Eric George Tauber

Eric George Tauber

Eric George Tauber is an actor as well as a freelance writer specializing in coverage of the arts.

Finding a stronger desire to live

PEN America Prison and Justice Writing Programs, in conjunction with Haymarket Books, created a podcast featuring the literary and visual arts of prison inmates currently doing time. The virtual presentation included the music of Kenyatta Emmanuel, himself an ex-con, whose work has been heard from Sing Sing to Carnegie Hall. [Eric George Tauber]

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Eric George Tauber, Lifestyles, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Immigrant women tell of their successes and challenges

It’s an ongoing debate whether immigration hurts our society by taking jobs away from Americans, or helps it by importing new workers, innovators and entrepreneurs. Taking the latter position, Dr. Bilha Chesner Fish, MD — herself and immigrant from Israel — interviews twenty-one different “inspiring and successful American immigrants.” [Eric George Tauber]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Eric George Tauber, USA

Street talk in a riot’s aftermath

The streets of La Mesa were bustling Sunday with disaster tourists checking out the ruins, taking pictures and remarking on the devastation. On Saturday night, a mob of rioters -joining what was supposed to be a peaceful demonstration protesting police brutality- threw rocks and bottles at the La Mesa Police Department Headquarters. Looted bottles of liquor became incendiary bombs, turning the Chase Bank and Union Bank on Spring Street into heaps of charred concrete, twisted metal and still smoldering pieces of lumber. Construction crews had already begun clearing the debris, but it’s a big job that has only just begun. [Eric George Tauber]

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Eric George Tauber, San Diego County, USA

Online concert benefits Ugandan Jewry

When thinking about Jewish communities around the world, most of us probably don’t give much thought to Uganda. But tucked away in the Savannah, over very rough roads, live the Abayudaya. Like the rest of the world, they are also affected by the current pandemic. Under the same lockdown rules, most Abayudaya are unable to go to their jobs to provide for their families. The worldwide pandemic has hit them hard because, as meager as our stimulus checks might seem, their government provides bubkes. And unlike many of us, working remotely via Wi-Fi is simply not an option. [Eric George Tauber]

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Eric George Tauber, International, Jewish Religion, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, USA

Provocateurs sow dissension among Americans

Just because a former President of the United States is no longer in office -and lacks the authority to affect any executive orders or policy changes- does not mean that he is no longer a threat. The morals and ideals he espouses continue to have a lasting impact on the fabric of this great nation, whether to bind the threads of American citizenry in unity or rent them asunder. [Eric George Tauber]

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Eric George Tauber, International, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Comedy album review: ‘Drinking at the Kids Table’

Comedian Billy DeVore, who co-hosts the Cincinnati Reds’ focused podcast “The New Nasty Boys,” has come out with his debut album: Drinking at the Kids Table. Loud, self-deprecating and rather crude, DeVore cracks wise about being overweight (Having a gym membership just means he can watch Sports Center in another building.) rescuing cats, and the challenges of married life. His wife Alicia views him not so much as a pet project like “This Old House” but more like “Extreme Home Makeover.” [Eric George Tauber}

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Eric George Tauber, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Trivia, Humor & Satire

Celebrating safely at a drive-thru circus

But how do you celebrate such a festive occasion when the plague of our own era demands that we distance ourselves from one another and avoid gatherings? Make it a drive-through. Welcome to the Lag Ba’Omer Drive Thru Circus Experience. Chabad Hebrew Academy located along Pomerado Road in Scripps Ranch set up multiple stages in their parking lot. Festival patrons slowly drove through in their cars. They were greeted by arches of red and yellow balloons (representing flames) Chasidic music, stilt-walkers, unicyclists, acrobats, jugglers, hula hoops, puppets and clowns. [Eric George Tauber]

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Eric George Tauber, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

We celebrate our Jewish mothers!

My wife, the former Nancy Zeiden, having a last name that started with “Z,” typically found herself at the end of the line, or the person whose name was printed last or near last in any program. This being mother’s day, I thought I’d correct this alphabetical injustice for anyone who has found herself in the same situation. Therefore, we are running our Mother’s Day salute in reverse alphabetical order! We start with Shelley Zimmerman’s mother, Elaine Zimmerman… [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Eric George Tauber, International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Middle East, San Diego County, Sandi Masori, USA

Canadian vs. American responses to mass shootings

Yesterday, April 19, 2020, in Portapique, Nova Scotia, a gunman on a shooting rampage killed at least 16 people including one Mountie. The gunman was able to flee and lead the police on a 55-mile chase because he was dressed as a Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer and driving a car made to look like one of their vehicles. Thankfully, he was later cornered at a gas station and taken out by the RCMP. Nova Scotia’s Premier, Stephen McNeil called it “one of the most senseless acts of violence in our province’s history.” [Eric George Tauuber}

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Eric George Tauber, International, USA

Making theatre under quarantine

Because of the rules of Social Distancing, our theatres are closed. SD REP’s House of Joy closed the same weekend it opened. Roustabouts’ gUnTOPIA showed one preview and has been rolled over into next season. Other shows have been indefinitely postponed or simply cancelled. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that theatre isn’t happening. We live in the Digital Age of YouTube, Skype and Zoom. And so “the show must go online.” Here are some of the ways our local theatres are still offering performances to our community. [Eric George Tauber]

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Eric George Tauber, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

House of Joy is an intriguing adventure

With the Lyceum Space arranged in a black box, centering the action, Scenic Designer Yoon Bae invites us into a world of bright colors, ornate patterns and cherry blossoms. The luxurious harem of 17th century Hindustan was paradise, employing only the finest seamstresses, cooks, nurses and … well, you know. There was always plenty of delicious food to eat and fine silks to wear. The women of the harem wanted for nothing so long as they kept their Emperor happy. Watching over the harem are trained, battle-ready female bodyguards. They must be ever-ready to spring into action. But there’s a lot more waiting than action, so the guards play little games to pass the time. Devereau Chumrau and Taireikca L.A. have a playful rapport with a musical hip-hop street swag that makes them fun to watch. The stage combat with jo sticks, ably choreographed by Ka’imi Kuoha, was like a scene straight out of Kung Fu. [Eric George Tauber]

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Eric George Tauber, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast