JEWTOPIA has been seen by over 400,000 people, and has had record breaking runs in Los Angeles, New York, Chicago and Florida. Jewtopia opened in New York on October 21, 2004 (performances began September 28, 2004) following its 16-month sold-out premiere in Los Angeles and the Coast Playhouse, were it still holds the record as Los Angeles' longest-running comedy.
But the real story behind JEWTOPIA is about its creators, Bryan Fogel and Sam Wolfson. The two struggling actor/writers met in 2001 while doing stand-up comedy in Los Angeles. In a tale straight out of the Hollywood storybooks, the two unknowns decided to write, produce and star in their own play in an attempt to get noticed. Putting it all on the line, Fogel and Wolfson racked their credits cards to the tune of $80,000 and opened JEWTOPIA on May 8th, 2003 in Los Angeles. Beating the odds, the show found an instant following and by it's second week was sold out months ahead of time.
But that was just the beginning..
After 300 straight sold out performances in Los Angeles , Fogel and Wolfson partnered with veteran Broadway producer Bill Franzblau to bring JEWTOPIA to New York . Opening in New York just 6 weeks after it's final Los Angeles performance, the show made the transfer with a smashing success. JEWTOPIA opened to sold out audiences and recouped it's $625,000 capitalization in just 20 weeks.
Approached by a top book agent to write a book based on the concepts of the show, Warner Books prevailed in a highly contested 9 publisher auction. Fogel and Wolfson imagined writing and designing a wild and over-the-top full color illustrated "coffee-table" style book of Jewish humor. The result is Jewtopia: The Chosen Book for the Chosen People, that hit bookstands nationwide last holiday season and led to Bryan and Sam appearing on ABC's The View in December, 2006.
Fogel and Wolfson's were recently signed by Creative Artists Agency (CAA) and are in pre-production on their completed film adaptation of JEWTOPIA (O'Connell and Lispchitz Lose their Religion), which the two are attached to star in. The film is being produced by Tucker Tooley, exec. produced by Jewtopia's original director Andy Fickman and will be directed by Tony-Winner John Rando (Urinetown).
JEWTOPIA has been produced by it's original team in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and South Florida.
Finally available to be licensed, Jewtopia productions are opening all over the world!