Visit                  Exhibitions                    Collections                  Research                  Learning                  About                  Site Map                  Contact Us                  Support

 


 

A History of The Folksbiene

 

Enchanting Melody
by David Bergelson

1964-1965 Season

Folksbiene Playhouse
175 East Broadway
New York, NY

 

 



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.


 

 
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

...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...

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

 

Enchanting Melody, sung by R. Relis


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.

 






 

next >>







 

Copyright © Museum of the Yiddish Theatre. All rights reserved.