India Braver is Tribe 12’s Engagement Associate, and she’s excited to help plan upcoming events for the Jewish 20s/30s community in Philadelphia. You can catch her at First Thursday Happy Hour next week, as well as many more events to come.
This month has been super busy- ALL OF THE HOLIDAYS! We’ve had Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot… Purim- wait what?!? Purim? In September?
Ok, maybe not. BUT thanks to Very Awesome Arts, I was lucky enough to laugh my way through the story of Purim at their Very Awesome Purim awards show, the Awesomest of Purim, last weekend.
Every spring, the team behind Very Awesome Arts (lead by the dynamic duo of Josh and Rachael Silverbauer) puts on an interactive, super-fun musical that teaches audiences about Purim via catchy song and dance numbers. There’s a different theme every year, so every show features brand-new musical parodies that you can’t help but bop along to. Past themes include A Very Broadway Purim and A Very Disney Purim feat. iconic songs like Defying Tyranny (a Defying Gravity remake) and Let Him Know (Let It Go).
This fall, all your old favorites were brought back as the Davies (you gotta go see it to understand!) were handed out to various characters for their best performances over the years. Everything was tied together nicely by our charming host, who was very Neil Patrick Harris at the 2013 Tony’s, complete with the orchestration of an over-the-top opening number.
We got to see Queen Vashti perform I’m Too Vashti from A Very One Hit Purim and Under Pressure from A Very Glam Rock Purim. Between performances, funny videos and insider tidbits were shared. Haman even did a whole bit about all his rejected solo numbers over the years. Haman, more like HAMan, amirite?!? (I’ll see myself out.)
BUT if that doesn’t sound awesome enough already, as an audience member, you’re also actively encouraged to participate. You get to boo Haman, gawk over Esther, and Hi Dave. It’s like Rocky Horror, but ya know, Jewish.
Hopefully, reading this has inspired you to get your tickets for their big show in March- you can even vote on what the next theme will be here. It’ll definitely be a night to remember, and you’ll get to find out who this mysterious Dave is. I know I’ll be first in line.
Until then, if ya need me, I’ll be working on my John Hughes Yom Kippur show, The Break Fast Club. #inspired
