Omer Shaish brought Broadway magic to Calgary

by Karen Abrams

(Calgary) – Omer Shaish was not only a breath of Broadway, but also a breath of fresh air! At a time of deep unrest in the world, economic uncertainty, and winter’s still tight grip on our city, Omer’s performance at Temple B’nai Tikvah on Sunday evening,

April 12th, brought joy, laughter, hope, and enthusiasm to the very receptive 200+ audience. Two attendees shared their thoughts. Sabine Ryder commented, “I didn’t know what to expect, but seeing the joy and connection the music invited was so uplifting!” Riki Heilik said, “Omer brought so much warmth, energy, and the magic of Broadway to the room.” His repertoire included songs from Broadway musicals that have a Jewish connection, whether it be the composer, lyricist, performer, producer, or director.

His powerful, melodic voice entertained us with medleys from Fiddler on the Roof, West Side Story, Les Misérables, La Cage aux Folles, and even Mama Mia, thanks to a persistent Jewish producer who finally convinced ABBA to “okay” a musical based on their music. The list goes on…To our surprise and delight, he found a Jewish connection to Elvis! (Elvis’s maternal grandmother) and sang It’s Now or Never! He even included a song from an Israeli musical that he had performed in both English and Hebrew as a final exam for his studies in musical theatre in New York.

Most touching was a nod of appreciation to the evening’s executive producer, the late and most beloved Al Osten, when he sang The Rover Boys’ ‘50s hit, Graduation Day. He even included the Rover Boys’ voices in the background as part of the track!

Thank you to co-chairs Roz Oppenheim, Debbie Baylin and their team for bringing Omer to Calgary and for coordinating the sumptuous dessert reception after the show. The social hall was transformed so beautifully into a Broadway show reception with the lights, feathers and top hats!

Omer Shaish, we all thank you for your talent and the fun you brought to our community for this special night! As Rabbi Glickman summed it up, “What a great pair of pipes Omer has! His talent is phenomenal! We sang, we clapped, and had a great evening sharing in the music he brought us.” We hope he comes back soon!