Brooklyn son JAKE EHRENREICH continues his hit musical comedy, A Jew Grows in Brooklyn, at a new theatre venue starting in October.
The popular show, directed by John Huberth with musical direction by Elysa Sunshine, kicked off last March at the American Theatre of Actors and continues at its current home, Lambs Theatre, until September 17. It will reopen October 11 at 37 ARTS in Manhattan.
Raised in Brownsville in the 1960s, Ehrenreich wanted nothing more than to be an American. But his Yiddish-speaking parents, who failed to understand the game of baseball or make sense of rock music, made it difficult for him to feel part of the mainstream culture.
Ehrenreich, a first-generation New Yorker, tells much of his coming-of-age story through music. He is backed by four instrumentalists and features songs from “Brooklyn Roads” to “Doo Wah Diddy.” Though the show has serious moments, it is mostly upbeat and optimistic. As he told one reporter, “I don’t want to bring people too far into the black hole of the Holocaust.” As is clear from the show’s long run, Ehrenreich’s personal story has struck a chord with a mass audience. But isn’t it hard — make that exhausting — to relive your family’s history eight times a week? As Ehrenreich wrote, “before each show, I remind myself to go out and have some fun. And why not? Hey, I’ve got a big banner hanging in Times Square with my name on it — and I’m having the time of my life!”
