OLD JEWS TELLING JOKES Makes L.A. Premiere at Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza Tonight

Off-Broadway's hilarious comedy OLD JEWS TELLING JOKES makes its Southland debut tonight, March 5-15 at the Scherr Forum Theatre of the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza. Presented by Theater League, the musical comedy revue plays Thursday at 7:30pm, Friday at 8:00pm, Saturday 2 and 8pm and Sunday at 2pm. Tickets are on sale now at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza box office, online at www.theaterleague.com or by calling 805.449.2775.

"We are thrilled to present the LA premier of this hilarious new comedy," Theater League President Mark Edelman said. "After two hit years in New York, productions in Chicago and South Florida, it's about time OLD JEWS made its very funny way out West."

Described as "a pickle-barrel full of giggles," OLD JEWS TELLING JOKES is a comedy revue inspired by the website OldJewsTellingJokes.com, created by Sam Hoffman. That site, as one might expect, features old Jews telling jokes (60 is the minimum age to recount a gag). Millions of hits later, the website spawned an off-Broadway hit.

The idea for OLD JEWS TELLING JOKES was hatched after creator Daniel Okrent made an appearance on the site and promptly told his friends. "I was the youngest old Jew on there," he said, proudly to those friends, who included co-creator Peter Gethers. "I had found myself checking that website four or five times a week for a year," Gethers explained. "So Daniel and I decided to option the website and make something for the theater."

Okrent explained that many of the narrative jokes have been dramatized: stand-up comedy morphed into sketches. Both creators said they are interested in exploring the history of Jewish comedy, especially as it relates to dealing with adversity. "Still," Gethers claimed, "the show is eighty percent hilarious jokes. And almost every night we have one person who loves to yell out the punchline.

OLD JEWS TELLING JOKES is presented by Theater League and produced by Plan B Entertainment. Andy Ferrara directs, with lighting and costume designs by Chad Bonaker and Tommy Marquez and set design by Ferrara. Alby Potts is the Musical Director.

OLD JEWS TELLING JOKES starts Thursday, March 5 at 7:30 and continues Friday, March 6 at 8pm, Saturday, March 7 at 2 and 8pm and Sunday, March 8 at 2pm. The laughs continue the following week, March 12-15, on the same Thursday-Sunday schedule.

Tickets for OLD JEWS TELLING JOKES at the Scherr Forum Theatre of the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza are on sale now at the Civic Arts Plaza box office, ordering online at theaterleague.com or by calling 805.449.2775. The Civic Arts Plaza ticket office, 2100 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd, is open Tuesday through Sunday 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. For special group rates, contact Craig Aikman at 866.314.7687.

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