Freedom! What's Freedom? Moi on The Stage

A few weeks ago I took on a challenge. The Women's Performance Community of Jerusalem asked for volunteers to present poems or statements/short performances about Freedom. I decided to write something and send in my "audition." It was accepted, thank Gd.

My poem was written in "free voice" form and probably works best performed, rather than just read from a page. My friend recorded/filmed my performance  on her phone last night. She knows who she is and I thank her. Two of my close friends came to cheer me on, which made the event even more special. And many others including family apologized for not making it.

Freedom, as I described it, is rather different from the other performances. Since this is a women's theater performance group, I'm not featuring others in this post, since many of the women don't perform in open, mixed venues.

Of course, I'm curious about what you thought of my poem "Freedom."

Standing Ovation for Hidden-The Secret Jews of Spain

Photo by Batya Medad

that's me

As I had written yesterday, last night I was one of the lucky ones to have attended Opening Night of Hidden - The Secret Jews of Spain.

Opening night excitement was in the air. Multiple generations of women came to watch what we consider a "Sharon Katz Production." Sharon's shows have gotten better every time!

A few years ago, after hearing too many times that women who don't live in Gush Etzion also want to perform with her, she established The Women's Performance Community of Jerusalem. The Women's Performance Community of Jerusalem does more than grand musicals. When there isn't a big show in the works, there are monthly events where women perform for women, mostly to music. Though last year in the Yom Aliyah event, I performed stand-up.

Standing Ovation, Photo by Batya Medad

Last night, there was a rousing standing ovation for Hidden-The Secret Jews of Spain.

Hidden-The Secret Jews of Spain is based on the book “The Family Aguilar” by Rabbi Marcus Lehmann. Katz, her daughter Bati and Avital Maccles, who also starred, brought the story to life.

Music, production, sets, costumes, acting, singing etcetera were so professional, I had to keep reminding myself that The Women's Performance Community of Jerusalem is only an amatuer company.

An added bonus for me was seeing so many friends in the audience. There were many I've known for over half a century, newer ones I've met more recently in Matan and even facebook friends whom I had never met f2f until last night. Women came from all over the country to see Hidden-The Secret Jews of Spain.

There are only a few more performances, so get your tickets now. Click here to order.

The auditorium was packed. Photo by Batya Medad

Photo by Batya Medad

Photo by Batya Medad

Photo by Batya Medad

Hidden! Opening Night Tonight!!

Tonight's the night! Yes, even though I'm not one of the performers, B"H, I'll be attending the grand opening of Hidden - The Secret Jews of Spain, and I'm so excited. This is an original show by Sharon Katz and company. Produced by Women’s Performance Community of Jerusalem and the OU Israel Center. By women for women.

All the tickets have been sold for opening night, but there are still some left for the other performances. For ticket information click here. If you're at opening night, please look for me, and say "hello."

Let's Go To The Show!!! HIDDEN - The Secret Jews of Spain

My great disappointment is that I'm not acting/singing/dancing in  "HIDDEN - The Secret Jews of Spain." I ended up suffering severe hip pain the week of my audition and had to cancel. By the time I began feeling much better it was too late. I took that as a "sign" that being in a musical show was really too much for me.

Opening night is November 11, so get your tickets now!

Join us for "HIDDEN - The Secret Jews of Spain," an epic historical musical about an outwardly Christian, secretly Jewish family who struggles to keep its true identity amidst the ever-watching, merciless eyes of the Spanish Inquisition. Based on the beloved historical novel The Family Aguilar by Rabbi Marcus Lehmann, with permission of Feldheim Publishers.
Recommended from age 10 and up ~ For women and girls

For ticket information click here.

Oy, Nobody's Immune

I had great plans for tonight. It was a chance to mark off yet another dream from my Bucket List. I was going to audition to be in a play. I don't think I had been in a play since some Hebrew School Purim play in the Oakland Jewish Center, Bayside, NY, when I was about eleven. I had a small role  which included a solo sung to Queen Esther, which had words something like:

"Oh, Ester lovely queen
Go pray before your king
and plead our Jewish cause
... cruel Haman's Laws"

The Women’s Performance Community of Jerusalem will be putting on a play in a few months, “HIDDEN – The Secret Jews of Spain."



And I was hoping to be in it. OK, just a small role, but now it doesn't look like a good idea. So, I canceled my audition slot.

Why? You're probably wondering. The truth is that my hip has been giving me trouble, so I'm afraid to commit and wary about having to dance to choreography not suited to my body. Too much standing isn't good for me either. In addition, the traveling isn't easy, but I would have made that work. Maybe they'll let me get involved later on, in a way that would allow me to get on stage for the finale, all costumed and sing with everyone... Gd willing.

Baile Rochel on The "Stand Up" Circuit

When I appeared a couple of weeks ago telling my aliyah-move to Israel story for The Women's Performance Community of Jerusalem , I appeared as my alter ego, Baile Rochel.

As you can see, I was holding a "script." At first I thought it would be enough to make a list of topics and use them as guidelines as I spoke, but then I was informed that they expected my performance to be of a certain time. Eeks! I had never really timed a talk before. Even as a teacher I'd just keep on going until the bell rang.

So, I sat down, right here at the trusty computer and began to write. Or more accurately, since I wanted to "entertain" and not give an "oral history" lecture, Baile Rochel took over the keyboard. I read it outloud, trying to guess how long and when the laughs would come, to see how long it took. That first draft of my very early years in Israel seemed long enough, time-wise, so I didn't continue the saga.

I edited it a few times on the computer and then got it printed. And then I highlighted it and as you can see in the photo below.

Then every time I read it more little tweaks and edits were made. The final performance was a version of what I had written. There's no way I could have memorized a ten plus minute speech.

A friend in the audience had told me to signal her every time I wanted laughter. I opened with an original joke, which got some laughs, thank Gd. I had forgotten to signal her, since I had been so nervous. When I realized that people were laughing spontaneously, I was so relieved. No secret signals were necessary!

I'll end with that joke, which I hadn't written down:

"I should have arranged to have a wheelchair waiting at home for me, considering all of the 'break a leg' blessings I had received."

Moi, A Stand-Up Comedienne? Updated with link to performance

Last night I finally got my chance. In a sense it's like being able to cross something off my "Bucket List." I've always loved to perform, but outside of the classroom, as a teacher, and of course my dancing and talking to groups about Shiloh etc, I don't think I've ever been given a microphone to just be "me."

A couple of months ago, I noticed that the The Women's Performance Community of Jerusalem was looking for women to tell their aliyah stories to celebrate Yom Aliyah, Aliyah Day. So, I bit the bullet and sent in a wacky "audition" recorded as I walked up the hill one night, close to deadline, and I was accepted.

I thought I could just do my usual improv, no real planning, and then they started asking me how long it would take so they could set up the scheduling. Eeks! That brought me back down to earth. So I wrote something up and timed it. It was obvious to me that the "tone and style" would be very much like my Baile Rochel pieces and delivered stand-up. And the end would be a participatory "how to dance while standing in shul."

Of all the friends and family I invited, only one friend could attend, and she told me that if I signalled after each joke she'd be sure to laugh. The totally amazing thing was that from my very first joke, original of course, people began laughing, so I never had to signal her. And most of the women got up for the dancing. And lots of women came up to me afterwards to tell me what a great time they had.

Thanks to the Israel Center for sponsoring the group and super special thanks to the The Women's Performance Community of Jerusalem, Sharon Dobuler Katz, Shifra A-C Penkower, Avital Macales and Bati Katz. Here are some photos sent to me by Sharon Dobuler Katz. Click here and you should be able to see and hear me.