The Sabes JCC is hosting the fourth annual Minneapolis Jewish Humor Festival through Jan. 26. This festival of one-person shows, stand-up comedy, workshops, storytelling, film and special events — featuring both local and national talent — celebrates the Jewish contribution to the world of humor.
All festival events take place at the JCC, 4330 Cedar Lake Rd. S., St. Louis Park, and are open to the public.
The remaining festival schedule is as follows:
• Film screening of The Yankles, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 17 and 12:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 18. The 2009 film by David R. and Zev Brooks follows Charlie Jones (Brian Wimmer), a former major league baseball player, who connects with Elliot (Michael Buster), an Orthodox Jew studying to be a rabbi who’s trying to salvage the hapless baseball team (nicknamed “The Yankles”) at his yeshiva.
• Unofficial “Ladies Night,” featuring comedienne Dana Goldberg with special guest Joy Veh and hosted by Sarah McPeck, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 19.
• Laughter Yoga Workshop with Esther Ouray, 12 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 20. Started in India, laughter yoga is now practiced in 53 countries and anyone can do the simple exercises (stretching, breathing and laughing).
• The History of Ha! with David Misch, 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 20. Misch, author of the recently published Funny: The Book, will give a hilarious, video-illustrated talk that traces the history of humor. The performance will be followed by a Q&A, and a reception and book signing.
• The Wicked Wit Of The West! with Hank Rosenfeld, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 24. NPR storyteller Rosenfeld will use rare film footage and audio clips to explore the career of Irving Brecher — “the funniest writer you’ve never heard of” — who wrote for the Marx brothers and classic musicals, and created TV’s first situation comedy, The Life of Riley. The performance will be followed by a Q&A, as well as a book signing of The Wicked Wit of the West by Irving Brecher, as told to Hank Rosenfeld.
• Material I Can’t Use in Sermons*: An Evening with Rabbi Sim Glaser (a.k.a. The Inappropriate Rabbi), with special guest Laura Thorne and hosted by Sabes JCC CEO Joshua Wert, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 26 (*but do anyway). Back by popular demand after selling out 280 seats in last year’s festival, Rabbi Glaser will share more of his wicked sense of humor. Tickets include a closing night reception following the show.
For tickets and information, visit: www.sabesjcc.org or call 952-381-3499. Below is a video of Rabbi Sim Glaser from the Sabes JCC’s Summer Comedy Cabaret in 2011:
