A company of professional singers belts out the classics in “Broadway Sings.”
The Rhawnhurst synagogue is preparing for its Labor Day presentation of the musical “Broadway Sings,”a show that has wowed ’em for six years now.
The Congregations of Ner Zedek is getting ready for what has become a really popular Labor Day tradition.
The synagogue, located at 7520 Bustleton Ave. in Rhawnhurst, will offer a holiday concert for the 15th year on Monday, Sept. 5.
For the sixth time in seven years, the congregation has arranged for a performance by the Broadway Sings concert production.
More than 600 people turned out last year to hear the professional singing company.
The buzz starts each year in January, and many ticket orders include notes of thanks for scheduling the entertainers, all of whom are current or former Broadway stars.
“People are just thrilled that they come back,” said Jack Belitsky, chairman of the concert committee.
The public is invited to attend. Guests will hear songs from shows including Guys and Dolls, West Side Story, Fiddler on the Roof, South Pacific, A Chorus Line, Les Miserables and Jersey Boys.
The concert starts at 1:30 p.m., and Firstrust Bank’s Krewstown Branch is back as the prime sponsor. Veteran bank executives Mort Kolman and Joe Sweeney have been helpful in the decade-plus that Firstrust has sponsored the concert.
Tickets cost $36 for general admission, and about 450 have been sold already. The cost is $50 for tickets that include admission to a reception.
The concert serves as a successful fund-raiser for Ner Zedek, but Belitsky also calls it a “fun-raiser.” Word of mouth has helped crowds grow through the years.
“We attract a lot of people, particularly older people,” he said. “The concert is in the afternoon. You get home early and don’t have to drive at night. It’s a day’s outing.”
Belitsky will be presented with the synagogue’s Distinguished Service Award. Besides chairing the concert committee, he has served as synagogue president on and off for nine years since the 1970s. He has also chaired all of Ner Zedek’s major committees.
One prominent person who will be missing this year is Mike Brown, who co-chaired the concert committee with Belitsky, his brother-in-law. He died last October.
Brown passed on his love of Broadway Sings to his son Cliff, who is chairing a concert planned by the group on Oct. 30 at Temple Beth Sholom in Cherry Hill, N.J.
The Broadway Sings performers became close to Brown over the years. In fact, Charles Bergell sang at his funeral.
“Mike was somebody I learned a lot from,” said Don Agriss, chairman of the publicity committee, adding that Brown was an effective salesman for the advertising book.
“He led by example. The energy he exhibited made me want to do more.” ••
Reporter Tom Waring can be reached at 215–354–3034 or [email protected]
Tickets, tickets . . .
Checks for tickets can be sent to Congregations of Ner Zedek, Concert Committee, 7520 Bustleton Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19152.
To order tickets by phone, call the synagogue office at 215–728–1155 or Jack Belitsky at 215–725–2912.
Tickets will also be available at the door.
For more information, visit www.broadwaysings.com
