Boca Raton’s Willow Theatre Hosts Sixth ‘To Life’ Tribute to Jewish Composers and Artists

From Arlen and Harburg (“Over the Rainbow”) to Bacharach and David (“Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head”); from Rodgers and Hammerstein (Carousel) to Jerry Herman (La Cage Aux Folles) and from Stephen Schwartz (Wicked) to Bock and Harnick (Fiddler on the Roof), Jewish composers and artists have contributed tremendously to the Great American Songbook, to Broadway musicals, to pop music and to theatre and the arts in general.  

To Life 6: Stories & Music Celebrating the Contributions of Jewish Composers, Artists and Comedians to Broadway & Hollywood – the sixth tune-laced homage to the people who wrote the songs we all remember — will open Jan. 16 on the stage of the Willow Theatre in Boca Raton’s Sugar Sand Park and will run through Feb 8.  The park is located at 300 S. Military Trail. 

Once again, this popular show will feature amusing anecdotes and fascinating facts about some of America’s best-known, most praiseworthy and iconic Jewish composers and entertainers who created and performed such musical classics as “I’ll Be Seeing You,” “Get Happy,” “Defying Gravity,” “Some Enchanted Evening,” “What the World Needs Now” and many more.

The music-filled performance, produced by Hy Juter and written, directed and hosted by Shari Upbin, will feature a quartet of top-tier South Florida actor/singers — Kate Delany, Bruno Faria, Shelley Keelor and Shane Tanner.  Aiden Quintana will serve as the production’s musical director and Nicole Roach will be stage manager. 

“What an honor to be the director of all the To Life shows including To Life 6, the longest running comeback series in Florida,” said Upbin. “Over the years, we have featured some of the most talented Carbonell award-winning entertainers in town and highlighted the musical genius of the finest Jewish composers and lyricists of the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries.” 

“Our audiences have been to the Borscht Belt, tasted egg creams and looked at the most famous comic books, all stemming from the pens of Jewish artists.  At this point we could even present an entire evening of Christmas songs as so many were written by Jewish composers.”  

“To Life 6 honors our Jewish immigrant ancestors from Eastern Europe, who came to America, the ‘golden medina,’ the land of opportunity and freedom!” Upbin noted. “Music created by those immigrants has become the greatest influence in the world on American pop culture, Broadway and Hollywood.” 

The To Life series debuted in 2019. Scott Siegel, a prolific creator of concerts and nightclub performances, wrote that edition as well as the 2020 show. 

The COVID-19 pandemic forced cancellation of productions in 2021 and 2022.  Performances resumed in 2023. 

Hy Juter of the Jupiter Theatre Company took over the audience-pleasing production that year. The 2023, 2024 and 2025 performances were written by Shari Upbin, who also directed and hosted the ’23 and ’24 entries. She will reprise her director and mistress of ceremonies roles in this year’s tribute. 

Upbin has produced and directed more than 50 shows in New York and around the country and was one of the original producers of the hit Off-Broadway, Grammy-nominated show, One Mo’ Time.  

In his native South Africa, Juter was president of the nation’s largest theatrical booking and public relations company handling tours for Frankie Lane, Trini Lopez, Engelbert Humperdinck, Buddy Greco and Sarah Churchill, among others. In England and Europe, he worked with Peter Sellers, Sophia Loren, Eva Bartok and John Mills. He produced four movies and has crafted many concerts and stage musicals.

Tickets for To Life 6 are $46. Group rates (6 or more tickets purchased in one transaction) are $42.  Tickets can be purchased online at https://www.myboca.us/2647/To-Life-6 or by phone at (561) 347-3948.