Fred Hersch: A Solo Piano Concert
In Memory of Loraine Stern

Monday, April 13, 2020 | 7:30pm
David & Dorothea Garfield Theatre
Lawrence Family JCC

A select member of jazz’s piano pantheon, Fred Hersch is a pervasively influential creative force who has shaped the music’s course over more than three decades. He has been proclaimed “the most arrestingly innovative pianist in jazz over the last decade” by Vanity Fair, “an elegant force of musical invention” by The Los Angeles Times, and “a living legend” by The New Yorker. A 14-time Grammy nominee, Hersch has remained committed to exploring the possibilities and limits of solo piano improvisation. A solo performance by Hersch is an elegant, pensive and playful invitation to explore the possibilities of both the instrument and the song.
“When it comes to the art of solo piano in jazz, there are currently two classes of performers: Fred Hersch and everybody else.” -Dan Bilawsky, All About Jazz

Seating: Reserved | Seat Map B
Tickets: Standard $38 | JCC Members $33 | Premium $52 | Premium JCC Members $47

Fred Hersch: A Solo Piano Concert
In Memory of Loraine Stern Add to Cart

Marc Cohn & Band in Concert

Thursday, April 23, 2020 | 7:30 pm
David & Dorothea Garfield Theatre
Lawrence Family JCC

After winning a Grammy for his soulful ballad “Walking in Memphis,” Marc Cohn solidified his place as one of this generation’s most compelling singer-songwriters, combining the precision of a brilliant tunesmith with the passion of a great soul man. Rooted in the rich ground of American rhythm and blues, soul and gospel, and possessed of a deft storyteller’s pen, he weaves vivid, detailed, often drawn-from-life tales that evoke some of our most universal human feelings: love, hope, faith, joy, heartbreak.

"One of the honest, emotional voices we need in this decade" -TIME magazine

"Marc is one of the most soulful, talented artists I know. I love his songs, he's an incredible singer, and I marvel at his ability to mesmerize every audience he plays for." -Bonnie Raitt

“Cohn has one of rock’s most soulful croons – a rich, immediately recognizable tenor that makes these songs his own.” -Rolling Stone

Seating: Reserved | Seat Map B
Tickets: Standard $38 | JCC Members $33
Premium $52 | Premium JCC Members $47

Marc Cohn & Band in Concert Add to Cart

Jewish Poets-Jewish Voices

The Samuel & Rebecca Astor Judaica Library
Lawrence Family JCC

For our 2019-2020 season, three local poets will be featured at each program, followed by a half hour of open mic. The evening will conclude with a reception. There is no charge for these programs, although donations are welcome.

Price: FREE

Jewish Poets-Jewish Voices
Tuesday, May 5, 2020 Add to Cart

Etgar Keret
Fly Already: Stories

Wedneday, May 13, 2020 | 7:00pm
David & Dorothea Garfield Theatre
Lawrence Family JCC

There’s no one like Etgar Keret. Beloved and renowned for his surreal, delightful short stories and his Cannes-winning work as a film director, the Israeli writer was just awarded the Sapir Prize, Israel’s most prestigious literary honor. Conspicuously diverging from the pioneers-and-politics narrative that is central to Israel’s literary style, Keret instead tells stories of love, loss and everyday neuroses. In Fly Already, his brilliant new collection, Keret's characters grapple with parenthood and family, war and games, marijuana and cake, memory and love. These stories never go to the expected place, but always surprise, entertain, and move. Book signing to follow.

“Etgar Keret is a genius…”-New York Times

“A brilliant writer…completely unlike any writer I know. The voice of the next generation.”
-Salman Rushdie

Presented in partnership with the Murray Galinson San Diego-Israel Initiative

Seating: Reserved | Seat Map B
Tickets: Standard $28 | JCC Members $25 | Premium $38 | Premium JCC Members $35 | Students & Faculty: FREE
Please call Guest Services to RSVP at 858-362-1348. Must show valid I.D. at the door.

Add: Fly Already: Stories by Etgar Keret Add to Cart

Liaisons2020: Re-Imagining Sondheim from the Piano Anthony de Mare, pianist

Thursday, May 21, 2020 | 7:30pm
David & Dorothea Garfield Theatre
Lawrence Family JCC

In celebration of Stephen Sondheim’s 90th birthday and following on the success of his widely acclaimed Liaisons, concert pianist and new-music champion Anthony de Mare brings Liaisons2020 to the stage. The brilliant songs of Sondheim find a second life as beguiling instrumentals in de Mare's concert and commissioning project. More than 45 prominent composers such as Steve Reich, Meredith Monk, Nico Muhly, Ethan Iverson, and Wynton Marsalis each re-imagine a favorite Sondheim song as a work for solo piano. The result is a set of fully realized works that use their original themes as springboards for invention and showcase de Mare's formidable talents at the keyboard.

"Not just inventive piano arrangements of the songs but new compositions written in the composers' own styles... It was fascinating to hear how [each] composer approached the song... I loved it." -The New York Times

"To hear composers take my work and take it seriously... it’s a thrill." -Stephen Sondheim

Seating: Reserved | Seat Map B
Tickets: Standard $38 | JCC Members $33 | Premium $52 | Premium JCC Members $47

Liaisons2020: Re-Imagining Sondheim from the Piano Anthony de Mare, pianist Add to Cart

Laurie Berkner in Concert

Sunday, May 31, 2020 | 11:00 am
David & Dorothea Garfield Theatre
Lawrence Family JCC

Children’s music icon Laurie Berkner brings her signature blend of whimsical lyrics and indie folk pop melodies to the Garfield Theatre in a solo show. Laurie’s hit songs like “We Are the Dinosaurs” and “Victor Vito” are featured on children’s networks Nick Jr. and Sprout, in Off-Broadway children’s musicals, and in children’s books. Be sure to catch the artist People magazine calls “the queen of children’s music” and the New York Times has dubbed “the Adele of the preschool crowd.” For children ages 2 and older. Children ages 15 and under are eligible for child prices.

"One of the most popular children's performers in America ... her music is distinctive because it speaks to kids without talking down to them, charming youngsters without boring grown-ups." -The Wall Street Journal

"Laurie Berkner is like a goddess to these children." -NPR's All Things Considered

Seating: Reserved | Seat Map B
JCC Member Tickets In advance: Child $15 (ages 15 & under) | Adult $25
Premium $45 includes artist meet-and-greet after the performance
JCC Member Tickets At the door: Child $20 (ages 15 & under) | Adult $30
Premium $50 includes artist meet-and-greet after the performance
Standard Tickets In advance: Child $20 (ages 15 & under) | Adult $30
Premium $50 includes artist meet-and-greet after the performance
Standard Tickets At the door: Child $25 (ages 15 & under) | Adult $35
Premium $55 includes artist meet-and-greet after the performance

Laurie Berkner in Concert Add to Cart

7th Annual 5-Minute Play Festival

Monday, June 8, 2020 | 7:00pm
Rehearsal Room
Lawrence Family JCC

Join us for the 7th Annual 5-Minute Play Festival, a staged reading series. You'll get a taste of comedies, tragedies and everything in between as professional San Diego actors transform scripts into theater, showcasing fresh, new playwrights that speak to Jewish identity, cultural experiences and values. This is an evening of laughter, inspiration and thought-provoking questions.
General Admission

Seating: General Admission | Seat Map A | JCC Rehearsal Room
Tickets: Standard $18 | JCC Members $15

7th Annual 5-Minute Play Festival Add to Cart