OY! To The World ~ Christmas With a Twist! at El Portal Theatre

There’s a rich history of Jewish composers and lyricists, from Irving Berlin to Mel Torme, Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne to Johnny Marks. A lengthy list of Jewish songwriters became the denizens of Tin Pan Alley, who honed their musical skills in NYC, and went on to create hit songs that became our beloved holiday anthems.

OY! To the World ~ Christmas With a Twist! showcases these brilliant songwriters who helped shape the modern-day Christmas that everyone knows and celebrates. Each iconic tune captures the spirit of the Yuletide season. Featuring well-known hits that have become beloved Christmas standards like “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”, “I’ll Be Home for Christmas”, “Santa Baby”, “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer”, “The Christmas Song”, “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town”, “You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch”, “Walkin’ In a Winter Wonderland”, “Sleigh Ride”, "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" and many more!

In this new musical comedy, Shelly Abrams  has inherited a shuttered Catskills lodge. He has high hopes of bringing it back with a big holiday show, like the ones his Grandparents used to stage. He has fond childhood memories of holiday celebrations at the lodge which mixed Hanukkah with other traditions. He gathers his three most talented friends from The Big Apple and an ageless accompanist that came with the place, and together they provide a mix of cultures to rekindle the spirit of the place with a show called Christmas With A Twist, seeking to recreate the warmth, love, and laughter that once filled the hall in its heyday.