ezra berkley nepon

Klez Kamp!

Tomorrow, Christmas, I’ll be traveling first to NYC and then to Upstate NY for Klez Kamp, a Yiddish folk arts program that this year (its 27th) focuses on Yiddish Theater. I will be work-studying with Jenny Romaine in the Youth Theater Workshop, where we’ll be building a piece of New Yiddish Theater in four days from the ground up (!). This experience of learning from an inspiring teaching artist will help to fulfill the practicum requirements for my MA program at Goddard.

So far, I know that the show will be inspired by a Yiddish story by Khaver-Paver about a dog named Lobzik who goes with his family to protest economic injustice and learns never to depend on politicians, and a bunch of memes including Denver the guilty dog, and a flowchart of the Declaration of the Occupation (from Occupy Wall Street).

I’m doing a bunch of reading today, trying to find out more about all the references Jenny has made as we discuss this show: the Artef movement, Meyerhold Biomechanics, William Kentridge, Grine Katshke. And I’m finishing up Adventures in Yiddishland:Postvernacular Language and Culture by Jeffrey Shandler – super relevant book.

solstice visions

a neon jew, at hanukah, looks forward to summer

PS I’m honored that my solstice art project was included as a Daily Candy on Reina July’s website http://troublewaiting.wordpress.com/. Daily Candy is  “a treat of what we are troubled by or troubling or invoking or anticipating or anxiously awaiting for each day”, which aligns with the website’s Advent-theme. I’m a neon jew in an advent calendar!

Little Orphan Gender Rev Annie Occupies the New Year!

Great Small Works Spaghetti Dinner – Occupy the New Year!!
December 30, 2011, 8 PM
Judson Memorial Church, 55 Washington Square South, NYC
$15 suggested donation (no one turned away for lack of funds)

with
LEGS ON 'OLIDAY
WOLLESONIC MEETS WOLLESCENIC
THROUGH THE HEADLIGHTS
SYNGJA
OCCUPY THE HOLIDAYS

 and...
 MUSIC FOR DANCING by Jessica Lurie and friends!

name announcement greeting card

I changed my name! Thanks to Annie Danger for drawing this beautiful card with my design ideas: an antique “greetings from coney island” postcard, pansies, seahorses… turned out gorgeously and now I’m addressing postcards to mail them out before year’s end and start 2012 with a new name for a new chapter.

puppet uprising!

puppet uprising June 2001 Poster

On December 3rd, I had a great time MC’ing the 11th Annual Puppet Uprising Year End Cabaret! I love Puppet Uprising, and it was fun to realize it’s been around 11 years and that I last MC’ed it over ten years ago in June 2001 as my drag king character Ben Hesherman. Wow time flies!

Excellent performances by idiosynCrazy productions, Sarah Lowry (Missoula Oblongata) & Beth Nixon (Ramshackle Enterprises),  The Agave Opera Company, Geppetta, Charlie Sarks, The Ragdoll Engine,  and musical guest Matthew Schreiber.

Little Orphan Gender Revolutionary Annie out on the town

My video Little Orphan Gender Revolutionary Annie had a fabulous world premiere debut on November 19th at  the MIX NYC Experimental Queer Film Festival!  And save the date for December 30th – it’s screening at the Great Small Works Spaghetti Dinner in NYC.

Annie is stuck in the rotten gender-binary girls’ orphanage system, dreaming of a place where ze could thrive. “Tomorrow, tomorrow, I’m changing tomorrow… I’m not just a girl or gay!” sings Annie. This 13-minute song-cycle performance is based on a play written by Dr. Kate Sorensen and Killer Sideburns and performed at Idapalooza Fruit Jam in 2004. The 2011 video features four toy theater stages created by Dr. Kate Sorensen, green-screen video magic by Niknaz Tavakolian, and Killer Sideburns as a miniature broadway star.

Publishing my New Jewish Agenda research!

I’m thrilled to announce that progressive independent press Thread Makes Blanket has published Justice, Justice Shall You Pursue: A History of New Jewish Agenda in Spring 2012!

The book is now available for order through AK Press!

Our Celebrate People’s History poster is also available, produced in collaboration with justseeds Artists’ Cooperative!

The main text of the book is slightly expanded from my NJA-research website, and it also includes an expanded section of my own analysis and two afterwords pieces: an essay by historian Rachel Mattson reflecting on why this history is so crucial, and an essay by JFREJ board member Daniel Lang/Levitsky reflecting on current Jewish activism in relation to NJA’s history. The book and poster feature original cover art by Abigail Miller.

Many thanks to all of the supporters who pre-ordered the book and poster and donated to cover the printing costs

Praise for the book  is coming in from advance-reviewers, as well as some great advance press. We’re now booking events in June between Boston and DC and in July between SF and Seattle!