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Friday June 27, 2008

Go ‘Meshugga’ at theater’s Jewish-themed Thrillville

by ariel rosen

It was fitting that plans for the Jumpin’ Jewbilee came about over t­iki drinks and “Mazel Tov” cocktails.

Cult movie cabaret host Will Viharo and Meshugga Beach Party guitarist Mel Waldorf were at a party talking shtick and B movies when Waldorf got the idea for a gig on “Jew-ly 17,” (aka July 17), his birthday.

The Jewish-themed night hosted by Thrillville, a cult movie cabaret, will bring together Woody Allen’s classic 1972 comedy “Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex (But Were Afraid to Ask)” and the unorthodox tunes of Meshugga Beach Party, a Jewish surf music band.

Attendees at the Cerrito Speakeasy Theater in El Cerrito will watch the collection of raunchy vignettes that make up Allen’s film.

The theater is noted for its nightclub atmosphere, which includes couches and comfy chairs, and the option of ordering beer, wine and food such as pizza.

After the movie, five musicians dressed to the rabbinical nines (yes, that means fake beards) will take the stage, performing such favorites as “Oseh Shalom” and “Hava Negillah.”

Of course, these won’t sound exactly like the songs you hear at Shabbat, and, no, the female keyboardist does not abstain from any part of the costume.

Founded in 1997 by host “Will the Thrill” Viharo, Thrillville is influenced by “midnight movie ‘ghost stage shows’ and TV horror hosts of yore,” according to the event’s Web site.

This isn’t the first time Viharo has shown a Woody Allen film. “I’ve already shown ‘Sleeper,’ so Woody’s ‘Everything About Sex’ was the next logical choice,” Viharo says.

As for Meshugga Beach Party, it was guitarist Waldorf who was in-spired to join surf music and Jewish songs after a seder in 2003.

The band played at last month’s Bay to Breakers for the third time, and will be performing at the annual Alameda Fourth of July Parade. Their latest album, “Let’s Go Shlepping,” was released in December, and the group’s Jewbilee set will be made up of songs from all three of its CDs.

“Jumpin’ Jewbilee,” 9:15 p.m. on July 17 at the Cerrito Speakeasy Theater, 10070 San Pablo Ave., El Cerrito. $9. 18 and over. For more information, visit www.cerritospeakeasy.com.

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