Crazy Meshugga Hurricane Earthquake on New York City: Get Tickets Now!

About This Show

From January 12 to 19, 2022, Theater for the New City will present the New Yiddish Rep production of "Crazy Meshugga Hurricane Earthquake" by Amy Coleman, directed by David Mandelbaum.

In "Crazy Meshugga Hurricane Earthquake," a recently retired music teacher named Lenora Kline is looking for meaning in her life when she answers an ad on Craigslist for a job as a live-in caretaker for Yossi Schwartz, a paranoid schizophrenic young man from a Hasidic background. Because of the stigma of mental illness, Yossi has been isolated from his family and community and has been drifting in and out of hospitals until he meets Lenora. What emerges is a curious relationship between Jews from different worlds. Yossi has an openness of character and a surprising wit that make him easy to love and nurture. He is handsome, intuitive and funny; charming yet hopelessly ill. He is also scarred by having been sexually abused as a youth by a man whom the community allows to continue his predations because of their reluctance to involve police or air these problems publicly. Ultimately Leonora discovers that in trying to heal Yossi, she has been actually trying to heal her relationship with her late father, who also suffered from mental illness.

The play admirably portrays the minds of paranoid schizophrenics and how they react to the world. Yossi's situation is actually a window onto the deficiencies of our mental health system, which lacks understanding of the disorders it treats and relies too heavily on drug therapies of-the-day. Patients are ostracized from their families, condemned to psychiatric wards or else locked out on the streets, while social workers are so overworked that they lose empathy. Yossi longs for a deep connection to his family, but his father has twelve other children and his main concern is to marry them off. Any known mental health issue in the family would stigmatize them and diminish the ability to make a suitable match.

The actors are Andrew Hardigg (as Yossi), Amy Coleman (as Lenora), Jacob Louchheim, Thomas Morris, Kurt Perry, and Kelly Walters. Set designer is Mark Marcante. Lighting designer is Alexander Bartenieff.

COVID Protocol and Etiquette:
As of August 17 2021, people 12 and older are required to show proof they have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine authorized for emergency use by the FDA or WHO.
Children ages 5 to 11 are now required to have proof of vaccination. They must show they have received at least one dose of a vaccine. Starting January 29, 2022, children ages 5 to 11 must also show proof of full vaccination.

Proof of vaccination may include the NYC Vaccination Record, CDC Vaccination Card (or photo), Excelsior Pass or NYC COVID Safe App.

All patrons must be vaccinated in order to see shows. Please provide proof before purchasing and picking up tickets.
Face masks must be worn throughout the building and for entry into the theater.