New Screen Adaptation of GOD OF VENGEANCE to Receive Reading Next Week

Acclaimed filmmaker and MoMA artist Andrew Repasky McElhinney has been commissioned by New Yiddish Rep to create a new screen adaptation of Sholem Asch's 1907 drama GOD OF VENGEANCE.

An invitational reading of the new screenplay is set for this Sunday evening, October 1st at 6PM at the Workmen's Circle (247 W. 37 St.) The reading will feature the entire cast of New Yiddish Rep's recent hit revival of the controversial Yiddish play, which scored a New York Times Critics' Pick.

GOD OF VENGEANCE (GOT FUN NEKOME) tells the wrenching story of a brothel owner's attempt to marry off his daughter to lead a dignified religious life, only to have her drawn back into the life of sin in which she grew up. The 1923 English-language premiere of GOD OF VENGEANCE introduced the first lesbian kiss on Broadway, leading to the arrest of the entire cast for obscenity.

Director/Writer Andrew Repasky McElhinney created the feature films MAGDALEN (1998), A CHRONICLE OF CORPSES (2000), GEORGES BATAILLE'S STORY OF THE EYE (2003), ANIMAL HUSBANDRY (2009) and CHRISTMAS DREAMS (2015). His scholarly book on media culture, SECOND TAKES: REMAKING FILM, REMAKING AMERICA is available from McFarland and Company Publishers. McElhinney wrote the new GOD OF VENGEANCE screenplay in collaboration with his frequent collaborator, noted dramatist and actor GregGiovanni.

New Yiddish Rep is dedicated to creating modern theater which speaks to a diverse contemporary audience, including those who never might have thought they could connect to a performance in a language other than their own. Their current production of Eugene Ionesco's RHINOCEROS opened on September 14th for a limited run through October 8th at the Castillo Theatre.

For more information, visit www.NewYiddishRep.org.

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