.png)
What inspired you to create Oy! To The World?
Greg and Maurice were motivated to provide a holiday show that served a larger swath of the theater going community. And give audiences the opportunity to see something other than A Christmas Carol.
How did the idea of exploring Jewish contributions to Christmas music come about?
Greg had the idea of creating a holiday show that would be of interest to Jewish patrons. It was shortly after this idea that Oy! To The World, popped into his head. This was followed by a deep dive down the Google rabbit hole where he discovered the immense contribution that Jewish song writers made to holiday music.
Why did you choose the Catskills as the setting for the story?
One of the first manifestations of the show was going to be a USO type performance, but when we looked at the full canon of Jewish composed Christmas music, we realized we wanted to include much of the music that was written more recently. The Catskills was an obvious solution. The Catskills were an integral part of Jewish entertainment history, and the idea of someone reviving an old lodge with a Christmas spectacular was a great fit to what we were trying to accomplish.
Were there any unexpected challenges in developing the show?
Getting the rights to the songs!
How did you decide which songs or musical styles to feature?
The song choices were easy. Oy! Literally contains over 25 of the best Christmas and Holiday songs ever written. The styles were chosen to represent our diversity as Americans. And our arranger Gerald Sternbach was, shall we say, instrumental in the fine tuning the styles and helping shape the show.
How do the characters’ diverse backgrounds reflect the broader themes of the show?
Christmas is inescapable in the United States. But the way we celebrate is not necessarily universal. We wanted to create a show that honored the many ways we gather to celebrate family and community.
What role did your personal backgrounds or experiences play in shaping this show?
Gregory and Maurice have extensive backgrounds in theatre and entertainment. They used their vast knowledge and experience to craft Oy!
Which character's voice came to you first when developing this story?
The character of Shelly. He was our guide to the story, and helped to bring the other characters to life.
What's your favorite scene that still surprises you when you hear it read?
We love when each character tells their own story about how they celebrated the holidays. We love seeing the audience shaking their heads and laughing in agreement with the stories.
Do you have a favorite memory that comes to mind from when you first saw this show performed/rehearsed?
Gregory: I would say when we got our first big laugh. I thought: “Great, they get it. They resonate with it.” Also, we were over the moon when Mel Torme’s (The Christmas Song aka Chestnuts) children Melissa and James and Phil Springer’s (Santa Baby) daughter Tamar came to our show. They were so delighted to see their fathers’ songs along with a bit of the writer’s history being shared with appreciative audiences.
Maurice: I agree with Greg. I was also delighted by the reaction of the audience when they heard the backgrounds of the songs. When Greg and I were researching, we were constantly saying to one another: “Wow, did you know why this song writer wrote this?” And it was gratifying to see and hear audiences have the same reaction.
Who is your favorite creative from which you take a lot of inspiration?
Gregory: I often think about the artist Robert Irwin. His approach to his work was that the soul is in the entire project. Even the parts you can’t see. When you pay attention to even the smallest details the viewer senses it even if they don’t quite know why.
Maurice: That’s hard for me to answer. I’ve worked with so many wonderful directors and actors who have inspired me throughout my career. Robin Phillips and Martha Henry were huge influences and expanded my understanding of theatre and acting.
What is your all-time favorite Christmas song?
Gregory: That’s impossible for me to answer. I LOVE Christmas music. I hold off as long as I can to start playing it, but as soon as the tree goes up in early November, it’s all Christmas music all the time. Sinatra, Bing, Como, The Velvet Fog, Eartha. I love it all. Well, all the secular stuff. Not a fan of the heavily religious music. Just not my thing.
Maurice: All-time favorite is hard. There are so many that bring back happy memories. My mother loved Oh Holy Night, but she adored it when it was sung in French: Minuit Chrétiens. It would bring tears to her eyes. Let’s go with that one.
Which character would you most want to have hot chocolate with around the fireplace?
Gregory: Becky, without a doubt.
Maurice: Damn, Gregory already chose Becky.
Do you or your family have any favorite Holiday traditions?
Gregory: I like to put up the tree November 1st. It’s fake and pink and over 7 feet tall. I love the holidays and want to get the ball rolling asap.
Maurice: I love the lights and the smell of pine needles. Instead of cutting down a tree though we would trim the bottom branches from trees, bundle them up in a large vase and decorate that.
Which one of these characters would have a TikTok account? And what would they post about?
Becky and Arnold are both very TikTok savvy. Becky is promoting a new line of clothing she’s designed. Arnold actually has over 100,000 followers. He performs in Karaoke bars internationally. Shelly tried for a while but it was too much work. Joy has her marketing dept. handle all of her posts. She’s currently on a ship somewhere impersonating a Disney princess.
What excites you most about seeing different theaters interpret this piece across the world?
Gregory: Fame and untold riches.
Maurice: I love seeing how others see and hear a work. I love watching the creative process at work. That, and fame and untold riches.
What theaters do you recommend doing this show? How does it best fit in their season?
This show is perfect for every regional theater with a subscription base or smaller commercial houses. The show with its incredible list of songs and its interesting history will be a humorous revelation to many. It’s a fun, nostalgia filled, inclusive (yes, we still use that word and have no plans of abandoning it)show that is a viable and affordable option to A Christmas Carol.
What aspect of the show would you say resonates most strongly with audiences?
The nostalgia. Everyone can find some aspect of their childhood in the stories we tell. From the ethnically and religiously mixed families, to the broken families struggling to come together, to the happy and fun memories of loved ones gathering. There really is something for practically everyone in our little show.
Who should come see this musical? Who is it for?
Everyone who has come to the show has had a great time, and we’ve had audiences of every age and every walk of life. It has the ability to reach so many people that I can’t think of anyone who loves theatre that would not love this show.
See you at the show!
-- Gregory, Maurice, & Heather
.jpg)
