National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene Launches 107th Season

The Tony Award-nominated and Drama Desk Award-winning National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene (NYTF) ushers in its 107th season with stellar productions of the acclaimed musical Harmony: A New Musical by the legendary Barry Manilow and his longtime collaborator Bruce Sussman, a co-production with the New York City Opera of the world premiere of Ricky Ian Gordon's The Garden Of The Finzi-Continis, a virtual presentations of Kadye Molodowsky's Ale Fenster Tsu Der Zun (All the Windows Face the Sun), 15 Minute Yiddish (More or Less), and much more.

The world's oldest continuously operating Yiddish theatre company - and longest consecutively producing theatre in the United States - was the driving force behind the smash hit, Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish, which sold out for six months before moving uptown to Off-Broadway's Stage 42. The show won a Drama Desk Award (Outstanding Revival of a Musical), an Outer Critics Circle Award (Outstanding Revival of a Musical), a New York Drama Critics' Circle Award special citation, a Lucille Lortel Award (Outstanding Lead Actor, Steven Skybell); and an Off-Broadway Alliance Award (Best Musical Revival), among a number of other awards and nominations.

"The core of National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene's mission will always be the promotion of the great literary, dramatic and musical traditions of the Yiddish theater," said Artistic Director Zalmen Mlotek. Added Executive Director Dominick Balletta, "We will venture beyond Yiddish when presented with opportunities to tell important Jewish stories, in other languages, particularly when these stories otherwise would not be told."

NYTF celebrates its return to live performance at its home at the Museum of Jewish Heritage - A Living Memorial to the Holocaust's newly renovated Edmund J. Safra Hall with a benefit concert, SHOYN TSAYT!! !!שױן צײַט It's Time! To Light, Life and Laughter, an evening featuring a constellation of Yiddish theater stars who appeared in Folksbiene productions in recent years. Also on the horizon is the next virtual installment of the Yiddish Women Playwrights Series, a presentation of Kadye Molodowsky's 1936 work, Ale Fenster Tsu Der Zun (All the Windows Face the Sun).

All in-person presentations take place in Edmond J. Safra Hall at the Museum of Jewish Heritage - A Living Memorial to the Holocaust at Edmond J. Safra Plaza, 36 Battery Place, NYC. For tickets, visit www.NYTF.org or call the Box Office at 855-449-4658. Contact 212-655-7653 for all other inquiries.

SHOYN TSAYT!! !!שױן צײַט It's Time! To Light, Life and Laughter - A benefit concert on November 15

National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene celebrates its return to live performance with a concert, SHOYN TSAYT!! !!שױן צײַט It's Time! To Light, Life and Laughter, an evening featuring a constellation of Yiddish theater stars who have appeared in Folksbiene productions in recent years.

Due to COVID-19 health and safety guidance, in-person seating will be strictly limited. The event will feature a klezmer orchestra under the direction of NYTF Artistic Director Zalmen Mlotek and be directed by Motl Didner, creator of 15 Minute Yiddish (More or Less) and producer of the acclaimed presentation, A Yiddish Renaissance.

ESN - A celebration on November 28

A celebration of Jewish food through song and cooking demonstrations created by Frank London and Lorin Sklamberg of the Grammy Award-winning Klezmatics and Yiddish Diva, Adrienne Cooper z"l. Frank and Lorin will be joined for this special Chanukah edition by Adrienne's daughter, Sarah Gordon, accompanied by special guests. ESN will be available for on demand streaming beginning the first night of Chanukah, November 28, 2021, and will be free to watch.

Ale Fenster Tsu Der Zun (All the Windows Face the Sun)

Coming in December

The next virtual installment of the Yiddish Women Playwrights Series is a presentation of Kadye Molodowsky's 1936 work, Ale Fenster Tsu Der Zun (All the Windows Face the Sun). This is a surrealistic play about a child who builds a magic tower from which present-day people witness historic tragedies (and the ongoing Spanish Civil War). Written before World War II, it hopes for a future without these tragedies and in which all windows face the sun. Details about this presentation will be announced soon.

The Garden of the Finzi-Continis

Limited Engagement begins January 19, 2022 - TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE

NYTF and New York City Opera (Michael Capasso, General Director) present the world premiere of Ricky Ian Gordon's (Intimate Apparel, Ellen West) new opera, The Garden of the Finzi-Continis. Featuring a libretto by Michael Korie (Flying Over Sunset, War Paint, Grey Gardens), The Garden of Finzi-Continis is based on Giorgio Bassani's 1962 novel (considered a modern classic which is also the basis for Vittorio De Sica's 1970 film adaptation starring Dominique Sanda and Helmet Berger - the 1972 Academy Award winner for Best Foreign Language Film). The production will be conducted by James Lowe, directed and choreographed by Richard Stafford, and features Rachel Blaustein, Brian James Myer, Mary Phillips, Stephen Powell, and Victor Starsky.

