“A Place for Us” Celebrates CIP’s 90 Years at Sala São Paulo

With a stellar cast from Brazilian musical theater, the show brought together Broadway and Brazil in a night of music, memory, and emotion that will remain in the history of the Congregação Israelita Paulista (CIP).

A packed Sala São Paulo, a star-studded lineup, and a succession of emotional moments marked, on Sunday, August 16, the celebration of the 90th anniversary of CIP. The benefit concert “A Place for Us – from Broadway to Brazil” gathered some of the biggest names in Brazilian musical theater in a production conceived especially for the institution’s anniversary, leaving a lasting mark on its history.

Under the general direction of Gustavo Barchilon, musical direction by Antonio de Arruda Ribeiro, and script and curation by Claudio Erlichman, the stage welcomed Alessandra Maestrini, Bruna Guerin, Giulia Nadruz, Kiara Sasso, Samantha Schmütz, and Soraya Ravenle, with special appearances by Gottsha, Marcos Veras, Saulo Vasconcelos, Felipe “Pipo” Grytz, and Avi Bursztein. Dan Stulbach served as master of ceremonies, and the artists were accompanied by the São Paulo Big Band and Orchestra.

The audience embarked on a journey through the history of musical theater, highlighting the decisive contribution of Jewish composers and creators to the making of Broadway. Irving Berlin, George and Ira Gershwin, Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim, Jerry Herman, and Burt Bacharach were among those honored, with performances from classics such as West Side Story, Chicago, Cabaret, Funny Girl, Hello, Dolly!, Yentl, and Fiddler on the Roof. The production also paid tribute to Victor Berbara and Oscar Ornstein, pioneers of musical theater in Brazil.

The Jewish identity of the evening was further reinforced by performances from CIP’s cantors. Avi Bursztein moved the audience with his rendition, in Yiddish, of “Romenia, Romenia”, a classic that evokes with humor, affection, and nostalgia the Jewish life of Eastern Europe. Felipe “Pipo” Grytz gave voice to one of the show’s most emblematic moments with a song from Fiddler on the Roof, a musical that has become a powerful symbol of memory, tradition, and the challenges faced by Jewish communities in Eastern Europe. Both performances underscored the link between Jewish tradition, Broadway’s history, and CIP’s 90 years.

One of the highlights of bridging Broadway and Brazil was the performance of “Basta um Dia” by Chico Buarque. The musical honored the Brazilian composer by drawing a parallel with Stephen Sondheim — two authors who, in distinct universes, transformed musical theater through sophisticated lyrics, poetry, and a rare ability to translate human feelings into music.

Laura Feldman, president of CIP, emphasized: 

Celebrating CIP’s 90 years is celebrating a story that began with immigrants and refugees who arrived in Brazil bringing their culture, traditions, and above all, the hope of starting anew. Just as the Jews who helped build Broadway transformed the memory of pain into creation, CIP, over nine decades, has sought to turn welcome into belonging and responsibility, contributing actively to the cultural, social, and democratic life of São Paulo and Brazil. In times of rising antisemitism, this evening reaffirms values that cannot be selective: diversity, respect, and the ability to turn differences into creation and memory into construction.

For Gustavo Barchilon, who conceived the project from a long-standing desire to honor Jewish contributions to musical theater, the event gained new meaning after the October 7 attacks and the rise of antisemitism worldwide. 

What emotion! What a special night for our community and for musical theater. What we achieved was a true miracle, made possible only by the talent, dedication, and affection of so many people. I am so proud of this evening, said the director.

The script showed how understanding Broadway also means understanding the trajectory of Jewish immigration in the United States. 

A community that found closed doors in many sectors ended up opening, with creativity and talent, some of the most important doors of world culture. Life gave them lemons. They made lemonade, and a few decades later, it was on Broadway winning a Tony, summarized Claudio Erlichman.

For Alessandra Maestrini, the evening carried personal meaning. The actress recalled her connection with the Jewish community since Yentl and highlighted the reunion of artists who shared different moments of their careers. 

It was a double celebration — for you and for us, she said.

The title “Um לugar Para Nós” — in English: A (ל) Place for Us – From Broadway to Brazil, inspired by Somewhere from West Side Story, captured the spirit of the night. With the “L” replaced by the Hebrew letter Lamed (ל), associated with learning and growth, the show celebrated stories of people who crossed oceans in search of a place to begin again, of artists who found on stage a place to create, and of a community that, 90 years ago, found in Brazil a place to belong, build, and contribute.

The benefit concert “A Place for Us – from Broadway to Brazil” was organized by CIP and the Ministry of Culture, with sponsorship from Itaú, Família Picciotto, Bemol, Rosset, Banco Safra, Elgin, Arie Properties, Tricostyl, Smart Storage, Aurora, the Adler and Zolko families, and Projeto Casa Tikun Olam.