BS'D

Subject: Booking Proposal – Paul Tosh: An Artist of Music, Theatre, and Storytelling

Dear synagogue/pesach,

It is my pleasure to introduce Paul Tosh, a Scottish-born, USA-based singer, pianist, and songwriter whose artistry sits at the intersection of music, theatre, and cultural storytelling. Drawing on jazz, classical, pop, folk, and his Scottish and Jewish heritage, Paul’s performances combine live piano looping, improvisation, and dramatic expression, creating a concert experience that is both captivating and transformative.

At the heart of Paul’s repertoire is his original operetta Paper Gun (http://www.papergun.net/operetta), a moving exploration of vulnerability, ideology, and the search for balance between heart and mind. The work suggests a “paper gun” of reflection instead of the real gun of violence, using art to inspire dialogue, objectivity, and courage. One Charleston hostess, Libby Fox, described the experience as: “Last night made me feel like pre-WWII era of the arts in Jewish society! Loved it.”

Paul also presents The Song is the Play, a theatrical concert in which lyrics are acted like scenes and reimagined through live-looped piano arrangements. The result is a performance that transforms familiar songs into moments of theatre, drawing audiences into a new relationship with familiar music. As Rabbi Daniel Lapin reflected, “I especially like the substantive intellectual meaning that you weave into your music. You remind me of the inspiring Shlomo Carlebach, the interface with the late great Rabbi Sacks is profoundly meaningful.”

For Jewish cultural centers, synagogues, and community organizations, Paul offers Backstage with the Tribe, an intimate storytelling add-on that connects the music with the history and experiences of the well known Jewish songwriters, in which he showcases his immense ability to cover songs from contemporary prominent Jewish artists and songwriters to ones of the past. Audience members often find themselves deeply moved. Amy Kirshtein expressed after a show at one of the BSBI Charleston concerts, she described Paul's show as, “A poetic call to presence, reminding us that the pursuit itself is the purpose, and that love, more than anything, is the foundation of it all. So much fun to watch Paul Toshner’s creative brain at work, he really knows how to incorporate an audience into the experience.”

In addition, Paul curates' special pieces that are perfect for Pesach programs, blending narrative, music, and Jewish thought into a meaningful holiday experience. These are particularly impactful in Modern Orthodox communities but carry a universal resonance, opening pathways for interfaith audiences to engage with the longstanding Jewish songwriters tradition through art, love, and shared human values. The esteemed president of the BSBI synagogue from Charleston SC had wonderful words to say after witnessing one of Paul’s amazing shows, he put it beautifully in saying “I like it how you tell the history of the songwriters, if they could have given you a review from last night they'd have given you all 10's".

What sets Paul apart is not only his musical and theatrical talent, but the way he uses performance as a bridge, between genres, between cultures, and between people. As opposed to being a Jewish artist, he is an artist who is Jewish, and a baal teshuva of 20 years, and it is precisely this vantage point that allows him to enrich this perspective, creating space for universal dialogue and connection.

I would be delighted to discuss how Paul’s artistry can bring inspiration, reflection, and joy to your community.

You can learn more about Paul’s brilliant vision and artistry through the links below:

• Full Website: https://www.paultosh.com/

• Shuls insight: https://www.paultosh.com/shuls

• Pesach: https://www.paultosh.com/pesach

• Recommendations: president@bsbisynagogue.org

• Paper Gun: http://www.papergun.net/operetta

Thanking you in advance

Luyanda Goba (689) 205-9776 [Bookings@paultosh.com] 

(On behalf of Alan Gestetner TJB Publishing)