Based on Giorgio Bassani's 1962 novel, The Garden Of The Finzi-Continis is set on the eve of World War II and tells the story of an aristocratic Italian-Jewish family, the Finzi-Continis, who believe they will be immune to the changes happening around them. As they make a gracious haven for themselves in their garden, walling out the unpleasantness of the world outside, Italy forms its alliance with Germany and begins to enforce anti-Semitic racial laws. But the Finzi-Continis discover too late that no one is immune, no one is untouchable.

Tickets for this limited engagement, which will play eight performances through Sunday, January 30. are available at https://nytf.org/finzi-continis/.

Harmony: A New Musical

Previews begin on March 23, 2022 - TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE

NYTF, in association with Tony Award-winning producer Ken Davenport, presents the New York debut of the acclaimed Harmony: A New Musical by the legendary Barry Manilow and his longtime collaborator Bruce Sussman in March 2022. The musical tells the true story of the Comedian Harmonists, an ensemble of six talented young men in 1920s Germany who took the world by storm with their signature blend of sophisticated close harmonies and uproarious stage antics, until their inclusion of Jewish singers put them on a collision course with history. Harmony: A New Musical is based in part on The Comedian Harmonist Archive as curated by the late Dr. Peter Czada.

NYTF will present Harmony: A New Musical in English, with previews beginning on March 23, 2022, opening on April 13 and running through May 8. Tickets begin at $79.

Directing and choreographing Harmony: A New Musical will be Tony Award winner and Emmy-nominated Director Warren Carlyle. Carlyle won a 2014 Tony Award for his choreography for After Midnight, for which he was also Tony Award-nominated as Best Director. Carlyle was again nominated for a 2019 Tony Award for his choreography for the critically acclaimed revival of Kiss Me Kate and for a Drama Desk award for Best Director and Choreography for the Broadway revival of Finian's Rainbow. Other Broadway credits include Hello, Dolly!, She Loves Me, On the Twentieth Century, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, A Christmas Story, and Chaplin. He directed and choreographed Hugh Jackman: Back on Broadway, as well as Hugh Jackman's 2019 World Tour. Upcoming: choreographing the Broadway revival of The Music Man starring Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster.

This production is being produced in association with Ken Davenport, who most recently won a Tony for Best Revival of a Musical for Once on This Island and a Tony for Best Musical for Kinky Boots, and received Tony nominations for Spring Awakening (Revival of a Musical), The Visit (Musical), and You're Welcome America (Special Theatrical Event). Garry C. Kief is serving as producer. Additional producers are Amuse Inc., Susan DuBow, and Neil Gooding Productions. This presentation is being produced in association with Wilfried Rimensberger of Stiletto Entertainment. Stay tuned for an upcoming announcement about the cast and other members of the creative team.

15 Minute Yiddish (More or Less)

This week, on Tuesday, October 5, NYTF presents the third season premiere of the fan-favorite, 15 Minute Yiddish (More or Less). NYTF launched the online series as part of the popular Folksbiene LIVE! to connect with audiences at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Produced by NYTF Associate Artistic Director Motl Didner, each episode offers 15 Minute Yiddish (More or Less) lessons brought to life by a vibrant cast of fictional characters.

"15 Minute Yiddish (More or Less) has been a ton of fun to make," Didner said, "Whenever I have taught live Yiddish classes, getting to know the students, hearing their stories, and refereeing their arguments has always been the most interesting part. So, I raided my family's closets and the kids' costume bin and Helen, Scott, Wayne, Murray, Sophia, and Professor Thompson were created."

The series - which will be held on Tuesdays at 1:00 PM ET through January 11, 2022 - has been a hit with viewers of all ages, including Jews looking to connect with their cultural heritage and non-Jewish viewers with little connection to Yiddish. Past episodes are available at NYTF.org/live.

COVID-Related Information

National Yiddish Theatre will require vaccinations for in-person audience members, as well as performers, backstage crew, and theatre staff for all performances. Masks also will be required for audiences inside the theatre, except while eating or drinking in designated locations. Under the policy, guests will need to be fully vaccinated with an FDA or WHO authorized vaccine in order to attend a show and must show proof of vaccination at their time of entry into the theatre with their valid ticket and photo identification. "Fully vaccinated" means the performance date must be at least 14 days after the second dose of a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine, or at least 14 days after a single-dose COVID-19 vaccine. These guidelines are subject to change. For questions, please contact info@nytf.org or 212-655-7653.

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