THE IMMIGRANT Comes to Chenango River Theatre

This is the true story of Haskell Harelik, "the immigrant", based on the author's own grandparents. This saga of a Jewish immigrant's assimilation into a town without a single other Jewish family is author Mark Harelik's tribute to his grandparent's courage, industry and ability in adapting to a strange and wonderful new country.

Rural Central Texas, 1909. A young Russian-Jewish immigrant, newly arrived in America through the port of Galveston, pulls his banana cart into the hamlet of Hamilton, Texas. Population: 1,203 Baptists, no Jews. Fleeing the vicious pogroms of his homeland, Haskell has sought refuge in the land of the free. Able to speak only Yiddish, alone in the middle of a staunchly Christian community, he begs for shelter.

His plea for help lands him at the home of the town's banker and his wife (Milton and Ima Perry), who respond based on their own faith, and give him a place to stay, despite having just met him and having nothing in common except humanity.

Over the next 30 years, after Haskell eventually brings his wife Leah over from Russia, a friendship develops, against all odds, between the two mismatched couples as religion meets religion, culture meets culture, fear meets fear, and love meets love.

With the Milton's help in establishing his little fruit stand business and his subsequent storefront, Haskell and Leah make a home and raise their family in this tiny town, as their sons go on to make their own contributions to their adopted homeland.

Coming in to direct the production is Karla Hartley, currently the Artistic Director of Stageworks (Tampa, FL). Joshua Cahn (from Chicago) plays the pivotal role of Haskell, with Paula Shtein (NYC) featured as his wife Leah. James Wetzel, most recently seen in Papermaker and Taking Sides at CRT, returns to play banker Milton Perry. Molly Parker-Myers, who lives in the Hudson Valley area and has recently been seen at several upstate NY theatres, comes in to play Ima Perry.

The Immigrant is Co-Produced by IBM, Pete & Karen Raymond, and Jim & Debbie Dyal. The 2019 Season is sponsored by Empire Toyota of Oneonta.

Running Aug. 16 - Sept 8, tickets are $25 for all performances, except Saturday evenings are $27. The fastest, easiest way to buy tickets is at: www.chenangorivertheatre.org. Tickets can also be purchased by calling the 24-hour box office line: 607-656-8499.

New this season is a Saturday matinee on the opening weekend (Sat, Aug. 17, 2pm). Performances are Thu/Fri/Sat at 7:30, Sundays at 2pm.

FREE STUDENT TICKETS! Also new this season is free tickets to high school and full-time college students (22 and under). Up to 8 seats are available for any performance (except opening nights and Sundays).

Chenango River Theatre's intimate, air-conditioned 99 seat theatre is just 15 minutes north of Binghamton at 991 State Highway 12, Greene, NY. CRT operates under annual contract with Actors' Equity Association, the national association for professional actors and stage managers in the United States.

CRT's 2019 season is made possible in part by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.