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Mazel Tov! It’s More Camp Ramah Alumni on Broadway!

Another reason to rejoice: A Mizrahi Jew playing one on stage

by
Gabriela Geselowitz
August 09, 2017
Courtesy Sharone Sayegh
Sharone SayeghCourtesy Sharone Sayegh
Courtesy Sharone Sayegh
Sharone SayeghCourtesy Sharone Sayegh

This summer we’re bringing you daily posts from our sister site, Jewcy.com, edited by Gabriela Geselowitz. You can find more from Jewcy here.

After our piece last week about Camp Ramah alumni starring (or about to star) on Broadway, we have a few updates.

In addition to the leads in Dear Evan Hansen, Frozen, and SpongeBob SquarePants (the musical), there is a current Ramahnik on Broadway. One of the child performers in School of Rock as “Katie” is Rachel Katzke (Camps Berkshires and Nyack). She brings her Ramah backpack to her performances, and took a week off of the show this summer to go back to camp for just a little while. In addition to acting and singing onstage, she also plays the bass in the show. How many actors make their Broadway debut before their Bat Mitzvah?

Plus, coming back to Broadway soon (she was previously in Mamma Mia!) is Sharone Sayegh (Ramah California). Sayegh is going to be reprising her off-Broadway role of Anna in The Band’s Visit, the musical based on the Israeli film. Sayegh is from an Iraqi/Israeli family, so she’ll be a Mizrahi Jew playing one onstage, something nearly unheard of on Broadway. (There have only been a few non-Ashkenazi Jewish characters in musicals.)

Is the list finally comprehensive now? We honestly don’t know. More and more talented Ramah alums (and this writer is not one, nor is she being paid by Ramah, but, you know, you’re welcome,) are coming out of the woodwork. So if there’s anyone we’ve still missed, please let us know ([email protected] is best)!

And hey, other Jewish camps! Is it only Ramah that sends its alum on to success as actors? They’re not the only sleepaway network with multiple locations, and therefore with many alumni from around the country (and Canada) after all. Prove to us that your Jewish drama program can also be a formative experience!

The competition is on, like too much sunscreen on an indoor kid at camp!

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Gabriela Geselowitz is a writer and the former editor of Jewcy.com.