Charter Oak Cultural Center and Congregation Beth Israel Present A JEWISH JOURNEY THROUGH BROADWAY: Part 1
The music of Sondheim, Bernstein, Gershwin, Kern and more to be performed by accomplished cast at Congregation Beth Israel on March 29.
By: A.A. Cristi Mar. 05, 2025
Charter Oak Cultural Center and Congregation Beth Israel has announced a one-night-only performance of A Jewish Journey Through Broadway: Part 1 (1920-1980). This cabaret-style concert will feature songs by Jewish giants of the musical theatre including songs by Sondheim, Bernstein, Gershwin, Kern, and more performed by an accomplished cast.
A Jewish Journey Through Broadway will be held at Congregation Beth Israel (701 Farmington Avenue, West Hartford) on Saturday, March 29 at 7:30pm. Tickets are $25 and can be reserved in advance at CharterOakCenter.org/event/. Subject to availability, tickets will be sold at the door for cash or check only. No one will be turned away for lack of funds.
A Jewish Journey through Broadway: Part 1 1920-1980 explores the unique role of Jewish composers and lyricists in the creation of the modern American musical and celebrates their iconic contributions. NYC and CT based singers Brett Boles (also music director), Jennifer Mintzer and Michael Pizzi along with accompanist John Fischer take you on a journey from the Gershwins (1920's and beyond) through to Stephen Sondheim (1950's and beyond).
The many composers represented include Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern, George and Ira Gershwin, Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II, Sheldon Harnick, Jerry Bock, Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim and so many others. There were Jewish strains throughout much of their music, and much needs to be attributed to the early part of the 1900's with “Yiddishkeit” (all things Jewish). The predominance of Jewish songwriters led non-Jew Cole Porter, after several flops, to exclaim: “I think I will start writing Jewish tunes!”
The shows represented include Porgy and Bess, Show Boat, Babes in Arms, Oklahoma, South Pacific, Camelot, My Fair Lady, and so many more. There promises to be several Gershwin tunes along with a special tribute to Fiddler on the Roof that you don't want to miss.
Producer Michael Pizzi states, "In the musical Spamalot, one character says to another, 'In any great adventure, if you don't want to lose…you won't succeed on Broadway if you don't have any Jews.' This is a fair estimation! When I was doing my research I discovered that from 1949 to 1980, there was only one year in which none of the winners of the Tony Awards for Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, or Best Original Score, had Jewish heritage. That was in 1958, when Meredith Wilson and Franklin Lacey took home Best Musical for The Music Man. The next time it happened was 1980 when Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice arrived with Evita. Most every year thereafter had at least one, usually with several Jewish writers being honored."
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