L’Chayim at U of H
Special to the Jewish Ledger WEST HARTFORD -- Jonathan Adam Ross, a widely acclaimed Jewish theatre artist, will give a free performance of his one-man show, “L’Chayim,” at the University of Hartford on Sunday, Sept. 7, at 3 p.m. The show, presented by the University’s Maurice Greenberg Center for Judaic Studies, will take place in Millard Auditorium, in the Fuller Music Center building on the University campus, 200 Bloomfield Ave., West Hartford. In a time when religion plays such a large role in the way our world is run, “L’Chayim” provides a look into the role religion plays in our homes. Under the direction of Chantal Pavageaux, “L’Chayim” follows all the members of a fictional, American, Jewish family as they live through a generation of assimilation. Co-written by Ross and Michael Feldman, this is a tale of love and family, and the role that religion plays in defining who we are as people. At times hilarious and touching, you will meet many characters throughout the show from Elaine Zipper, the goofy president of the Beth Shalom Sisterhood, to Jacob Greenbaum, the Poland-born patriarch who drives the play. It’s a life cycle piece, but also a close-up examination of modern, religious life in America. “’L’Chayim’ was a beautiful evening of knowing nods of the head, laughter out loud, and an occasional lump in the throat. It spoke to me of the differences between generations who seek to make the ways of religious tradition relative to the lives they really lead,” added Pastor John Michael Krech of the First Presbyterian Church in Somerville, Tenn. Ross is a widely acclaimed Jewish theatre artist, who has created original works in both the commercial and educational spheres. Holder of a BFA in Acting from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, he has performed his first solo show, “Walking in Memphis: The Life of a Southern Jew,” Off-Broadway and around the globe. Ross is also a founding company member of the Northwoods Ramah Theatre and Storahtelling. His acting roots stem from his long-term association with Camp Ramah in Wisconsin, where he serves as director of the performing arts. Aside from acting, Ross has served as faculty for the Spielberg Fellowship in Jewish Theater Education (Foundation for Jewish Camp). Directing credits include Elvis Does Chanukah for which he was interviewed on MSNBC. The presentation of “L’Chayim” is sponsored in part by the Roberta and Bruce Singer Fund at the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Hartford.