Tali Tadmor

“Ella Fitzgeraldberg” is a cabaret show exploring the Yiddish Swing subculture of the 1930’s and 40’s (legendary singer Ella Fitzgerald at one time recorded the greatest Yiddish Swing hit of all time, “Bai Mir Bist Du Sheyn”). Told from a flashback perspective, an actress threads a story through original songs performed by a Yiddish Big Band ensemble. Recounting the woman’s glamorous days of old, the show examines some of the dilemmas inherent in one of the 20th century’s more interesting eras in Jewish life: the cultural assimilation of pre- and post-war American Jewry.  Imagine stepping into a swanky nightclub circa 1940. Europe is being ravaged by war, the United States is still reeling from the Great Depression and yet, behind that door is some of the happiest music known to man. It is loud, raunchy, brassy, bright and fast. The band plays vintage selections from the era, as the evening is transformed into a full-blown swing dance party. It is an evening that synthesizes music, theater, dance and fashion.