The hit off-Broadway show Circumcise Me currently playing at The Bleecker Street Theatre (45 Bleecker Street) is celebrating the Holidays with toy drives, Chanukah candle lighting ceremonies, and more. The show is teaming up with Toys for Tots and The 17th AnnuAl Bergen County Chanukah Toy Drive to bring the joy of the holiday season to thousands of needy Jewish children in the New York area.
All new and unwrapped gifts can be dropped off at The Bleecker Street Theatre and other designated locations through-outBergen County. Anyone bringing a toy will get a voucher for 1 free ticket (buy 1, get 1 free) to Circumcise Me as well as the opportunity to get their picture taken with star Yisrael Campbell. The Bergen County Toy Drive locations are accepting toys through December 4th and after that time, all toys can be dropped off at The Bleecker Street Theatre location.
Presents are distributed in the Bergen County area at Chanukah parties held by organizations such as: Tomorrow's Children Institute/Hackensack Hospital, Jewish Family Services, Project Ezrah, Tomchei Shabbos of Bergen County, JADD-group homes, Bikur Cholim, Bris Avrohom, Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty, Ohel Children's Home, Sharsheret, OTSAR, Chai Lifeline, Shelter Our Sisters, Emunah/Israel, Shaarei Zedek, and others. Toys for Tots are distributed through the local marine corp units of greater New York.
Circumcise Me will also be celebrating the season with a special Friday matinee, November 27th at 2pm and celebrating Chanukah with a candle lighting ceremony. After the 4pm performance on December 13th and after the 8pm performance on December 17th, the show's star, Yisrael Campbell will light the menorah and lead the crowd in Chanukah songs.
"As we enter the season for giving, I am thrilled that the Circumcise Me family can team up with The Bergen County Toy Drive, and then Toys for Tots to give back to the community," said the show's star Yisrael Campbell. "Having children of my own, and one on the way, I know how important it is to make sure all children have a wonderful Chanukah."
The Bergen County Toy Drive Drop off locations include (only thru Dec. 4th):
Synagogues
Congregation Beth Shalom - Teaneck, NJ
Ahavat Achim, Eis Family - Fair Lawn, NJ
Ahavat Shalom, Romanoff Family - Teaneck, NJ
Arzei Darom, Markovits/Shapiro Family - Teaneck, NJ
Beth Aaron, Leifer Family - Teaneck, NJ
Beth Abraham, Schild Family - Bergenfield, NJ
Bnai Yeshurun, Friedman Family - Teaneck, NJ
Etz Chaim of Teaneck, Levin Family - Teaneck, NJ
Keter Torah, Weinrib Family - Teaneck, NJ
Netivot Shalom, Straus Family - Teaneck, NJ
Rinat Yisrael, Grosser Family - Teaneck, NJ
Riverdale Jewish Center - Riverdale, NY
Shaare Orah, Douek Family - Teaneck, NJ
Shaare Tefillah, Gottesman Family - Teaneck, NJ
Shomrei Torah, Shaindy Aron Family - Fair Lawn, NJ
Teaneck Jewish Center - Teaneck, NJ
Temple Emeth - Teaneck, NJ
Tzemach David (Zichron Mordechai), Senter Family - Teaneck, NJ
YM-YWHA of North Jersey - Wayne, New Jersey
Young Israel of North Riverdale, Winter Family - Riverdale, NY
Young Israel of Teaneck, Kirshner Family - Teaneck, NJ
Schools
Alissa M Flatow Yeshiva High School (Bat Torah) - Paramus, NJ
Ben Porat Yosef - Leonia, NJ
Bnai Yeshurun Nursery School - Teaneck, NJ
Forest Hills Jewish Center Nursery and Kindergarten - Forest Hills, NY Phone ext 220
Frisch - Paramus, NJ
JCC of Paramus/Religious School - Paramus, NJ
Jewish Youth Encounter Program - Teaneck, NJ
Leah Sokoloff Nursery School of Shomrei Torah - Fair Lawn, NJ
Ma'ayanot Yeshiva High School For Girls - Teaneck, NJ
Manhattan Day School - New York, NY
Moriah School of Englewood - Englewood, NJ
Rosenbaum Yeshiva of North Jersey - River Edge, NJ
SAR Academy/Early Childhood - Riverdale, NY
Solomon Shechter Day School - New Milford, NJ
Temple Beth Or Religious School - Washington Township, NJ
Temple Emanuel Early Childhood Program - Woodcliffe Lake, NJ
Torah Academy of Bergen County - Teaneck, NJ Collecting new sports equiptment
Yavneh Academy - Paramus, NJ
Yeshivat Noam - Bergenfield & Paramus, NJ
The lobby at The Bleecker Street Theatre (45 Bleecker Street between Lafayette and Bowery) will be receiving gifts for Toys for Tots through-out the holiday season.
Circumcise Me, (www.yisraelcampbell.com) a new comedy written by and starring Yisrael Campbell and directed by Sam Gold will play off-Broadway at The Bleecker Street Theater (45 Bleecker Street just East of Lafayette Street) beginning November 1st with the official opening scheduled for November 18th. The show is produced by Evelyn McGee Colbert and Eva Price of Maximum Entertainment Productions.
Circumcise Me tells the true story of Yisrael Campbell, your average Irish, Italian, Catholic kid from Philly, who became a sober alcoholic, recovering drug addict, husband, father, reform, conservative, unorthodox, orthodox, Jewish comic actor. In his New York theatrical debut, Yisrael (born Christopher) takes the audience on an extraordinary spiritual, creative, and hysterically funny journey including, ouch, three circumcisions along the way.
Circumcise Me is the rare collision of comedy and theatre that will have women howling with laughter and men squirming in their seats. The film "Circumcise Me," a documentary on Yisrael's life, is currently playing in film festivals around the country.
The creative team includes scenic and video design by Aaron Rhyne, Lighting by Perchik Kreiman-Miller, and sound design by Drew Fornarola.
"It is thrilling to bring Circumcise Me to New York," said Yisrael Campbell. "The show will be running a quick subway ride away from where I studied 20 years ago at The Circle in the Square Drama School so I feel like I have come full circle. In the process, though, I changed my name, my religion, my nationality, my martial status and my size."
