First of all: Birthright Israel is a trip that sends Jewish kids to check out Israel. Some go for 10 days. Some end up staying a lot longer. Some people know what they’re getting into, and some have no idea. Doesn’t matter. That’s kind of the nature of the thing.
Vanessa Hidary is a spoken-word poet who’s been on HBO’s Def Poetry Jam several times. She’s Jewish. She grew up on the Upper West Side of New York and hung out near the projects, where she honed her spoken-word skills.
What do you get when you cross the two? Either an airplane that talks or the Birthright Monologues. Here, Hidary steps behind the stage to direct a cast of Birthright alumni in doing performances based on their own experiences on Birthright (including Farrah Fidler, who was the surprise hit of last night’s Sacred Chow open mic). Check out the trailer below — there’s 15 people performing some spoken-word poetry, some dance, some hip-hop and some good old fashioned storytelling. The company’s first three runs have been solidly packed, solidly reviewed, and you can even check out some individual monologues on Youtube.
And best of all, they’ve offered up two pairs of tickets — one pair for March 31, one pair for April 1.
To win one, send us your full name and e-mail, which date you can attend (either March 31 or April 1) and why you think this show is cool. It doesn’t have to be long — just tell us you need a cheap date or you think the dude in the Run-DMC shirt is hot. Send it to mattmjl@gmail.com and we’ll take it from there. Or, to make sure you get tickets, show up to the Triad Theatre at 158 W. 72nd St., between Columbus and Broadway, March 31 and April 1. Doors at 7:30, show at 8. $10 advance, $15 at the door, or click here to get them for $5 — you can thank us later.
