Daniel Wise, his directed and produced productions in New York City, on and off Broadway, as well as in Japan, Russia, China, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Britain and South Africa.

He pioneered the first major Broadway production in Russia (42nd Street, Moscow 2001-2002); and the first Broadway musical in China as a joint production with the China Ministry of Culture (Rent, 2005-2007 featuring the Broadway cast with Karen Mok); as well as the Blues Brothers International Tour; and several international jazz, music and theatre festivals, including Chuck Berry’s international tour of 50 Years of Rock ‘N Roll.

He produced The Gathering on Broadway, starring Hal Linden. He worked on a production with the Peking Opera’s The Monkey King, at Lincoln Center. Wise has collaborated on original works with Joseph Stein, Sheldon Harnick, Marvin Hamlisch, Stephen Schwartz, David Shire, Elizabeth Swados and Franco Zeffirelli.

Wise is also the playwright and director of Soul Doctor, the Broadway musical about the life of the father of contemporary Jewish Music Shlomo Carlebach, which opened at Circle in the Square Theatre, in August 2013.

Soul Doctor is the untold story rockstar Rabbi, Shlomo Carlebach, and high priestess of soul, Nina Simone.

After hundreds of sold-out performances on Broadway and throughout the world, Soul Doctor comes to the Big Screen June 13th. 

The movie musical was filmed live in Jerusalem, about how music and spirituality formed an unlikely friendship between rockstar Rabbi, Shlomo Carlebach and legendary singer and activist, Nina Simone. Together their music woke up the world and brought to light the common struggles of the black and Jewish communities that still continue today.

Soul Doctor is a tribute to Nina Simone’s enormous influence on the revival of Jewish music and the power of music to unite, uplift, and bring people together. 

Video by Magda Katz

New York was treated to a very special cabaret program Thursday night by the international Chanteuse Adrienne Haan, who brought her Carnegie Hall audience to their feet with a thrilling performance of Tehorah, songs by Jewish composers in honor of the 75h anniversary of the founding of the State of Israel. Tehorah, means “pure” in Hebrew. This concert was, indeed, a pure delight.

Adrienne Haan is a miraculous force of  theatrical nature. As a cabaret performer, she represents the pinnacle of talent, achievement and artistic beauty. She travels the world singing fluently in thirteen languages. How many can do that?

 She was breathtakingly beautiful on Thursday night, in a slinky, red, sequined bodysuit and impeccably coiffed blonde hair.  Her great physical expressiveness added clarity and meaning to the song lyrics, which were all in German, Yiddish or Hebrew. (Fortunately and wisely, the programme provided translations of all the songs as well).  It was the first time I ever saw a cabaret singer do a high kick in the middle of a song…needless to say, without missing a beat.

Cabaret singing is a very personal art form.  You never know if you’re going to get a great actor who may not sing very well, or a great singer who stands like a block of wood.  Ms. Haan is that rare cabaret artist, who not only has a beautifully trained singing voice, but who is also a superlative actress and dramatic interpreter of her material.  It was thrilling to hear her tear her heart out with a guttural expression in “Pirate Jenny,” and yet sing with astounding beauty in the next moment. That is a remarkable feat which only the very best can do.

Her program featured many songs of the Weimar Republic in the 1920’s, representing Germany at a time of great artistic freedom, before the rise of the National Socialists. The evening became more triste as it reflected the anti-Semitism of the years that followed in Yiddish laments. The Hebrew songs balanced that with images of hope and peace.

Ms. Haan was brilliantly supported by a quintet of outstanding, young Israeli instrumentalists. They were Leerone Hakami on first violin, who played a heartrending version of the theme from Schindler’s List, Maya Lorenzen (second violin), Ella Bukszpan (viola) and Tamar Sagiv (cello), beautifully accompanied on piano by Musical Director Udi Gershuni.

At the end of the concert, Ms. Haan expressed her concern that the censorship of books which is happening today bears too great a resemblance to the book burning by the Nazis ninety years ago.  That such a thing could happen again, and that the ugliness of anti-Semitism could reassert itself, must not be allowed to happen. We must raise our voices in every way against that, including in glorious song, as Ms. Haan makes it her mission to do.

Ms. Haan is artist in residence at the Triad Theater where she performs her different soireés on a regular basis.  This was the first time I had the pleasure of hearing her.  But I hope it will not be the last.

The spirit of revival was alive and well, thanks to God is Love Takeover in Times Square Friday night.

Michelle Spence-Jones, the founder of the Loved by God Movement and former city of Miami commissioner, and her followers made Duffy Square a friendlier and more spatial place.

Spence-Jones and Pastor Jewel Newman of the Holy Spirit Encounter in Georgia organized The God is Love Takeover to coincide with the day after Thursday’s National Day of Prayer. The event included a “love walk” and featured speakers, a prayer and a healing tent.

“A lot of people just don’t know that they’re loved, and a lot of people have never received love, or even know what love feels like. And we just feel like, if we can just gather all in one space, in one place, Times Square is a global stage. It’s a way to demonstrate love in a whole other way. What better place to take their message of love than to “the center of the world.”

Shalom!  There is another Broadway Shabbat is happening Friday May 5th at 6:30pm  Join us for a Shabbat of Broadway Show Tunes and beyond! With singers Douglas Cohen, Joanne Borts, and Neva Small; Aron Bederson, Judy Buchman and Rabbi Jill Hausman, who will perform with Pianist Steven Silverstein. Oneg Shabbat with refreshments after the festivities. In person and on Zoom.

Zoom information: Dial 1-646-876-9923, Meeting ID: 955 755 5342 and Password 497495 https://us02web.zoom.us/j/9557555342?pwd=NXd5ZmUrdWY0YVdWeW1WUGtqdEtXdz09

The Actors’ Temple:  339 West 47^th Street, between 8^th & 9^th Aves.

Shabbat Across America & Potluck Shabbat Dinner on Friday, March 3rd. Dinner at 5:30 PM, Service at 6:30 PM.  ome to sing, pray, learn, and celebrate Shabbat!  Hundreds of synagogues across the continent will take part in this international Jewish event to celebrate what unifies us. Please bring a dairy/fish/veggie dish or drink to share. Yani Leiter will play the piano.

On Monday, March 6, 6:30 PM. come to laugh, sing, and celebrate! Original Spiel by comedian Bob Greenberg with Professional Actors of The Actors’ Temple: Aron Bederson, Barbara Bova, Marjorie Conn, Ron Cavallo, Bob Greenberg, Rabbi Jill Hausman, Elizabeth Hayden, Jeff Passero, and Pianist Rachel Kaufman.