Jewish Arts | Authors | Movies | Music

The Neustadt Jewish Artists, Authors, Movies and Music Festival (Neustadt JAAMM) celebrates bold, innovative programming that explore Jewish arts, authors, movies, and music through a contemporary lens. Showcasing new voices alongside established artists, the festival creates space for creativity, conversation, and cultural discovery. The Neustadt JAAMM Festival invites audiences to engage with stories that reflect the evolving Jewish experience and the artists shaping it today.

Opening Night | Magic

October 8 at 7:00 pm

Max Davidson Brings Mind-Bending Magic to JAAMM

The 2026 Neustadt JAAMM Festival opens on October 8 at 7:00 PM with an unforgettable evening of wonder, laughter, and connection as magician and mentalist Max Davidson takes the stage. Davidson has performed in New York City and Las Vegas, including at Caesar’s Palace and performs about 150 shows a year around the world.

Davidson’s performances go far beyond traditional magic. Blending mentalism, storytelling, memory work, and audience participation creates an experience that is different every night. Because audience members help shape the show in real time, no two performances are ever the same. “The structure of the show may be the same,” Davidson explains, “but each attendee gets a genuinely unique experience.”

At its heart, Davidson’s work is about bringing people together. In an age when so much of life happens through screens, his show creates a shared experience where strangers laugh, wonder, and connect with one another. Audiences may find themselves questioning what they saw long after the curtain call, replaying moments and comparing memories in an effort to understand the impossible.

Without revealing too many secrets, Davidson hints at demonstrations involving memory, perception, and seemingly impossible feats of insight. Just as important as the astonishment, however, is the sense of community that develops throughout the evening.

“I genuinely hope people leave feeling less alone,” Davidson says.

Davidson is thrilled to be returning to Denver where he is from. He grew up going to the JCC, including taking swimming lessons at the pool.

His opening-night performance sets the perfect tone for the Neustadt JAAMM Festival, which continues with a vibrant lineup of music, film, comedy, dance, conversation, and cultural experiences. Join us as we kick off a festival filled with imagination, discovery, and meaningful connection.

This show is intended for audiences 14 and up.

Tickets for the Neustadt JAAMM Festival go on sale 8/3 at tickets.jccdenver.org Don’t miss out on the exciting things coming to the Mizel Arts and Culture Center and the Neustadt JAAMM Festival!

Comedy

October 10 at 7:00 pm

Jared Freid

Jared Freid is a stand-up comedian and podcaster based out of New York City. His most recent stand up special, “37 & Single” premiered on Netflix last year to rave reviews and rose to the Top 10 most watched TV in the US and Canada on Netflix. In addition, The New York Times touted “In the crowded field of dating jokes, Jared Freid…distinguishes himself…”. With a strong focus on dating and relationships, Jared’s comedy reflects the ordinary daily thoughts of everyone you know, especially if you know a lot of millennials that are obsessing over dating apps, trying to be real adults, and worrying about their bodies. His prior special, “Socially Distanced… Of Course” premiered on YouTube in 2021. Jared has also appeared on a number of television programs, including multiple appearances on “The Tonight Show” and as a regular contributor on “Good Morning Football” on the NFL Network. He can also be seen in the upcoming independent romantic comedy “31 Candles.”
In addition to his hectic touring schedule, Jared hosts two highly-rated weekly podcasts including his “JTrain Podcast” which boasts over 450,000 listeners per month and regularly lands in the iTunes top 100. The show has a cult following of loyal fans. Guests have included: Michael Che, Pete Davidson, Colin Quinn, Sal Vulcano, Bert Kreischer, Dave Attell, Michelle Wolf and more. It’s been called “A Dear Abby for Dudes,” which is why both men and women tune in religiously. Many of Jared’s fans say that his advice has helped them in their personal lives. Jared also co-hosts “U Up?” with Jordana Abraham of Betches, where they discuss their takes on modern dating with issues ranging from apps to hookups to relationships. “U Up?” has over 750,000 monthly listeners.
 
In 2019, Jared released his first full-length comedy album “Always a Momma Bear” through Virtual Comedy Network. The album debuted at #1 on the iTunes Comedy Charts. Jared was also named a New Face of Comedy at the Just For Laugh’s comedy festival in 2017.

Social

October 13

Jewish Dating Game

The Jewish Dating Game is the hilarious interactive dating game show with delicious prizes. Hosted by modern matchmaker, Linnea Sage. Watch people fall in love or sign up to be a contestant! A show for Jews and allies, singles and couples, all are welcome to this night of joy, fun, and love!

Author

October 15

Meet the Author

Meet the author.

Movie

October 20

Maintenance Artist

a film by Toby Perl Freilich
“After the Revolution, who’s going to pick up the garbage on Monday morning?” challenged Mierle Laderman Ukeles. Crashing the boundary between art and action, in 1977 she became the first artist-in-residence at NYC’s Department of Sanitation, collaborating with municipal workers to inject art directly into the city’s bloodstream.

