54 | JANUARY 26 • 2023 

ARTS&LIFE
MUSICAL THEATER

C

onsummate performer and Ann 
Arbor native Ari Axelrod is 
taking his show, A Place for Us: 
A Celebration of Jewish Broadway, back 
to New York City. On Monday, Jan. 30, at 
8:30 p.m. at the Birdland Theater in the 
heart of the Theater District, Axelrod will 
be honoring famous Jewish composers and 
their beloved songs. 
“The vast majority of shows on 
Broadway were and are written by Jews,” 
says Axelrod, who has taken this show all 
over the United States, to Canada and via 
Zoom to audiences in Israel, South Africa 
and other countries. “I wanted to celebrate 
these brilliant composers and lyricists as 
well as the Jewish culture and vitality that 
shines through in their musicals.” 
Some of Broadway’s most influential 
Jewish musicians that Axelrod highlights 
stretch from Irving Berlin, George 
Gershwin and Leonard Bernstein to 
Stephen Sondheim, Stephen Schwartz, 
Carole King and Adam Guettel, grandson 
of famed composer Richard Rodgers. 
Accompanied by Broadway veteran 
music director Lawrence Yurman, the 
audience can expect to hear Axelrod sing 
some of Broadway’s most memorable 

tunes, such as “
A Place for Us” from 
Leonard Bernstein’s West Side Story 
and “Some Enchanting Evening” from 
Richard Rodger’s South Pacific. Back stories 
of the composers, Jewish traditions and 
music with roots from the synagogue are 
all incorporated in the show. 
Although Axelrod’s 90-minute one-man 
show has been performed some 30 times, 
including in Dexter, Michigan in 2020, 
each engagement differs. 
“The show feels different each time we 
do it,” says Axelrod, 28, who lives in New 
York. “
As the world for American Jews has 
changed and shifted, the songs may carry 
different meanings. I built the show before 
the shooting at The Tree of Life Synagogue 
in Pittsburgh, and things have changed 
for American Jews since then. I feel it’s my 
responsibility to reflect the ever-changing 
world in this show.” 

There is no doubt Axelrod is proud to be 
Jewish and, with the rise of antisemitism, 
he says acknowledging all the Jewish 
contributions to musical theater is more 
important than ever. He also says he feels 
strongly about fighting antisemitism and 
supporting all Jews, regardless of their level 
of spirituality or observance. 

Ann Arbor native Ari Axelrod takes 
his show about Jewish Broadway 
back to New York City, also 
releases his debut album. 

Cabaret Star 
Shares His 
Jewish Pride

ALICE BURDICK SCHWEIGER 
SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

Ari 
Axelrod

DETAILS

A Place for Us: A Celebration of 
Jewish Broadway: Monday, Jan. 
30 at 8:30 p.m. at the Birdland 
Theater, 315 W. 44th St., New 
York City. For tickets, call (212) 
581-3080. birdlandjazz.com. 
Axelrod will also be performing on 
March 1 and 2 at the Levis Jewish 
Community in Boca Raton, Florida. 
(561) 558-2520. 

Ari Axelrod at 
Chelsea T&S, 
Nov. 22, 2022

 MICHAEL HULL