Source: Tent
The Yiddish Book Center of Amherst, Mass. is launching a series of weeklong seminars — called Tent focusing on Jewishness along with either comedy, creative writing or theater. The weeklong seminars will be offered to young adults throughout the country in the upcoming 2013 year. The first of the programs, which will take place in Los Angeles in March, will focus on Jewishness and comedy. The creative writing program will take place in Amherst in June, and the final seminar, which will focus on theater, will be held in New York City in August.
The Yiddish Book Center has initiated Tent, because modern culture can inspire us to think imaginatively about what Jewishness means. And vice versa. These pilot programs are just the beginning for Tent. In 2014 the center will award grants to other nonprofit organizations to run additional seminars, with the goal of being able to offer 10 different programs. That number will double again in 2015, and by 2016 it is projected that there will be some 30 programs throughout the country.
Who can apply?
North American Jews between the ages of 20 and 30 — creative people curious about the connections between Jewishness and modern culture.
Tent: Comedy is a week-long seminar in the theory and practice of comedy through a Jewish lens in Los Angeles, CA, March 17–24, 2013. Participants will explore stand-up, improv, and sketch forms with comedians from the country’s leading comedy troupes, and meet with performers and writers working in film and television at the Writers Guild Foundation. In the evenings, you’ll attend comedy shows at premier venues, such as, Largo, Upright Citizen’s Brigade Theater, and The Improv. In morning sessions led by Tony Michels (Univ. of Wisconsin), we’ll discuss theories of Jewish comedy from Sigmund Freud to Rabbi Joseph Telushkin, and view classic performances from the dialect comedians of Vaudeville to the legendary performers of the Borsht Belt, radio, television, and the internet.
If required, lodging will be provided; most meals will be provided. Participants are responsible for their own transportation to and from Los Angeles.
Tent: Comedy application - Deadline: January 7, 2013