On Sept. 11, Batty Page and Rabbi Manny Schevitz welcomed a sold-out crowd to L’Shana Tada: A Queer Jewish New Year to mark the beginning of Rosh Hashanah.
The cabaret- style variety show took place at Stars and Garters at 3914 N. Clark St., while making a point of mixing queerness with tradition without political debate or comment. The celebration included traditional songs and instruction provided by Schevitz for the audience to participate and sing along with, as well as a line-up of performers presenting decidedly giddy non-traditional entertainment.
After the show kicked off with an overture—“Tradition” from Fiddler on the Roof—Rabbi Manny Schevitz kicked off the show by stating, “If you were expecting a Rabbi in a dark suit, you’ve come to the wrong place.”
Threaded through the segments of instruction were a wide range of wildly entertaining performances including Merriam Levkowitz ,who performed an hilarious disco flavored aria on the joys of New York bagels and the proper hip gyrations needed to spread cream cheese on them; a spicy performance by exotic dancer Sugar Cane Jane; and a tradition steeped dance and striptease from host Batty Page.
The evening also featured an avant-garde performance from Whimsy Stiff, who played a note-perfect version of Laura Nyro’s “Stoney End,” on a concertina before breaking out in a fully invested performance of “The Way We Were” by Barbara Striesand. A musical summer camp segment was led by Rabbi Manny Shevitz, who then closed out the show by blowing the shofa.
