Dan Plonsey’s Bar Mitzvah July 8, 2010

PERFORMANCE
Dan Plonsey’s Bar Mitzvah

The Contemporary Jewish Museum presents Dan Plonsey’s Bar Mitzvah, a multimedia performance piece composed by Dan Plonsey and choreographed by Eric Kupers.

Like many American Jews of his generation, composer Dan Plonsey was not raised within a context of traditional ritual, so when his son began to prepare for his bar mitzvah, Plonsey was inspired to join his son by preparing for his own and to create a musical theater piece about the experience. Through humor and parody, music, dance and theater, the resulting work asks what it means to become an adult in today’s world and ponders the goals, meaning, and expectations of traditional ritual in a post-modern world.

Dan Plonsey’s Bar Mitzvah will be performed by Plonsey’s ensemble Daniel Popsicle and by Eric Kupers and members of Dandelion Dancetheater.

On July 8, a special preview of the work will take place. Dance pioneer Anna Halprin, whose work has redefined the boundaries between art, ritual and community, will speak both before and after the performance.

A composer and sax player, Dan Plonsey has written music for the Bang on a Can All-Stars, Toychestra & Fred Frith, Santa Cruz New Music Works and the Berkeley Symphony, as well as for his own ensembles. He has performed and recorded with Anthony Braxton, Eugene Chadbourne and Tom Waits, but more frequently with local greats John Schott, John Shiurba, Robert Horton and many others. Most recently, He composed the music for a new opera, Leave Me Alone, with libretto by Harvey Pekar of American Splendor fame, which premiered at Oberlin College in January 2009.

Eric Kupers has co-directed, choreographed, and performed with Dandelion Dancetheater since its inception and formerly worked with Della Davidson and Margaret Jenkins. He teaches at Cal State University East Bay and is an artist-in-residence at ODC Theater in San Francisco. Eric has received many grants and commissions, including for Dancing in the Streets/NYC, and projects by John Killacky, California Shakespeare Festival, and Highland Summer Theatre.

Dan Plonsey’s Bar Mitzvah was commissioned by the Jewish Music Festival as the centerpiece of its 25th anniversary celebration and is being presented in conjunction with the Contemporary Jewish Museum’s current exhibition Reinventing Ritual.

Co-Sponsored by the East Bay Community Foundation–Fund for Artists.

DATES AND TIMES:
Preview and discussion with Anna Halprin: Thursday, July 8, 2010 at 7 PM
Performances: Sunday, July 11 at 1 PM & 4 PM

WHERE:
Contemporary Jewish Museum
736 Mission Street (between Third and Fourth streets)
San Francisco, CA 94103

INFORMATION: [email protected] or call 415.655.7800.

ADMISSION: $22/General, $18/Members. Includes Museum admission.

Official Website: http://thecjm.org