Compiled by Sharon Wisch-Ray
sharon@tjpnews.com

Shrek the Musical Jr. will run at the J from March 23 to April 2

The fairy tale misfit adventure, Shrek The Musical Jr., comes to life on the Dallas stage with The J’s Performing Arts Space (JPAS) productions of the of the adaptation of the Oscar-winning DreamWorks Animation film.
Shrek The Musical Jr. is comprised of two casts with actors ages 6-18. The Green Cast performs at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 23; and 2 and 7 p.m. Sunday, March 26. The Blue Cast performs at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 30; 8 p.m. Saturday, April 1; and 2 p.m. Sunday, April 2. All performances will take place in The J’s Zale Auditorium at 7900 Northaven Road in Dallas. Attendees are encouraged to get involved in the show by dressing as their favorite fairytale character and purchasing a prop bag for audience interaction. Tickets are $18 for adults and $12 for children and seniors in advance. Tickets can be purchased online at http://bit.ly/2nk8y8U.
“Shrek The Musical Jr. is a fantastic show because it gives all the actors a chance to let their imaginations run wild about some of their favorite storybook characters,” said Alise Robinson, manager of JPAS. “We wanted to create a fun show that engages the audience and the actors while creating something that adults and children can enjoy together.”
JPAS is unique in that it focuses on education, performing and learning 21st-century life skills. It’s not just about the performance. The actors don’t just run through lines, learn their marks and follow the director’s lead. JPAS actors learn about intentions, how to be part of an ensemble, collaboration, movement techniques and coordination, listening and social skills, and the power of their voices. Additionally, JPAS hires the best directors, musical directors and choreographers in North Texas who have a background in making young actors more well-rounded and confident in themselves, and who will increase their talents to new heights. When JPAS actors finish the production, the goal is for them to have a new-found set of skills that they can use not only on the stage but in life.
Additionally, as part of its mission to expose children to more live theater, The J has donated 100 tickets (50 per cast) to North Texas nonprofit organizations to distribute to families they serve.
Blue Cast: The senior cast is comprised of 36 actors including: Claire Allen, Claire Blacker, Sophie Brock, Brody Bundis, Sopia Chavez, Haley Coleman, Ella DeWitt, Ella Edmundson, Lindsey Fetter, Aubrey Fomin, Nadia Fox, John Foster Glover, Izzie Haymann, Maggie Hurley, Marlee Ingram, Carli Jones, Bradley Jones, Jacob Kaplan, Megan Lederman, Adam Leybovich-Glikin, Michelle Leybovich-Glikin, Lyla Lively, Sadie Manaster, Amelia McAnear, Elliot McEachern, Sarah McIntosh, Sarah Moskowitz, Avery Murphy, Alexandra Rosenblatt, Max Rudelman, Mara Sandberg, Sarah Schussler, Sailor Schwaber, Montana Wulff, Dakota Wulff and Rachel Yahalom.
Green Cast: The Green Cast is comprised of 35 actors including: Parker Adams, Jada Anderson, Ryland Bundis, Mercer Bundis, Nola Carroll, Kevin Carter, Thandi Chisango, Jordan Clark, Kenzie Clark, Natalie Connelly, Ivy Daniel, Alyssa Dolman, Erin Edwards, Noah Fledman, Cooper Frank, Piper Glowacki, Paige Glowacki, Olivia Goin, Tatiana Gonzalez, Macy Gutow, Lainey Gutow, Maddie Isaac, Audrey Lewis, Sara Lipszyc, Gigi Melucci, Alexis Muturi, Amanda Park, Charlotte Rosuck, Sam Rubin, Jacob Sanders, Audrey Schedler, Jordan Velevis, Sydney Walters, Hayden Watros and Juliet Zucker.
— Submitted by Jef Tingley

Brian Cuban to speak at Beth Torah Men’s Club Breakfast

Brian Cuban, lawyer, TV host and author of Shattered Image: My Triumph Over Body Dysmorphic Disorder, will be the guest speaker at Congregation Beth Torah Men’s Club lox-and-bagel breakfast on Sunday, March 19.

Cuban, whose brother is Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, will speak about his recovery from depression, addiction and a distorted sense of self-image. The public is invited.
Breakfast begins at 9:30 a.m. at Congregation Beth To
rah, 720 W. Lookout Drive in Richardson. The cost is $10, $5 for students. For more information, call the synagogue at 972-234-1542.

Noted expert on far-right extremism to address JWV

Dr. John Macready, noted scholar and expert on radical right-wing extremism, will discuss anti-Semitism, hate crimes and racism at the JWV Harvey Bloom Post 256 monthly lox-and-bagel breakfast. The meeting is at 9:30 a.m. Sunday, March 26 at the Aaron Family JCC, 7900 Northaven Road in Dallas, and is open to all interested parties. A nominal $5 per person charge covers the cost of bagels, lox and fixings.

“The recent spate of bomb threats against Jewish community centers, schools and organizations around the country, as well as in our own back yard, is a matter of great concern,” stated Andrew Lavigne. “It is vitally important that we understand what motivates these acts of terrorism and how best to deal with them.”
Dr. John Douglas Macready is an adjunct assistant professor of Philosophy at the University of Dallas and El Centro College. His work focuses on critical issues in social and political philosophy with specific attention paid to human dignity as it relates to larger human rights issues such as statelessness, racism, genocide, and mass incarceration.
He is currently involved in an interdisciplinary study of the process of deradicalization in former far-right extremists as it pertains to anti-Semitism and other antisocial beliefs and behaviors. Dr. Macready’s work has appeared in the Journal of Social Philosophy and he is the author of a forthcoming book titled Hannah Arendt and the Fragility of Human Dignity (Lexington Books, 2017).
— Submitted by Andrew Lavigne