My piece on First Folio Theater’s production of Shylock and His Daughter is now live on the JUF website:
http://www.juf.org/news/arts.aspx?id=416229
Me being me, I fell down another rabbit hole last night, working into the early morning hours.
This time I needed dates: was this play performed pre-Holocaust or post-Holocaust? I had to answering this question before I could finalize my piece.
But I have checked with a few Yiddish Theatre contacts today & we’re all in agreement:
Shylock and His Daughter was first performed at Maurice Schwartz’ Yiddish Art Theatre in the Fall of 1947.
So this version of Shakespeare’s classic fartaytsht un farbesert (“translated and improved”) was created immediately after the Holocaust, and knowing that fact really is critical. No, it is not Shakespeare; it has its own artistic integrity!
I hope you can all find the time to see it for yourselves. Performances begin at 8:15 PM at the Mayslake Peabody Estate (five minutes from the entrance to Oak Brook Mall on 22nd Street). It’s a beautiful outdoor venue, but remember to bring your mosquito repellent to ward off any uninvited guests!
To purchase tickets, visit: http://www.firstfolio.org. Act quickly because there are only four performances total: July 26, August 2, August 9, and August 16. (All four dates are Thursdays.)
Top Photo: Cassidy Stirtz as “Jessica.”
Bottom Photo from left: Kevin McKillip as “Bassanio,” Michael Joseph Mitchell as “Antonio,” & Michael Goldberg (seated) as “Shylock.”
Photo Credits: David Rice.
