THE LAST YIDDISH SPEAKER Will Come to the Mizel Arts and Cultural Center

The Last Yiddish Speaker is a gripping new play set in a chillingly plausible future, where the personal cost of survival collides with the moral demand to be seen. Written by Deborah Zoe Laufer and directed by Amy Feinberg, Theatre Or will present this Colorado premiere from March 28 through April 19 at the Mizel Arts and Cultural Center, Pluss Theatre (350 S. Dahlia Street). Select performances will feature talkbacks with special guests, offering audiences a chance to engage more deeply with the play's themes. Tickets are $20-$49.

About The Last Yiddish Speaker:  In 2029 our country has changed, and the government insists on political and religious conformity. Minority groups are not tolerated, and Mary (a smart, ambitious teen) and her father Paul are hiding their Jewish identity and living in upstate New York as Christians. When an elderly Yiddish-speaking woman suddenly appears on their doorstep, they must decide whether to hide her and risk their own lives, or strive to preserve their Jewish heritage for themselves and for future generations. 

Taut, intimate, and emotionally charged, The Last Yiddish Speaker explores what it means to survive under authoritarianism and what is lost when survival requires erasure. At the center of the play is Yiddish itself—not only as a language, but as a symbol of Jewish continuity, memory, and resistance.

“The Last Yiddish Speaker is the first play I read since I produced Sisters in Law three years ago, which resonated immediately with me as a play that needed to be seen in our community as soon as possible,” said Producer Diane Gilboa. “Its themes of anti-semitism and indeed anti-hate against all minorities, along with the erosion of long-held rights, reflect the critical issues of our times.  Plus it's quite humorous with a magical theatrical character who will not soon be forgotten.” 

Director Amy Feinberg agrees, “This play allows a conversation about ‘the other' and provides a framework to effect possible change. When I read it, I told Diane we need to do this tomorrow!”

Theatre Or is also offering talkbacks with special guests for select performances of “The Last Yiddish Speaker” by Deborah Zoe Lauffer:

• April 4, following the 7:30 performance:
  Wayne Firestone - Co-producer of the Festival of New Jewish Plays

• April 5, following the 2:00 matinee
  Rabbi Marc Soloway -  Rabbi from Bonai Shalom, Boulder

• April 12, following the 2:00 matinee
  Adam Rovner - DU Director of Jewish Studies

• April 19, following the 2:00 matinee
  Rabbi Sarah Shulman - Rabbi from Hebrew Educational Alliance

The Last Yiddish Speaker features the talents of Kevin Hart as Paul, Maddy Wagner as Sarah/Mary, Dia Kline as Chava and Solomon Abell as John. Understudies are: Hannah Jenkins for Sarah/Mary, Nate Cushing for John and Marcy Rodney for Chava