‘Stage Door Follies’ show comes to United Hebrew Congregation

BY VICTORIA SIEGEL, SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH LIGHT

Beginning Saturday, Nov. 4, Stage Door Follies, A Musical Nosh will be playing United Hebrew Congregation. The production, whose name is a play on words of the famed Stage Door Deli in New York, is a musical salute to Broadway shows and features members of the congregation.

“That’s the amazing part,” Myron Holtzman, producer of the show, said. “We have so many talented members in our congregation.”

There are around two dozen adults and 20 kids performing in Stage Door including the rabbis and cantor.

The show begins with an opening parody and then moves to a medley of New York songs followed by earlier Broadway songs. After the 15-minute intermission, the show resumes with numbers from the more recent shows on Broadway. “It’s like taking a trip to New York,” said Irene Fox, the director and writer of the show, “and you’re visiting the different Broadway shows. There is also a section about Ellis Island and Second Avenue featuring klezmer music.”

Both Holtzman and Fox bring singing experience to this show with Fox having performed with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and the Clayton Symphony, among other groups.

“We have some great entertainers in our temple,” Holtzman said. “The young talent, 35 years old and younger, is amazing. There are a lot of shows put on like this, and I might sound a little biased, but they don’t compare.”

In addition to young talent, the performers also include many senior citizens, including an 85-year-old woman.

This production at UH is the sixth one since 1995 and aims to raise $20,000 for the congregation. In keeping with the show’s theme, opening night, Saturday, Nov. 4, will feature a deli dinner, from Pumpernickle’s, prior to the show. Tickets for dinner and the show are $50 and offer attendees preferred seating. The rest of the performances are general seating. General seating tickets for just the show on opening night are $20. The schedule for the rest of the performances is: Sunday, Nov. 5, at 2 p.m.; Thursday, Nov. 9, at 7:30 p.m.; and Saturday, Nov. 11, at 8 p.m. The ticket price for these remaining shows is $15. For tickets, contact United Hebrew at 314-469-0700 or mail a check along with the number of desired tickets and date to: United Hebrew Congregation, 13988 Conway Road, St. Louis, MO 63141; include a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Tickets will also be available at the door.