To find out more about Echoes Theatre Company and Joyfully Jewish, please click here
Joyfully Jewish:
Rainbows on Rye
A night of new Jewish writing about coming out, being proud and feeling guilty for missing Friday night dinner.
Creative Team:
Producer | Echoes Theatre Company:
Rachel Gaffin
Producer & Musical Superviser | THE JEWish CABARET:
Shachar Shamai
Producer & Stage Manager | THE JEWish CABARET:
Ashley Racov
Creative Assistant | THE JEWish CABARET:
Ayelet (Lilly) Sheffer
Musical Director:
Coby Brown
Assistant Stage Manager:
Adi Hendler
The Directors:
Ralph Bogard -
Book of Daniel
Ghost of Shabbos Past
Exit, Pursued by a Brisket
Kayla Feldman -
Comfort and Joy
Abigail
21 June | 7:00 | JW3
341-351 Finchley Road, London NW3 6ET
The Team:
The Plays
Book of Daniel by Lawrence Aronovitch
Daniel recalls his school days in the 1960s when he used the reasoning skills his teachers taught him to argue that they should stop pushing him to date girls. A story about not coming out until you’re ready.
Ghost of Shabbos Past by Samuel Heyman
Every so often, on the evening of Shabbos, Jews are paid a visit by their very own Shabbos ghost. Benjamin Rosenthal has been visited by one such specter, and he's not exactly full of naches -- instead, he's got Nachman, a Ghost of Shabbos Past with a particular objective in mind. Will Nachman get through to Benjamin, who's doing his best Scrooge impression, and help him see the light of the Shabbat candles?
Exit, Pursued by a Brisket by Annabel Gaba
Debbie’s biggest problem was finding a kosher brisket for Passover, until daughter Emma turns up with news she will find even harder to swallow.
Comfort and Joy by Dana Leslie Goldstein
Every few years, Christmas and the first night of Hanukkah fall on the same day, which can be a problem for interfaith families. When Pia, who is Jewish, is particularly worried about this year’s calendar, her wife Helen finds a novel way to solve the problem, for them and for their kids. Even though it may be more than just the calendar that Pia is worried about.
Abigail by Kara Alberts Turner and Liam Horrigan
After Sarah and Naomi are killed in a tragic accident, their closest friends, Cathy and Christian, discover they have been entrusted with the couple's three-month-old daughter, Abigail. Thrown suddenly into parenthood, they must learn how to raise a child they never expected, navigate a faith they know nothing about, and honour the wishes of the friends they are still struggling to mourn. And as Abigail's grieving family struggle with Sarah and Naomi's wishes, Cathy and Christian find themselves fighting to hold together a family that was never supposed to be theirs.
Abigail is a play about friendship, family, grief, and love, asking how we carry those we've lost into the lives that continue without them.
Abigail is currently being developed as a stage play and television pilot.
The Songs
Eight Gay Jews in London (From ‘Date.com’) by Shar Shamai
Written for the devised musical Date .com, which explored the world of online dating. Being the only Jewish cast member Shar was tasked with exploring JDate - Eight Gay Jews in London was the result.
Blessing (From ‘Cafe Named Desire') by Emily-Rose Simons
This song was written for THE JEWish CABARET’s show Cafe Named Desire, for a character named Bracha - which means “blessing” in Hebrew.
Bracha is an Orthodox girl torn between her black-and-white faith and her colourful sexuality. By the end of the show, she begins to allow more colour into her world.
Danny by Neil Bastian
'Danny' was written for 'Adding to the Hat' at Phoenix Arts Club, the cabaret night which gives songs to characters who never got to sing in the original show. It wonders what Eugene Felsnic, the high-school nerd from the musical Grease, might have sung about.
Sweet as Kiddush Wine (from 'The Dybbuk') by Joe Leather (Lyrics) & Isaac Adni (Music)
In 1969 Manchester, Sarah - a 21-year-old progressive Jewish woman - reflects on always having to leave early to avoid being seen after another secret night with her non-Jewish girlfriend, Sam.
Our wonderful peformers:
Ralph Bogard - Danny
Shar Shamai - Eight Gay Jews in London
Avital Kagan - Blessing, Sweet as Kidush Wine
Sam Ebner-Landy - Book of Daniel, Abigail
Rachel Gaffin - Book of Daniel, Exit, Presued by a Brisket
Jonathan Forrester - Book of Daniel, Ghost of Shabbes Past
Paul Besterman - Ghost of Shabbes Past, Exit, Presued by a brisket
Gemma Barnett - Exit, Pursued by a Brisket, Comfort and Joy
Lucy Gray - Comfort and Joy, Abigail
Andrew Gichigi - Abigail
Professional photos by Gary Manhin
