what it’s like to hit the big 9-0, and she gives a straight answer. “It feels similar to 89,” she says dryly. “The experience is quite…
Theater
One-man Holocaust play goes online to teach a new generation
Roger Grunwald was on a roll. For years, he had been touring the globe with his Holocaust-themed, one-man, multiple-character play, performing it at…
Comedy
‘Lockdown Comedy’ offers post-inauguration humor
Nobody knows exactly what to expect this Inauguration Day, Jan. 20. Tension and mystery abound. But the day after? Post-inaugural humor is a good bet. On…
Theater
DC theater maven leaves company over Palestinian content — again
Over 18 years, theater director Ari Roth built Theater J into a Jewish Washington, D.C. powerhouse that often debuted works by major writers. But six…
Culture
East Bay Jewish arts lab seeks 2021 fellows — pandemic or not
LABA East Bay, an incubator and study program for Jewish artists run by the JCC East Bay, is in search of its second cohort of Bay Area artists. LABA…