Editors Picks:
ANAT FORT
Of all of the fine Israeli jazz players who perform here, pianist Anat Fort stands out for her exquisite lyricism (you can hear hints of Bill Evans and Keith Jarrett) and her long-running working trio (a relative rarity in jazz). She and her running mates — Gary Wang on bass and Roland Schneider on drums — mark their 20th anniversary as a trio with a high-profile gig at Birdland. The anniversary also comes with a new CD, “Colours,” of which The New York Times wrote: “Fort remains governed by a deep sense of poise and a luminous touch.” Gathering from Tel Aviv, New York and Berlin, the three will celebrate the Sunnyside Records’ release. Expect meditative passages alongside spiky swing. — Wednesday, July 17, 7 and 9:45 p.m., Birdland Jazz, 315 W. 44th St., birdlandjazz.com.
FOLKSBIENE’S HANNAH SENESH
On the eve of the Holocaust, many Jews fled Europe for Palestine, and safety. Very few went back to save others. This one-woman show tells the true story of Hannah Senesh, the young Jewish woman who escaped from Axis-allied Hungary in 1939 to the safety of British Mandate Palestine, where she joined the Haganah and volunteered for a daring special operations mission — to parachute back into Europe to save Jews from the approaching Holocaust. Presented by National Yiddish Theatre-Folksbiene, this musical was written and directed by David Schechter, with music composed and arranged by Steven Lutvak. — Wednesday, July 24-Aug. 18, Museum of Jewish Heritage, 36 Battery Place, (646) 437-4202, mjhnyc.org.
MIKA ROTTENBERG: EASYPIECES
Employing absurdist satire to address pressing issues like politics and poverty, Argentinian-born, Israeli-American artist Mika Rottenberg creates videos and installations that offer subversive allegories for contemporary life. Her works interweave documentary and fiction, featuring odd protagonists who work in factory-like settings to manufacture ethnic-related goods. This exhibition marks her first New York solo museum presentation. — Through Sept. 15, The New Museum, 235 Bowery, (212) 219-1222, newmuseum.org.
Theater
TWO’S A CROWD
They say opposites attract — they haven’t met Tom and Wendy. Forced together by a computer error, freewheeling Tom and uptight Wendy do their best to ruin each other’s vacations, but the bright lights of Vegas may still work their magic. This new musical comedy stars Broadway and comedy icon Rita Rudner (“Born to Be Mild,” “Married Without Children”), Kelly Holden Bashar (“Fargo” on FX), Brian Lohmann (Off-Broadway’s “Lifegame”) and Robert Yacko (“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”). — Through Sunday, Aug. 25, 59E59 Theaters, 59 E. 59th St., (646) 892-7999, 59e59.org.
THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO
This production of Mozart’s comic opera, highlighting the Sephardic origins of Italian librettist Lorenzo Da Ponte, is directed and adapted by Sephardic baritone David Serero, who stars as Figaro. — On various dates through Sunday, July 21, Center for Jewish History, 15 W. 16th St., (212) 294-8301, cjh.org.
GOD SHOULD NOT HAVE CHOSEN US
Following two sold-out performances, JCC Sketch Comedy’s show “God Should Not Have Chosen Us” is back with a new set of routines, skewering all walks of Jewish life. — Saturday, July 13, 9:30 p.m., The Peoples Improv Theater, 123 E. 24th St., thepit-nyc.com. $15 online/$20 door.
THE LAST JEW OF BOYLE HEIGHTS
Set in the industrial east side of Los Angeles, in what was once a heavily Jewish area, three Holocaust survivors meet on a factory floor amid talk of deportations, poor wages and fading memories. Written and directed by Steve Greenstein (“Voices From the Holy and Not So Holy”). — Through July (Thursdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 7:30 p.m.), Actors’ Temple Theatre, 339 W. 47th St., actorstempletheatre.com.
ROBYN SCHALL
The local Jewish comic performs material from her upcoming album, “Guilty Pleasure,” poking fun at everything from her unorthodox dating life to her relationship with food. — Saturday, July 20, 7 and 9:30 p.m., Triad Theater, 158 W. 72nd St. Tickets ($10 online/$15 door, plus 2-drink minimum) at robynschall.com.
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Music
BOOK OF J
Guitarist and vocalist Jeremiah Lockwood of The Sway Machinery and vocalist Jewlia Eisenberg, founder of the Balkan funk-punk band Charming Hostess, team up for their duo project, Book of J. Drawing from American psalmody, Yiddish folklore and Jewish liturgy, they mine the intersection of religion and radical politics. — Saturdays in July, 6 p.m., Barbès, 376 Ninth St., Brooklyn, (347) 422-0248, barbesbrooklyn.com.
THE BLUE DAHLIA
Brooklyn-born but a nomad at heart, Dahlia Dumont and her The Blue Dahlia project mix Tex-Mex accordion with klezmer violin, old-time French swing with reggae and ska. — Friday, July 12, 10 p.m., Barbès, 376 Ninth St., Brooklyn, (347) 422-0248, barbesbrooklyn.com.
Film
THE OTHER STORY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFY3hlcdhow
Sasson Gabai plays a renowned psychologist who falls out with his granddaughter when she enters a charedi community and plans to marry a musician known for his wild ways. With English subtitles. —Through Thursday, July 8, Quad Cinema, 34 W. 13th St., (212) 255-2243, quadcinema.com.
Talk
YIDDISH THEATER IN AMERICA
This lecture by JTS’ Edna Nahshon, professor of theater and drama, will review the American Yiddish theater’s formative years, its performance style and the intense bond between auditorium and stage. Delivered in English. — Monday, July 22, 4 p.m., Center for Jewish History, 15 W. 16th St., (212) 294-8301, cjh.org.
Exhibitions
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LEONARD COHEN: A CRACK IN EVERYTHING
This show celebrates the singer-songwriter’s powerful legacy through mixed-media works, including a video projection showcasing Cohen’s own drawings and a multimedia gallery where visitors can hear Cohen’s songs covered by other musicians. —Through Sept. 8, The Jewish Museum, 1109 Fifth Ave., (212) 423-3200, thejewishmuseum.org.
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