San Diego Repertory Theatre Announces June and July Programming for JEWISH ARTS FESTIVAL

San Diego Repertory Theatre has announced three free-of-charge online programs in June and July for the 27th Annual Lipinsky Family San Diego Jewish Arts Festival. This year's festival was planned to take place in locations throughout San Diego County as usual before stay-at-home orders were issued. Now, for the first time ever, the Jewish Arts Festival will take some of its work completely online for a new, exciting opportunity to celebrate Jewish history, traditions and ideas in artistic expression. The three events taking place in June and July are the annual showcase of strong Jewish women, Women of Valor, a sampling of some of the best teenage talent in San Diego with In The Room Where It Happens, and the celebrated band Soulfarm playing the music of The Grateful Dead. Further events for the 27th Annual Lipinsky Family San Diego Jewish Arts Festival will be announced later for dates in the late summer and fall.

Founding Artistic Director Todd Salovey notes, "There is so much need now for artistic performances that create community, that bring people together to explore, feel, learn, mourn, and celebrate. I'm so excited that we will begin presenting programs online."

"In these uncertain times, it is important, now more than ever, to cultivate and sustain a dynamic artistic Jewish future," said Festival Associate Producer Ali Viterbi. "This year's line-up for the Lipinsky Family San Diego Jewish Arts Festival allows us to be together (even virtually) in community, and reflect on the diversity and vibrancy of the contemporary Jewish identity, and our relationships to ourselves and each other."

Kicking off this year's festival on Monday, June 8th at 7:30 PM is The Room Where It Happens. The 2nd annual teen performance showcase will take place through the magic of the internet, with prerecorded and live performances by uniquely talented teens from all over San Diego. These young artists will come together virtually as a community to perform music, theatre, dance and much more! The online event will feature teens from San Diego Jewish Academy, Temple Solel and Congregation Beth Israel along with individual performers from all over San Diego. A donation in recognition of the night's performances will be made to the high school arts program in San Diego's sister city: Shar Ha-Negev. This program is directed by Rebecca Myers and is in partnership with the San Diego Jewish Academy. Patrons interested in viewing can send an email to trwih2020@gmail.com for the link and password.

Beginning on Thursday, June 11th at 7:30 PM, the festival presents the annual favorite event Women of Valor for its 11th incarnation. While the in-person event celebrates all of the chosen women for that year, the online edition will highlight one of our women of valor in each episode. As in past years, the program starts with the question: "A woman of valor, who shall find?" Each year for the past 11 years, Women of Valor has honored and profiled remarkable women and pillars of the San Diego Jewish community. Festival Associate Producer, and this program's director Ali Viterbi sates, "In every production, we tell stories of strength and inspiration to create a portrait of the resilience of our community. In a time of isolation, we feel that these stories are more essential than ever."

Each Women of Valor video will be posted on San Diego REP's various social media channels at the times and dates listed below.

This year's selected Women of Valor are: Rebbetzin Chaya Ertel; Anti-Defamation League Regional Director Tammy Gillies; Jewish Community Foundation Board Chair Janet Acheatel; Holocaust Survivor Pearl Recht; Chair of San Diego Jewish Academy Heidi Gantwerk; and VP of Operations for the Jewish Community Foundation Sharleen Wollach.

Still told with stories, images and music, 6 incredible actresses will tell the story of 6 incredible women... all digitally. The actresses in this year's program are: Rebecca Futterman, Julie Glass, Sarah Price-Keating, Elane Rivkin, Rosina Reynolds and Lisa Robbins.

Dates of release:

Thursday, June 11: Tammy Gillies @ 7:30pm.

Sunday, June 14: Heidi Gantwerk @ 7:30pm.

Tuesday, June 16: Sharleen Wollach @ 7:30pm.

Thursday, June 18: Rebbetzin Chaya Ertel @ 7:30pm.

Sunday, June 21: Janet Acheatel @ 7:30pm.

Tuesday, June 23: Pearl Recht @ 7:30pm.

And we hope that through hearing their stories of joy, of grief, of commitment to their community and of courage, we can all weather this storm together. This year's honorees teach us how we can be together (even virtually) in community.

Rounding out the programming for June and July is the festival favorite band Soulfarm celebrating the music of The Grateful Dead on Tuesday, July 7th at 7 PM. The Grateful Dead's 6 decades of soulful and psychedelic American roots music have created their own international community. The festival pays tribute to The Dead's passionate Jewish following with C. Lanzbom and Noah Solomon of the Jewish jam band, Soulfarm. Soulfarm's two JFest appearances in 2019 left audiences wanting more. Their world-beat original and popular Jewish songs are full of Mediterranean flavor with captivating guitar leads, dance rhythms and strong percussion breaks. This program is co-sponsored by The Hive at Leichtag Commons and is the final offering of a 4 part summer music series: The Pulse of Jewish Music produced in collaboration with The Hive at Leichtag Commons. The concert will take place on San Diego REP's Facebook profile live on Tuesday, July 7th at 7PM.

Festival Calendar for June and July: The Room Where It Happens (6/8), 11th Annual Women of Valor (6/11, 6/14, 6/16, 6/18, 6/21 & 6/24), Soulfarm Celebrates the Music of the Grateful Dead (7/7).

To post a comment, you must register and login.