National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene Announces Virtual Programming for the Final Week of May

As May concludes, National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene (Folksbiene)-led by Zalmen Mlotek, Artistic Director, and Dominick Balletta, Executive Director-brings the stage to global audiences when Folksbiene! LIVE features 15-Minute Yiddish lessons and Lisa Fishman in Concert. On tap for the final week in May:

15-Minute Yiddish

Tuesday, May 26 at 1:00 PM

A weekly lunch and learn with Motl Didner, where adults can learn the basics of Yiddish conversation-no Yiddish experience necessary-in 15 minutes!

Lisa Fishman in Concert

Wednesday, May 27 at 7:30 PM

Jewish Standards and some unknown gems, sung in Yiddish and English with a modern twist and influences in Klezmer, Jazz, Musical Theater, Cabaret, Folk rock, Latin, Blues... and a touch of comedy! The event includes some new English verses written by Lisa.

Launched in March with Zalmen Mlotek's Living Room Concert, Folksbiene! LIVE is an online celebration of Yiddish culture, featuring livestreamed theater, American Jewish performers, concerts, lectures, talks, and other events. The programming provides inspirational and entertaining experiences as cultural and arts venues across the country and world remain closed amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Stay tuned by subscribing to Folksbiene's newsletter on its website and catch up on past episodes at nytf.org/live. Each episode is broadcast at nytf.org/live and on Folksbiene's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/folksbiene/.

Bios of participants:

Matthew "Motl" Didner is the Associate Artistic Director of the National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene. Associate Director of Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish (Winner of Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and Lucille Lortel Awards) directed by Joel Grey, Co-director The Golden Bride (Drama Desk Award Nominated: Outstanding Revival of a Musical and Outstanding Direction of a Musical). Other directing credits include The Sorceress, Fyvush Finkel Live! (Drama Desk Award-nominated: Outstanding Musical Revue), Robert Brustein's The King of Second Avenue, The Megile of Itzik Manger, The Pushcart Peddlers, The Marriage Contract. Yiddish coach An American Pickle starring Seth Rogen, The Immigrant at George Street Playhouse, and, New York City Opera's Angels in America. Motl was an inaugural Translation Fellow at the Yiddish Book Center and teaches Yiddish language classes and theater workshops at the Workers Circle.

Lisa Fishman is a singer, actress and songwriter. She has performed throughout the U.S. and in Europe - starring in Off-Broadway and Regional Musical Theatre, soloing with many of the great artists in Jewish music, singing, and recording with Chicago's Maxwell Street Klezmer Band and The Modern Klezmer Quartet. Theater credits include the recent National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene hit Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish directed by Joel Grey, as well as the Drama Desk-nominated operettas The Golden Bride and On Second Avenue, starring Mike Burstyn, Sally Bowles in Cabaret, Nancy in Oliver, Fanny Brice & Emma Goldman in Tintypes, the chanteuse in Ghetto Cabaret, and leading lady in Bruce Adler, A,B,C. She can be heard singing "Sheyn Vi Di Levone", in the 2003 film, Dummy, starring Academy Award winner Adrien Brody, Illeana Douglas, and Milla Jovovich. Lisa spent the 2016 holiday season singing Jewish music at Disney's California Adventure as part of their "Festival of Holidays," and she is a songwriter and recording artist of music with influences in folk, rock, jazz, blues and comedy! www.LisaFishmanJewishMusic, www.LisaFishmanMusic