Folksbiene Yiddish Theatre

The National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene's mission is to celebrate the Yiddish experience through the performing arts and to transmit a rich cultural legacy in exciting new ways that bridge social and cultural divides. The Yiddish theatre represents a rare but vital connection to a culture, a language, and a way of life nearly destroyed seventy years ago. Now celebrating its 100th anniversary season, The National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene has a burgeoning creative engine, but must maintain a connection to future generations who may never have heard of Yiddish or encountered Eastern European Jewish culture in its original form. While this material has evolved in America to suit contemporary sensibilities in the form of the comedy of Jerry Seinfeld or Woody Allen, the music of Matisyahu, or nearly any musical play in the American canon, its source material is largely neglected and those seeking cultural roots are often stymied by the language barrier of Yiddish. The NYTF provides access to the treasure trove of hundreds of years of cultural expression, and with this project is seeking to inspire the imaginations of the next generation of artists to continue and contribute their own stories to this valuable work.