Time for a laugh
‘Just For Us’ brings the fun in comedian’s
one-man show at the Cherry Lane Theatre
BY TEQUILA MINSKY
The Village audience was
hardy having braved
wind and bitter cold
and plowed mounds of snow
during the Jan. 29 nor’easter.
Once in the theater, they were
invited to move forward, fi lling
a little more than half of
Cherry Lane Theatre to catch
comedian Alex Edelman’s oneman
show Just For Us.
They were determined, and it
was a good day for levity.
Scheduled originally to have
a December run extended into
January, Omicron forced the
act into a pause. It reopened
January 24. Then the nor’easter
threatened it again. Edelman
began this set explaining that
only briefl y did they consider
canceling but the show must
and did go on, happily for those
who got to laugh for 75 minutes.
And who doesn’t need a
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
good laugh? He thanked the
audience for coming. “They had
a siege mentality,” he says, of
those who showed up. “Comedians
like that.”
Edelman commands the
stage, a few stools scattered
around to change perspective,
as he carries the audience
through multiple threads of a
narrative—growing up Modern
Orthodox and attending a yeshiva
in Boston, his brother, an
Israeli winter team Olympian,
and infi ltrating a white supremacist
meeting in Queens (and
a mental fl irtation with one of
its members). His engagement
with being Jewish, and the value
of empathy are other pertinent
themes.
Edelman has performed this
piece in Australia and London,
receiving superlative praise at
the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Nationally he really enjoyed
being at Comedy on State in
Madison, Wisconsin, opening
for Beck at Irving Plaza and
“a particularly sparky night at
Cherry Lane this week.” This is
his third solo show.
When asked, “Has he performed
for Chassidic audiences?”
He responds, “Chassidic
audiences have, generally, been
absolutely wonderful. They always
come up afterwards to
ask I know the comedian Modi.
Chassidic audiences love Modi.”
Outside the theater, which is
at the bend of Commerce Street,
is a colorful quasi-psychedelic
portrait of Edelman.
It’s peppered with relevant
imagery (eg. a storm trooper’s
boot, a tiki-torch, a star of David,
a menorah). Santa is eating
a Purim triangular pastry
hamantaschen placed where the
third eye is located. This illustration
cleverly refl ects what the
performance is about.
The show runs until Feb. 19.
Sesame Street Live returns to Madison Square Garden
BY COURTNEY INGALLS
Are you looking for a fun
yet kid-friendly show
that you can bring the
whole family to see? Well luckily
for us New Yokers, one of
the most beloved kids shows
is putting on a production at
Madison Square Garden.
Sesame Street Live! Let’s
Party! Is the perfect live show
for kids to make memories while
also getting to see some of their
favorite characters up close.
Join Elmo, Abby Cadabby,
Big Bird and many other characters
(along with new Sesame
Streets friends Casey and Caleb
as emcees) as they interact
with your kids to hold a perfect
dance party, while also showing
what a little friendship plus
teamwork can accomplish.
Of course, if you’re going to
host a dance party you need a
good song lineup, which is why
guests will be able to jam out
to familiar songs, like “I Love
Trash” and “C is for Cookie,”
with Oscar the Grouch and
Cookie Monster. Kids and parents
of all ages will have a blast
signing and dancing the night
away!
This awesome show will be
Quite an achievement to singularly hold an audience and
keep them laughing for 75 minutes.
putting on 13 performances
from Feb. 19 through Feb. 27.
Tickets start at $15 and can be
PHOTO BY TEQUILA MINSKY
PROVIDED
purchased on the MSG website
and they are also sold at their
Ticketmaster Box Offi ces.
Schneps Media February 3, 2022 19