The Big Bupkis!

The Big Bupkis! is an evening of cheap jokes, magic, ukulele music, hypnotism, unpleasant stories about Sophie Tucker, transvestitism, and a Yiddish bullfight poem, among other theatrical indignities. Giving nothing away, the show ends with Mr. Baker attempting to behead a volunteer from the audience.

Kansas City native Shane Bertram Baker, widely recognized as the modern-day crown prince of Yiddish vaudeville, is acknowledged to be the first Gentile (or “goy”) to ever get this far in that particular arena. How he escaped life in a trailer park in rural Missouri to become a fixture in New York’s booming Yiddish vaudeville community is richly described and illustrated in this fascinating show.

Mr. Baker will be accompanied by the legendary Steve Sterner, New York’s premiere silent film accompanist. Rimshots, bells, and whistles will be delivered by Matt Temkin, klezmer drummer extraordinaire.