A History of The Folksbiene
The Eleventh Inheritor
by Moshe Dluzshnovsky
1962-1963 Season
(incomplete cast listings and synopsis)
Folksbiene Playhouse
175 East Broadway
New York, NY
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The Cast of Characters: |
Tony
Frances Fishbein
Anna Fishbein
Emily Madden
Harry Zang
Shalom Barkin
Anshel Lerner
Clara Green
Joseph Elman
Brocha Steinweich
Charles Kingston
Esther Meltzer
Sol Carlin
Edna
Chaim Feld |
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Jacob Belagorsky
Ruth Vool
Zypora Spaisman
Mina Kern
Jacob Holtz
Joshua Zeldis
Morris Adler
Eva Adler
Harry Freifeld
Sarah Stabin
Ely Aurnou
Roslyn Pribulsky
Jack Wiener
Ada Singer
Ben Feivelowitz |
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Sets: Joseph Stell
Technical Director: Marvin Schwartz |
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A review from the New York Times, November
22, 1962
"ELEVENTH INHERITOR," YIDDISH
PLAY, OFFERS EVENING FOR INTELLECT
"The
Eleventh Inheritor," a new Yiddish play by Moshe Dluznowsky,
opened at the Folksbiene Playhouse last night, and it was a
worthwhile occurrence for present-day Yiddish drama.
Mr.
Dluznowsky knows stage technique and people. He is particularly
at home in the West Side rooming house, a peculiar institution
that is at once a place for collective living and for isolating
oneself from the world.
It is
here that he has set his characters, each of them nursing an
illusion: an old woman who believes that her children need her;
the aging would-be actress who yearns to be Lady Macbeth; the
artist who has been told by everyone that he is perfect; the
alcoholic who pretends to be a ladies' man.
One
of the roomers has died, leaving his estate, whatever it may be,
to be divided among the ten and his twin brother, upon whose
arrival the unsealing of his room and the revelation of his
fortune hinges. During the wake the roomers maintain their
illusion and have another one to tantalize them -- the promise
of a windfall.
Yet
despite the illusions they live, they are aware that they are
deceiving themselves. Life is not playing a joke on them; they
are playing a joke on life, but it is uncertain which party has
the last laugh.
At
the play's end it becomes known that the deceased roomer,
despite his ponderous mail from brokerage offices, has left only
eighteen cans filled with eighteen thousand pennies. Even
sifting the pennies for collectors' value brings little profit.
But in some way the experience has brought some change to lives
that had seemed to be stagnant.
Under
the direction of David Licht, the play moves smoothly, and the
philosophies of the characters are given full opportunity to
hold the spotlight despite the presence of a large cast on
stage. The performances of all the players wer excellent, and it
would be difficult to single out any in what was an unusual
group effort.
Perhaps the characterizations of Jacob Holts, as the artist;
Sarah Stabin, as the unwanted mother; Zypora Spaisman, as a
waspish older sister; Mina Kern, as the frustrated actress, and
Joshua Zeldis, as the money-hungry roomer, might merit mention
for their strength in the more meaty parts. JOseph Stell's
imaginative set constituted a most appropriate background for
the action.
"The
Eleventh Inheritor" provides an entertaining evening for the
intellect that is all too rare in contemporary Yiddish theatre.
--
Richard F. Shepard |
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The Synopsis:
HARRY
ZANG, a defeated aging artist, has an application pending in
an Old-Age Home.
EMILY
MADDEN, an actress, no longer young. Dreams of playing Lady
Macbeth on Broadway.
CHARLES
KINGSTON, former teacher, an alcoholic. Pretends to his
neighbors that he has many lovers and makes believe that he
spends his nights with them.
BROCHA
STEINWEICH, a widowed mother of five daughters who reject
her: pretends that they need her and that they give her joy.
ESTHER
MELTZER, a Registered Nurse, longs for love but can not find
it.
CHANA
and FRANCES FISHBEIN, sisters: the
elder an embittered spinster, guardian to Frances who
studies dancing.
JOSEPH ELMAN, a recent refugee, loves Chana and wants to
marry her.
SHALOM BARKAN and ANSHEL LERNER, both retired, the former
full of plots to get rich quickly; the latter is a pious man
who puts all his trust in God.
CLARA GREEN, landlady of the rooming house, knows what is
coming to her and demands it.
TONY, superintendent, has his responsibilities and also his
rights.
SOL CARLIN, a young opportunist, newest tenant at the
rooming house.
CHAIM FIELD, the 11th Inheritor.
ACT ONE -- Sunday morning
Norman Feld, an old man, roomer in the house where
the action takes place, has died. He leaves a will
stipulating that there are to be 11 heirs to his estate: 10
live in the rooming house and the 11th, a twin-brother, must
be located. Harry Zang, to whom the deceased
entrusted his will and also the key to his room, refuses to
unlock the door before the brother arrives. A week has
passed without word from the 11th Inheritor.
Because of the frequent mail that continues to arrive for
the deceased from banks, real-estate and stock brokerage
firms some of the roomers become incensed with the belief
that Norman Feld, whom they knew to live as a poor
man, had actually amassed a huge fortune which now is hidden
behind the locked door. Others cannot believe it and they
argue. Shalom Barken is deeply convinced and he
tries to convince Anshel Lerner, his roommate, but Lerner sees Barkan's arguments
as fantasy and he will not accept them.
(rest of synopsis not
available)
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