THE GATZ BENNY SHOW
Hosted by THE WHITHAM FAMILY:
APRIL HAVA SHENKMAN, JARED WHITHAM, & their son GATSBY
Sunday, February 15
Doors at 5 PM / Show at 5:30 PM
Featuring: THE BOB BAKER MARIONETTES
Special Guests: SIMONE TURKINGTON & ODIOUS ARI
This Valentine’s weekend THE GATZ BENNY SHOW is all about LOVE. We’ll be your Vaudeville Valentine. Will you be ours?
The Gatz Benny Show brings a new twist to the classic variety show, that’s fun for the whole family. Imagine the I Love Lucy show inside of Pee-wee’s Playhouse. Hosted by the Whitham Family, APRIL HAVA SHENKMAN, JARED WHITHAM, & their son GATSBY, they invite some of their favorite performers & puppets to join them on stage.
This month, you’re invited to be our Valentine, as we celebrate LOVE & Gatsby’s 6th birthday! There will be CAKE & ice cream for everyone. Sharing the shenanigans of parenthood & childhood through comedy, music, magic, puppets, & clowns!
This month's special guests include SIMONE TURKINGTON, international sensation from The Magic Castle, and ODIOUS ARI, world-famous Vaudevillian.
You’re invited to an entrancing playdate at the Bob Baker Marionette Theater you’ll never forget!
Thank you to show sponsors: The Green Bean in Eagle Rock and Johnny’s in Highland Park!
About April Hava Shenkman
April Hava Shenkman created THE GATZ BENNY SHOW in 2024. April is a Los Angeles underground legend for her for her experimental comedy & Vaudevillian gifts. Her impeccable techniques make her talent a singular sensation.
Her comedy is vastly vocalized rich with golden era star impersonations and flares of speed talking operatic gibberish, comedy, and clown, as seen on The Gong Show. April worked with Performance Art maverick, Rachel Rosenthal & Company, for years. She produced The Garage Sale Documentary featuring Phyllis Diller, and has performed alongside comedy celebrities such as Emo Phillips, Eric Andre, Chuck McCann, Maria Bamford, and Bob Odenkirk. Entrancing audiences for years with her performance art, comedy, and one woman shows including: April Fools Pig! at Highways, Cockmamie at the Steve Allen Theater, HAVA at The Gardenia and THE HAPPY HAPPY SHOW at El Cid. April’s work has been presented at theatres, galleries, and festivals nationally and internationally. Her pregnant comedy special filmed at the Bob Baker Marionette Theater titled The Marvelous Mrs. Shenkman, streaming on TubiTV. The Gatz Benny Show, is inspired by her son GATSBY. April is getting ready to premiere her Mommy Comedy Special in 2026.
Learn more at AprilHavaShenkman.com
About Jared Whitham
Jared Whitham is a prominent painting clown known for his impactful films, art, and music. He has successfully self-produced a range of low-budget experimental feature films, with his debut film, Project Omicron. Made as a teenager, achieving cult status as a VHS release that has recently been reissued by Vinegar Syndrome. Whitham has exhibited his artwork at prestigious international art fairs, including Art Basel and the Armory Show. His UHF analog television broadcast in New York City in 2008 established him as a significant figure in the New York underground, and he is recognized as a pioneer of internet video, having laid the groundwork for platforms like YouTube. Today, Whitham collaborates with his wife and son, creating films, art, and performances as a dynamic family of artists.
Learn more at JaredWhitham.com
About Gatsby Benjamin Whitham
Gatsby Benjamin Whitham aka GATZ BENNY, who turns 6 on February 13th, made his stage debut in the The Gatz Benny Show in July 2024 and is always excited to perform in the next one! Gatsby is in kindergarten, and loves making art, playing, reading OZ books, learning about mythological creatures, and creating magical worlds.