It always seemed a little odd to Abby Koenig that her family celebrated Christmas, when her Jewish heritage indicated Hanukkah would be more appropriate. “I grew up in a fairly Jewish neighborhood and none of my Jewish friends celebrated it like we did. I always thought that made us ‘special’ in a way,” Koenig, a performance artist, playwright and frequent contributor to Houston Press, recalls. “It occurred to me that I’ve had many milestones in my life around the holidays, and that’s what got me actually writing.” Before you could say, “Hey, spark up that menorah,” The Jew Who Loves Christmas, a multimedia exhibit and performance piece, was born.
“The gallery is going to be a Christmas extravaganza of lights and fake trees and blow-up paraphernalia and snowflakes and candy-cane explosion!” Koenig says. “Like a Santa Village…but without Santa.” During Koenig’s one-night performance, audience members should expect a timeline of Koenig’s Christmases Past, exploring some of her best and worst memories.
The opening-night performance will be taped and screened throughout the exhibit’s run. Koenig performs at 7 p.m. on December 6. Regular gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. Through Jan. 3. Winter Street Studios, 2101 Winter. For information, call 713‑868-1839 or visit spacetaker.org. Free.
Fri., Dec. 6, 7 p.m.; Mondays-Fridays, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Starts: Dec. 6. Continues through Jan. 3, 2013
This article appears in Dec 5-11, 2013.