The Yiddish Theater is a force felt throughout the entertainment industry. Dr. Diane Cypkin combines her performance and professorial skills to tell the story of the Yiddish Theater.
The Yiddish Theater is not merely a historical curiosity from a by-gone age but is a force that is felt throughout the
entertainment industry today. As a native Yiddish speaker who has performed in many Yiddish stage productions, Dr. Diane Cypkin combines her performance and professorial skills to tell the story of the Yiddish Theater.
Between renditions of some of the great songs from the Yiddish stage, Dr. Cypkin will share tales of the Yiddish theater
and its formidable and colorful characters. From the impresario, Boris Thomashefky, whose grandson is the renowned conductor Michael Tilson Thomas, to Jennie Goldstein, the star of Yiddish melodrama whose performances left no dry eyes in sold-out houses. You’ll also learn about Aaron Lebedeff and Menasha Skulnik, the Yiddish Charlie Chaplin.
Although there are many reasons for the Yiddish Theater’s ultimate decline, one only has to watch some classic films to see the descendants of the New York-centered Yiddish stage - from Academy Award-winner Paul Muni to famed acting coach Stella Adler. The Yiddish Theater remains a presence that will continue to be felt for decades to come.
The Main Library on Plainfield Avenue next to the Edison Train Station. The library offers an extensive children’s room, a Meeting Room/Event Space, and a dedicated Maker Space.
