A History of The Folksbiene
Enchanting Melody
by David Bergelson
1964-1965 Season
Folksbiene Playhouse
175 East Broadway
New York, NY
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Zypora Spaisman and Joshua Zeldis in "The
Enchanting Melody"
Courtesy of YIVO. |
From the right: Harry
Friefeld, Mina Kern, Elias Patron, Max Neiditch, Eva Adler,
Morris Adler, Sara Stabin,
Joseph Spaisman,Menasha Oppenheim, Ezra Mizrachi, Marek
Warshawsky, Zypora Spaisman, David Rogoff,
Rachel Ellin, Debora Baransky, Harry Rubin, David Licht, Diane
Cypkin and Joshua Zeldis. |
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The Cast of Characters:
Chaneele
Mirele
1st Witch's Helper
2nd Witch's Helper
3rd Witch's Helper
Bob Yachnes (the witch)
Avramche
Eliyokum (a demon)
1st Hotzmakh
Oldest Daughter
Mirele
Basya
1st Salesman
2nd Salesman
2nd Hotzmakh
3rd Hotzmakh
Bayle (a ghost)
Peddler
Blind Organ Grinder
Beggar Girl
Coachman |
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Marilyn Gold
Rochelle Gold
Ada Singer
Pauly Rosenblum
Felice Gold
Sarah Stabin
Ely Aurnou
Harry Freifeld
Joshua Zeldis
Zypora Spaisman
Rochelle Horowitz
Mina Kern
George Davidsohn
Jacob Belagorsky
Ben Fievelowitz
Max Neiditch
Zypora Spaisman
Joseph Silberberg
George Davidsohn
Mirele Gold
Jacob Belagorsky |
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Enchanting
Melody, sung by R. Relis |
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A review from the New York Times, November 25, 1964
"Enchanting Melody' is at the Folksbiene
by Richard F. Shepard
The
Folksbiene Playhouse is celebrating its fiftieth birthday with a
proud piece of stagecraft in its production of "Enchanting
Melody."
As
befits the senior organization of the Yiddish theatre in New
York, it opened last night with a work based on the characters
created in the time of Abraham Goldfaden, the father of the
Jewish theatre. Itzik Manger has woven them into a new play,
with music by Henech Kon. Performances will be given on weekends
only.
The
theme is about people who seek happiness by learning a haunting
magic tune that will solve all their problems. Some do, some
don't -- that's life. But under the imaginative direction of
David Licht on a stage colorfully and thoughtfully decorated by
Marvin Gingold, the company offers an evening that is at once
nostalgically traditional and impressionistically modern.
The
Folksbiene cast is, as ever, a competent, enthusiastic crew.
They are so many and so able that a listing of the outstanding
ones would merely repeat the names on the program. With the type
of work put on by the Folksbiene, one can only wish it a happy
birthday and hope, in Yiddish style, that it should live until
120.
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