The Rabbi and the Cheerleader

In this hysterical yet touching play, Sandy Wolshin takes the audience on a journey through her life – from her childhood days with her Russian/gypsy mother and Jewish/atheist father, to her days as an NFL Cheerleader with the Raiders, then on to her late-nights in stand-up comedy, to studying Judaism. Sandy learned how to entertain at a very young age. Her mother was a Russian flamenco dancer with a talent for the castanets and her father was a Russian Jew who had a hypnotic act in the Borscht belt, where he opened for comics like Jackie Vernon. Though Sandy’s parents were passionately in love, their religious backgrounds clashed and at times caused major dissension, including an episode where all the children ended separated from their parents. After her father’s death, while signing autographs at Pep Boys in East L.A. wearing her Raiderette uniform — halter top, boots, and hot pants — Sandy had a spiritual epiphany. Feeling very connected to the Jewish faith but not knowing anything about Judaism, she embarks on a path of seeking and learning about this rich culture. She goes from Raiderette to Jewette!