THE GOLDEN BRIDE

THE NATIONAL YIDDISH THEATRE FOLKSBIENE at the MUSEUM OF JEWISH HERITAGE
presented

THE GOLDEN BRIDE

Music by JOSEPH RUMSHINSKY
Lyrics by LOUIS GILROD
Libretto by FRIEDA FREIMAN
Co-Directors: BRYNA WASSERMAN & MOTL DIDNER

Edmond J. Safra Hall at Museum of Jewish Heritage
36 Battery Place, New York City 10280
Call 212-213-2120 or visit http://www.NYTF.org
December 2, 2015 - January 3, 2016

THE GOLDEN BRIDE was last staged on February 27, 1948 on New York's Lower East Side and has been restored through scholarly research to produce the new musical score on which this production is based. It's an operetta with a live orchestra and sung in Yiddish with supertitles in both English and Russian. The theme is about Jewish immigrants already established in America and those migrating from the Russian Empire and the rest of Eastern Europe in the millions during the early to mid-twentieth century. It did appear as an old-fashioned musical comedy with beautiful stage settings (Scenic Design by John Dinning).

Goldele (Rachel Policar) abandoned by her mother and father in Russia, brought up as an orphan in a shtetl, later learned she inherited a fortune from her deceased father in America. She had already fallen in love with Misha (Cameron Johnson) but out of folly demanded that her many suitors find her mother and the one to find her mother would be her groom. Much of the story was about dreaming of riches whether in Mother Russia or America with a farcical twist performed by a large cast of talented performing artists. The songs sung by Goldele and Misha were beautiful accompanied by the fine orchestra, conducted by Zalmen Mlotek. There was also a second pair of lovers to add a bit of frivolity to the piece.

Overall, I'd recommend going to the more stage productions by the National Yiddish Theater Folksbiene at the Museum of Jewish Heritage and also, take a tour of the museum to learn more about Jewish culture and its history as a nation.

- Laura Thompson -
http://www.loralia.com @LORALIA