Join us for a silly and very entertaining romp through the Wild West!  Git on yer spurs and boots – stomp your feet, clap your hands , yell YEE-HAW with our bluegrass band!

Every other year, Adath Israel congregants come together to bring a musical to life. This year, the synagogue is putting on the East Coast premiere of Wes Finlay’s and Don Weller’s foot-stompin’ adaptation of Gilbert and Sullivan’s musical comedy, The Mikado and features features congregants and community members of all ages.  In addition to acting in the show, volunteers direct, produce, build sets, and much more. Many of the actors, both newcomers and veteran performers, have significant musical and performing backgrounds including experience with improvisational comedy, a cappella, and standup comedy!

Bluegrass band The Ruta Beggars, new this year to Adath Israel, will bring a unique musical accompaniment to the production.  The Ruta Beggars. Based in the Boston area, are led by Ariel Wyner, a Lower Merion native and winner of the 2019 Fletcher Bright Award for excellence in Bluegrass Music.  Ariel is a highly highly acclaimed arranger, composer, producer, and mandolinist.  The infusion of bluegrass music with classic Gilbert & Sullivan tunes make this a unique and top-quality production you definitely won’t want to miss!

The Ruta Beggars can be heard on Steve Martin’s Unreal Bluegrass, Brian O’Donavan’s A Celtic Sojourn and the stages of Joe Val, Grey Fox, and Ossipee Bluegrass Festivals, among others.

This year is the twenty second that the Adath Israel Players have been in business, and the group’s enthusiasm and dedication only seems to increase with each production. Everyone involved in the production is a volunteer. “Each time we put on a production, we are in awe of the way such a diverse group comes together,” said producer and actress Darlene Cohn. “It’s a great way to build community!” Since many of the adults in the production are acting alongside their children, the show provides a unique opportunity for participants to bond not only with their fellow congregants, but within their own families as well.