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Remembering Lisa Nemetz
March 31, 1955 - May 17, 1997

Lisa Nemetz was a dancer, a lawyer, a lover of the arts and a tireless advocate for the treatment of women with breast cancer. She was also active in promoting the arts as a member of the Community Arts Council. Lisa was a devoted wife to her husband David Levi, mother to children Yoni and Miri and shared her love with her sister Laurie, extended family and many close friends. Chutzpah! The Lisa Nemetz International Showcase of Jewish Performing Arts is named in her memory to celebrate her love and dedication to the performing arts.

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We've got Chutzpah!
Welcome to our 8th annual Chutzpah! Festival. We continue to grow and advance from strength to strength. Our accomplishments, showcasing local, national, Isreali & other international artists in Vancouver's Norman Rothstein Theatre & Jewish Community Centre stages takes "chutzpah."

Special thanks to all our committee members, volunteers, financial supporters and to Mary-Louise Albert, our Artistic Managing Director. As co-chairs we have enjoyed being involved with the enthusiasm and commitment of everyone who help make this festival happen. Thank you!

Kathie Folk and Harriett Wolfe, Co-Chairs Chutzpah! 2008

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Message from the Premier
As Premier of the Province of British Columbia, it gives me great pleasure to welcome everyone to the 8th annual Chutzpah! The Lisa Nemetz International Festival of Performing Arts 2008.

I understand that the Chutzpah! Festival has been showcasing the artistic talent of Jewish Canadians, delighting audiences through the presentation of dance, music, comedy and theatre. This is a wonderful opportunity to remind each other of your history and to extend that knowledge and appreciation to upcoming generations. Such events certainly build on your sense of community and I commend you for sharing your arts, culture and your interests.

I would like to acknowledge the volunteers, staff, sponsors and supporters for their contributions to planning and organizing this Festival every year. I commend them for the tremendous hard work and personal time they put into making such a big and special event possible.

On behalf of our people and province, please accept my best wishes for a delightful cultural and artistic experience.

Sincerely,

Gordon Campbell, Premier

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Welcome from the Artistic Director
It’s our eighth year and once again we have an outstanding cast of local, national and international performers in a celebration of the performing arts. This year we are highlighting a number of artists whose works fuse cultures, generations and mediums, mixing it up to create stunning and unique performances that very much mirror our multicultural world. Chutzpah! acts as a meeting ground of culture and the performing arts that engages and inspires the community as well as the artists. We always have something new, and this year we are proud to fulfill our latest initiative, to involve the community in the creative process of Canadian artists, through our twelve day Artist in Residency program with the Toronto dance company, Kaeja d’ Dance.

Always at the Festival's heart are the artists and their endless exploratory journeys and risks. Artists expand our own ability to understand not only each other but ourselves, to find new ways to learn, and find new meaning to the words ‘passion’ and ‘fun’.

Thank you to the artists, my great staff, the Chutzpah! Committee, present and past, the Committee’s Co-Chairs Harriett Wolfe and Kathie Folk, all the volunteers and sponsors and donors who help pull this unique festival together.

The Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver is a true and embracing “cultural hub”in every sense of the term. So on behalf of all of us here at the "J"... Welcome! You’re in for a treat this year.


Mary-Louise Albert

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Mary-Louise Albert
As the Artistic Director of the Norman Rothstein Theatre and the Chutzpah! Festival, Mary-Louise Albert brings to the position over 20 years as a highly respected professional dancer.

She has performed locally, nationally and internationally as a solo dance artist and as a company dancer with the Judith Marcuse Dance Company, Anna Wyman Dance Theatre and the Karen Jamieson Dance Company.

A graduate of Capilano College's Arts and Entertainment Management program, Mary-Louise received the Eric Bruhn Memorial Award from the Dancer Transition Resource Centre to study Business Administration at BCIT, and upon graduation received the BCIT School of Business Dean's Award.

She is a member of the Board of Directors and Executive of Temple Sholom and enjoys volunteering for the Lower Mainland's Jewish and professional Performing Arts communities.

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Welcome to another fabulous Chutzpah! Festival...
On behalf of the West Side Theatre Society and the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver I wish to welcome you to this year's amazing show case of talent. Thank you for your attendance and ongoing support of this exciting cultural endeavor which has been an integral part of our vibrant Jewish Community's cultural life.

Mazel Tov and thank you to Mary-Louise Albert our very talented artistic managing director and her outstanding, dedicated staff. Todah Rabah, also, to the many volunteers whose hundreds of volunteer hours and labour of love have helped produce this much awaited annual event.

Anita Winestock, President of the VWSTS and JCCGV Board of Directors

Chutzpah Staff
Artistic Managing Director Mary-Louise Albert
Production Manager Derek Mack
Lighting Designer John Carter
Technical Director Klaus Koa
Festival Assistant and Box Office Manager Liz Ogilvie-Hindle
Assistant Box Office Manager Leah Carey
Marketing and Design Rebus Creative
Publicity and Communications Jodi Smith, JLS Entertainment
Front of House Robert Johnson and Terry Loo
Brochure Design Alla Elperin
Videographer Chris Randle
Web Design James Gaffney
Poster Design Erin Watkins of Wasserman & Partners
Poster Photography Liz Laser
Proofreading Melissa Edwards