MAINTENANCE ARTIST is the first feature documentary about this revolutionary public artist. Ukeles, inspired by Marcel Duchamp, pioneered the notion that routine maintenance – from changing diapers to picking up city trash to caring for the earth – could be acts of performance art. With never-before-seen archival footage, MAINTENANCE ARTIST tells a story of essential workers and radical contemporary art set during the social and artistic upheavals of the last half century. Penetrating, provocative, funny, and deeply moving, MAINTENANCE ARTIST fills a glaring cultural gap and heralds Ukeles’ call for a Maintenance Revolution.“After the Revolution, who’s going to pick up the garbage on Monday morning?” challenged Mierle Laderman Ukeles. Crashing the boundary between art and action, in 1977 she became the first artist-in-residence at NYC’s Department of Sanitation, collaborating with municipal workers to inject art directly into the city’s bloodstream.

Music

October 22 at 7:00 pm

Avourneen to Pay Tribute to Leonard Cohen

Members of one of Colorado’s most popular Celtic folk acts will honor one of modern music’s most prolific and beloved singer/songwriter/poets at Denver’s most storied venues.

The Irish folk act Avourneen will perform a tribute performance featuring the music and verses of Leonard Cohen during a performance at 8 p.m. on Thursday, October 22 at Mizel Arts and Culture Center at the JCC, 350 S. Dahlia St. in Denver. The concert will feature songs from all phases of Cohen’s storied career, from his 1967 debut Songs to music from his final, posthumous release, 2019’s Thanks for the Dance.

The upcoming performance at MACC will feature an expanded version of the band, featuring Avourneen band members Adam Goldstein on guitar/vocals, CL Morden on violin and keyboards and bassist Alice Allister, as well as guest musician Christopher Rose on drums and Katie Burns on cello. This same lineup has performance sold-out shows at Swallow Hill in the past, including a revue of the music of the Beatles in 2023 and a track-by-track performance of Bob Dylan’s Blood on the Tracks in 2024.

Since forming in 2014, Avourneen has rapidly gained a reputation as one of Colorado’s most active and accomplished Celtic acts. They’ve been a regular feature of high-profile events like the Colorado Irish Festival and the Cheyenne Celtic Festival, and they’ve played venues across the West. The band released its first full album, Sparrow, in 2020, and is currently working on its new release Waystations slated for early 2026.

Leonard Cohen (1934-2016) was one of modern music’s most accomplished singer-songwriters, novelists and poets. With songs like “So Long, Marianne,” “Sisters of Mercy,” “Hallelujah” and “I’m Your Man,” Cohen’s oeuvre includes some of the most iconic and profound songs in the folk/rock/pop canon.

Music

October 23 – 25

KlezKolorado

KlezKolorado is a weekend-long Klezmer festival that centers local and national Klezmer acts, Yiddish culture, workshops, and Colorado’s Jewish community. We want to highlight the burgeoning Klezmer revival in Denver, Boulder, and beyond, and create a new space for Yiddishists to gather and celebrate our culture. We are a queer-led and queer-focused group that would like to welcome folks of all backgrounds to come and join in the fun.Members of one of Colorado’s most popular Celtic folk acts will honor one of modern music’s most prolific and beloved singer/songwriter/poets at Denver’s most storied venues.

KlezKolorado is structured primarily as a retreat, inviting participants to join us for a long weekend full of concerts, workshops, community meals and fun nature-based activities. Guests can also choose to exclusively come for the Klezmer concerts on that Friday and/or Saturday. The festival will be held at the JCC’s beautiful Ranch Camp, situated conveniently between Denver and Colorado Springs. Guests who are attending for the full weekend will be provided with cabin-style accommodations, meals and snacks (including a special Shabbos dinner), and full access to all activities throughout the weekend.

Entertainment

October (Multiple Dates)

Aerial Yoga

Aerial yoga entertainment shows fuse traditional yoga, acrobatics, and theatrical performance. They feature artists suspended in specialized hammocks or silks, performing gravity-defying choreography, fluid drops, and stunning visual storytelling.Aerial yoga entertainment shows fuse traditional yoga, acrobatics, and theatrical performance. They feature artists suspended in specialized hammocks or silks, performing gravity-defying choreography, fluid drops, and stunning visual storytelling.

KlezKolorado is structured primarily as a retreat, inviting participants to join us for a long weekend full of concerts, workshops, community meals and fun nature-based activities. Guests can also choose to exclusively come for the Klezmer concerts on that Friday and/or Saturday. The festival will be held at the JCC’s beautiful Ranch Camp, situated conveniently between Denver and Colorado Springs. Guests who are attending for the full weekend will be provided with cabin-style accommodations, meals and snacks (including a special Shabbos dinner), and full access to all activities throughout the weekend.

Neustadt JAAMM is supported by: