'A Jew Grows in Brooklyn' Comes to North Shore Center this November

Jake Ehrenreich's autobiographical 'comedy musical', A Jew Grows in Brooklyn comes to the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie for a limited one-week engagement this November.  A Jew Grows in Brooklyn played for fifteen months to sold-out houses and broke box-office records, first at the historic Lamb's Theatre in the heart of Broadway’s Time Square, and then for 15 weeks at the Cuillo Centre for the Arts in West Palm Beach Florida.   Universal in its appeal, ABC-TV exclaimed A Jew Grows in Brooklyn “speaks to anyone hoping to live out the American Dream,” and the New York Times raved “you don’t have to be Jewish or Brooklynish!”  This Rock N’ Roll true story will premiere in Chicago at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie, 9501 Skokie Blvd, for a limited one-week engagement November 5 – 9, 2008.

A Jew Grows in Brooklyn follows Jake Ehrenreich's life from Brooklyn to the Catskills to Rock n’ Roll to Broadway. Praised by the New York Times as “Dazzling, funny, and beautiful… a lot like Billy Crystal's 700 Sundays”, A Jew Grows in Brooklyn is the true story of a young man, who as a son of Holocaust survivors growing up in 1960’s Brooklyn, wanted nothing more than to be an American.  Making extensive use of music, humor, genuine pathos, multimedia video and photographs, Ehrenreich returns to his roots to guide us through a classic first generation immigrant story. While his Yiddish-speaking parents may have failed to understand the game of baseball or make sense of rock music, they did more than Ehrenreich initially realized while growing up to teach him the lessons of life – and to help him appreciate how music, culture and creativity are truly the wellsprings of renewal.  A cycle of life tale, WOR radio called it “A delightful journey with all the joy, tenderness and heartbreak of being a Jew.”

Produced by Dana Matthow, Philip Roger Roy and Second Generation Productions, and presented by Presley Theatre Productions Corp, A Jew Grows in Brooklyn is a “true story” comedy musical featuring Ehrenreich backed by a quartet of musician/singers.

Prior to developing A Jew Grows in Brooklyn, Jake Ehrenreich, a gifted singer and musician, performed on Broadway in Dancin', Barnum and They're Playing Our Song, and toured world-wide as Ringo in Beatlemania.  He also performed Off-Broadway in the English/Yiddish productions of Songs of Paradise and The Golden Land, the rock musical A Hot Minute, and created the title role in Jonah for Joseph Papp at the Public Theater.  In addition to his theater work, Ehrenreich has appeared in concert and recorded with such diverse performers as Richie Havens, Tito Puente, Whitney Houston, Gregg Allman, Jay Leno, Cab Calloway, John Davidson and The Smothers Brothers.  Born in Brooklyn and named Jacob Isaac Ehrenreich after his grandfathers lost in the Holocaust, Jake is the son of Jojne (Jonah) and Bala, who arrived in the United States with his two sisters in 1949.  The show is dedicated to all of his relatives, especially his father, who only recently passed away.

Featured during the one week production of A Jew Grows in Brooklyn is a photographic collection entitled “The Synagogue Project.”  This unique exhibit displays images of synagogues from all over the world including the Middle East, South America, Europe and the United States. The photographs show synagogues that are old and new, are thriving with attendance and those that have been condemned or demolished over time. Robin Roy, the photographer, considers her collection to be a tribute to the spirit of the Jewish people to persevere and worship wherever they may live.

Performances of A Jew Grows in Brooklyn at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd, are as follows:

Wednesday, November 5 at 2 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, November 6 at 7:30 p.m.

Friday, November 7 at 8 p.m.

Saturday, November 8 at 2 p.m. & 8 p.m.

Sunday, November 9 at 1 p.m. & 5 p.m.

Tickets for A Jew Grows in Brooklyn are on sale now at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd.  Ticket prices range from $45 - $57.50 and can be purchased by calling 847-673-6300 or visiting www.northshorecenter.org.  Groups of 20 or more should call 312-423-6612 to make a reservation.

For more information on A Jew Grows in Brooklyn, visit www.AJewGrowsInBrooklyn.com

For more information on “The Synagogue Project” and available prints, visit http://www.robinroyphotographer.com/

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