Filtering by: “LITERATURE FILM THEATER”
Tom Moran is a Big Fat Filthy Disgusting Liar
Apr
26
LITERATURE FILM THEATER, THEATER

Tom Moran is a Big Fat Filthy Disgusting Liar

Have you ever told a lie? How bad was it? And how far would you go to keep it a secret?

Brimming with compassion and humor, Tom has a story to tell, some secrets to share and a future to fix. Tom is a self-proclaimed people-pleaser and expert in empathy - but someone who really struggles with the truth - in this hilarious but completely true solo show.

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Opening Doors: The Unlikely Alliance Between the Irish and the Jews in America
Dec
3
LITERATURE FILM THEATER

Opening Doors: The Unlikely Alliance Between the Irish and the Jews in America

The Kansas City Irish Center is partnering with our friends at the American Jewish Historical Society and the Glucksman Ireland House to jointly present, Opening Doors: The Unlikely Alliance Between the Irish and the Jews in America with author Hasia R. Diner in conversation with Terry Golway.

Popular belief holds that the various ethnic groups that emigrated to the United States at the turn of the twentieth century regarded one another with open hostility, fiercely competing for limited resources and even coming to blows in the crowded neighborhoods of major cities. One of the most enduring stereotypes is that of rabidly anti-Semitic Irish Catholics, like Father Charles Coughlin of Boston and the sensationalized Gangs of New York trope of Irish street thugs attacking defenseless Jewish immigrants.

In Opening Doors, Hasia R. Diner, one of the world’s preeminent historians of immigration, tells a very different story; far from confrontational, the prevailing relationships between Jewish and Irish Americans were overwhelmingly cooperative, and the two groups were dependent upon one another to secure stable and upwardly mobile lives in their new home. The Irish had emigrated to American cities en masse a generation before the first major wave of Jewish immigrants arrived, and had already entrenched themselves in positions of influence in urban governments, public education, and the labor movement. Jewish newcomers recognized the value of aligning themselves with another group of religious outsiders who were able to stand up and demand rights and respect despite widespread discrimination from the Protestant establishment, and the Irish realized that they could protect their political influence by mentoring their new neighbors in the intricacies of American life.

Opening Doors draws from a deep well of historical sources to show how Irish and Jewish Americans became steadfast allies in classrooms, picket lines, and political machines, and ultimately helped one another become key power players in shaping America’s future. In the wake of rising anti-Semitism and xenophobia today, this informative and accessible work offers an inspiring look at a time when two very different groups were able to find common ground and work together to overcome bigotry, gain representation, and move the country in a more inclusive direction.

Join the conversation virtually at the link above!

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November Movie Night: Verdigris
Nov
24
LITERATURE FILM THEATER

November Movie Night: Verdigris

Trapped in a marriage with a controlling husband, middle-aged, middle-class Marian takes on a secret part-time job as a census enumerator. . On her tough inner-city route, she faces locals who refuse to engage in the census. This includes no-nonsense teenager Jewel, who Marian soon realizes is living alone.

Marian strikes a deal with Jewel – she won't report her to the authorities if Jewel helps her get the locals to fill out their census forms. As they walk the streets of Dublin, an unlikely friendship blooms.



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