George Tabori's MEIN KAMPF and JUBILEE Satires to Hit TNC

Two lacerating dark satires by the influential mid-to-late century Hungarian émigré playwright George Tabori will be seen in rep at Theater for the New City, 155 First Avenue, from Thursday May 4 to Sunday May 21. Directed by Manfred Bormann, and featuring the actor GW Reed, "Two by Tabori" includes "Mein Kampf" (starting May 4) and "Jubilee" (starting May 10).

First produced in Vienna in 1987, "Mein Kampf" centers on the budding friendship between a young Adolf Hitler (trying to apply to art school in Vienna) and his roommate, a Jewish Bible salesman, who, in a stroke of genius, suggests Hitler get into politics. In the rarely seen "Jubilee" (first produced in Bochum, Germany in 1983), a neo-Nazi youth bent on defacing Jewish headstones is visited by a Jewish family and a gay couple, who find deliciously sinister ways to goad the miscreant to move on.

The company of nine includes: Jeff Burchfield*; Robert Eigen; Jon Freda*; Andrea Lynn Green*; Cordis Heard*; Omri Kadim; David Knowle; DerRick Peterson*; G.W. Reed* (All of these actors, with the exception of Freda and Kadim, have roles in both plays. Jon Freda is Herzl in "Mein Kampf" and Omri Kadim plays Hitler in "Mein Kampf.") *Appear courtesy of Actors' Equity Association.

Music for both plays is composed by Stanley Walden, a frequent Tabori collaborator. Sets are by Matthew S. Crane ("Mein Kampf"), and Mar Urrestarazu ("Jubilee"). Lighting is by Alex Bartenieff, and the costumes are by Sarah Zinn. The production stage manager is Emily Lynch-Fries.

"Two by Tabori" will reacquaint us with the Hungarian-born émigré who, in his novels, plays and Hollywood scripts, often hauntingly evoked the folly of war and the dangerously childish neurotics who start them. Born in Hungary, Tabori escaped Nazi Germany in 1935, joining his brother in London. He lived and worked in many cities including New York, LA, London, Vienna and Berlin. Most of his writing was in English, including all of his plays. Those that premiered in German in cities like Berlin and Vienna, where he was widely known, were translated from English into German before they were performed.

As an adjunct to "Two by Tabori," a special Panel Discussion takes place Wednesday April 26 at 6pm, at the Museum of Jewish Heritage, 36 Battery Place. This FREE EVENT will explore both Tabori's role in expanding the post-Brechtian theatre scene, and the potential for a Tabori revival sparked by the unique mood of our times. The panel will include frequent Tabori producer Wynn Handman; the acclaimed critic and author Jonathan Kalb (Hunter College, CUNY Graduate Center); Lincoln Center Library for the Performing Arts Assistant Theatre Curator Annemarie van Roessel; the American composer Stanley Walden (who collaborated on more than 50 Tabori projects), and Lena Tabori, the publisher of Welcome Books.

"Two by Tabori" -- consisting of "Mein Kampf" (9 performances) and "Jubilee" (7 performances) -- runs from Thursday May 4 to Sunday May 21 at Theater for the New City, 155 First Avenue (between 9th & 10th Streets). "Mein Kampf" performances are Thur/Fri May 4, 5 at 8pm; Sat May 6 at 3pm & 8pm; Sun May 14 at 3pm; Tues to Fri May 16, 17, 18, 19 at 8pm. "Jubilee" is on Wed to Sat May 10, 11, 12, 13 at 8pm; Sat May 20 at 3pm & 8pm, and Sun May 21 at 3pm. For tickets, which are $18, call SmartTix at 212/868-4444, or visit www.smarttix.com or visit www.theaterforthenewcity.net.