The Sorceress

B

The National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene (NYTF) has returned to the Museum of Jewish Heritage with another restored Yiddish operetta, this one written by Avrom Goldfaden in 1877 and historic for being the first Yiddish theater piece produced in New York back in 1883 (by Boris Thomashevsky no less.) It is the first fruit of the Global Restoration Initiative, a painstaking effort to restore and present significant works of the Yiddish theater. Wisely edited from three hours down to 85 minutes, It offers a peek at what passed for popular entertainment in an earlier era. One of its features is the incorporation of tropes from fairy tales into the operetta’s book. As fans of NYTF have come to expect, the production values are very high, with excellent actors, musicians, costumes (by Izzy Fields), a clever set (by Dara Wishingrad) and lively choreography (by Merete Muenter) that makes the most of a smallish stage. Jazmine Gorsline and Josh Kohane are fine as the affianced couple. Rachel Bolchan is a convincing evil stepmother. The drag role of Bobe Yakhne is enthusiastically performed by Mikhl Yashinsky. Steve Sterner is a hoot as the itinerant merchant Hotsmakh. Motl Didner’s direction keeps the pace brisk. As usual for NYTF, there are surtitles in both English and Russian. While pleasant enough, the work is far from memorable. (For memorable, you’ll have to try the Russian coffee cake at the museum’s restaurant, Lox.) The show almost makes up in charm what it lacks in depth. If you expect something as good as NYTF’s The Golden Bride, you may be disappointed. I am afraid that the Times’s Critic’s Pick designation may set expectations too high. Lower yours a notch and you are likely to enjoy yourself. Running time: 85 minutes; no intermission. Closes December 29.

The Golden Bride **** A-

After a successful run last winter, the National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene’s (NYTF) production of this Yiddish operetta is back for a summer season at the Museum of Jewish Heritage. A big hit when it was produced on Second Avenue in 1923, it was still being revived 25 years later. With a luscious, eclectic score by Joseph Rumshinsky, lyrics by Louis Gilrod and a deliriously frivolous libretto by Frieda Freiman, it provides a time capsule of the popular Yiddish musical entertainment of its day. NYTF has given us a lavish production with 20 actors, an orchestra of 14, attractive sets (by John Dinning), colorful costumes (by Izzy Fields), evocative choreography (by Merete Muenster) and skillful direction (by Bryna Wasserman and Motl Didner) that does not condescend to the material. The uniformly talented cast is blessed with some outstanding voices including Rachel Policar as Goldele, Cameron Johnson as Misha and Rachel Zatcoff as Khanele. Adam B. Shapiro is a hoot in the comic role of Kalmen. The silly plot revolves around a poor girl in a Russian shtetl whose mother disappeared when she was a toddler, who comes into a large inheritance from her father in America and who offers to marry whichever suitor finds her mother. Forget the plot and just relax and enjoy the great singing, dancing and comedy. There are surtitles not only in English but also in Russian. The audience, which seemed to be composed mainly of Russian speakers, loved it. If you like operetta and are interested in the history of Yiddish theater, you will too. Running time: 2 hours 10 minutes including intermission.