Patinkin, Wallach, Jackson Featured in Yiddish Theatre Benefit

By: Jun. 20, 2005
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Married theatre legends Eli Wallach and Anne Jackson were honored at a star-studded Carnegie Hall gala concert headlined by Mandy Patinkin on Thursday, June 16th; the concert celebrated the historic 90th season of the Folksbiene Yiddish Theatre.

The highly anticipated event, titled Mandy Patinkin Sings Mamaloshen, A Benefit for the Future of the Yiddish Theatre in America, paid tribute to Wallach and Jackson, as well as to U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council chairman Fred Zeidman, and prominent attorney Barry Slotnick. It also featured, among others, the all-star female klezmer band Mikveh, world-renowned klezmer clarinetist David Krakauer; the New Yiddish Chorale (under the direction of Zalmen Mlotek), and a 200-voice grand children's chorus consisting of youngsters from across the tri-State area. The concert, produced by Moishe Rosenfeld, drew over 2,500 and raised valuable operating funds for Folksbiene, America's sole-surviving professional Yiddish theatre, the world-recognized company at the forefront of the remarkable resurgence of interest in Yiddish language and culture sweeping the Jewish world.

Patinkin is a Tony-winner for his performance as Che in the original production of Evita, and was also nominated for Sunday in the Park with George and 2000's The Wild Party. Other Broadway credits include The Shadow Box, The Secret Garden and Falsettos. On screen, he has appeared in Yentl, Ragtime, Dick Tracy, Broken Glass and Life with Mikey but he might be best known to most audiences for his performance as Inigo in The Princess Bride. Patinkin is also an Emmy-winner for "Chicago Hope."

Together, Wallach and Jackson have appeared together on Broadway in The Flowering Peach, Lost in Yonkers, Cafe Crown, Twice Around the Park, The Waltz of the Toreadors, Luv, Rhinoceros and others. Separately, Jackson has starred in Middle of the Night, Arms and the Man, The Lady from the Sea, the original production of Summer and Smoke, and others, while Wallach has appeared in Major Barbara, the original productions of The Teahouse of the August Moon, Camino Real, The Rose Tattoo, Mister Roberts and more. Jackson's screen credits include Hunter's Crossing, The Shining and Sticks and Bones; Wallach has been seen in the films Keeping the Faith, Night and the City, The Godfather: Part III, and How To Steal A Million, among dozens more.

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