About the Chutzpah! Festival
The Chutzpah! Festival: The Lisa Nemetz Festival of International Jewish Performing Arts is an annual festival of world-renowned dance, music, theatre, and comedy, through a lens of Jewish experiences, stories, and values in all their richness and diversity, creating unforgettable and unique experiences for audiences throughout the Lower Mainland. We foster artistic dialogue and collaboration between Jewish and non-Jewish artists and communities. The Festival offers artistic residencies, outreach programs, and other professional arts programming of interest throughout the year.
The Chutzpah! Festival was launched in 2001 by the Vancouver West Side Theatre Society. The Society, established and incorporated in 1994, also operates the Festival’s home, the Norman & Annette Rothstein Theatre, a professionally-equipped 318 seat proscenium theatre catering to the presentation of professional dance, music and theatre, as well as film, literary and community arts events. For more information about the theatre and to inquire about booking, please visit our website.
Chutzpah! Festival Staff 2023
Jessica Mann Gutteridge Artistic Managing Director
Holly Karpuik Production Manager
Flick Harrison Video Director
Jodi Smith (JLS Entertainment) Marketing & Public Relations
John Greenaway (Big Wave Design) Graphic Designer
Tyler Bangsund Festival Technical Director
Jesse Tanaka Digital Marketing
Sophie McNeilly Artistic Producing Associate
Kitra Jeanne Hospitality & Concession Coordinator
Ash Shotton FORGE Project Manager
Alexandra Chambers Audience Services Coordinator
Vancouver West Side Theatre Society
Our mandate is to enhance the cultural life of both the Jewish and general communities, and our commitment is to presenting, producing, and promoting professional and innovative community-based programming that: (1) Supports both established and emerging artists; (2) Entertains, inspires, educates, and enriches its audiences; and (3) Promotes communication and understanding between Jewish and non-Jewish communities.
Vancouver West Side Theatre Society Board of Directors
Jeffrey Goldberg – President
Nancy Stern - Vice President
Lionel Raber - Treasurer
Jill Shore
Zev Shafran
Alvin Wasserman
Salomon Casseres
Jonathan Weisman
Hartley Odwak
Chutzpah! Campaign Co-Chairs
Jeffrey Goldberg
Emet Davis
Executive Director of the JCCGV: Eldad Goldfarb
A very special thank you to the wonderful Chutzpah! Festival volunteers who donate generously of their time to support festival events and activities.
About the Artistic Managing Director
Jessica Mann Gutteridge has been Artistic Managing Director of the Chutzpah! Festival and the Norman & Annette Rothstein Theatre since February 2020.
Her previous arts leadership roles included managing Performance Works on behalf of Boca del Lupo. She was Managing Director and Education Manager of Carousel Theatre for Young People. Her non-profit board experience has included the Granville Island Theatre District, Landmark on Main Street, a community performing arts centre on Long Island, and the Vancouver International Burlesque Festival.
She received her MFA in dramaturgy from the Yale School of Drama and studied directing at Wesleyan University. She was a member of the 2018-19 Cultural Leadership Program at the Banff Centre and a fellow at the 2019 Canadian Arts Summit. Born and raised in New York, Jessica returned to the theatre after nearly two decades as a lawyer specializing in advertising and trademark law.
Remembering Lisa Nemetz (March 31, 1955 - May 17, 1997)
Lisa Nemetz was a dancer, a lawyer, a lover of the arts and a tireless advocate for the treatment of women with breast cancer. She was also active in promoting the arts as a member of the Community Arts Council. Lisa was a devoted wife to her husband David Levi, mother to children Yoni and Miri, and shared her love with her sister Laurie, extended family, and many close friends. We are honoured to have the festival named in her memory.
