New York :The Drama Desk Award-winning National Yiddish Theatre – Folksbiene (now in its 93rd consecutive season) gets into bed with one of the Jewish theatre's most revered comedy writers, Ephraim Kishon, as it revives his beloved, crowd-pleasing comedy, "The Marriage Contract" ("Di Ksube"). Directed by Motl Didner, "The Marriage Contract" begins previews for its Off-Broadway run on Sunday March 16 at 2pm and opens on Sunday March 23 at 6pm.
Following a string of critically acclaimed hits this season's "Kleynkunst! Warsaw's Brave and Brilliant Yiddish Cabaret," and the Drama Desk-nominated Yiddish "Pirates of Penzance" and "On Second Avenue" , Folksbiene has chosen as its spring mainstage production one of Israel's all-time favorite comedies
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Yiddish and non-Yiddish speakers alike will be delighted by the sharp wit, catchy songs and universal themes of marriage and relationships. Non-Yiddish speakers will find the show easily accessible through Folksbiene's refreshingly funny and economical English supertitles, which have consistently earned praise since their introduction in 2003. Simultaneous Russian supertitles are also available at all performances.
Kishon (1924-2005) is often referred to as Israel's answer to Neil Simon. " Di Ksube" ("The Marriage Contract") was originally written in Hebrew in 1953, and was one of the longest-running hits on the Israeli stage. Folksbiene presented it in 1982 and, again in 1991, in a Yiddish translation by noted director Israel Beker, with incidental songs by Shimon Cohen and Moshe Sacher. The Yiddish translation sets the action in Tel Aviv in the early 70's.
In "Di Kesuba" the 25-year marriage of Eli and Shifre Borozovski is brought into question when their daughter's future in-laws insist on checking the Borozovski's wedding contract to insure that their statistician son is marrying a legitimate young lady in the eyes of Jewish law. Because the contract is not readily produced (it may or may not exist since the Borozovskis were married on a kibbutz), the family is thrown into chaos. Not only does Mrs. Borozovski use the occasion to get back at her boorish, chauvinist husband, but the continued attentions of a flirtatious upstairs neighbor, as well as the appearance of a handsome young kibbutznik, put additional uproarious strain on the parents, their daughter and her intended.
"The Marriage Contract" features a cast of six that includes Dani Marcus and Folksbiene veteran actor I.W. "Itzy" Firestone as her father.
Also in the cast are Suzanne Toren, Mena Levit , Ilan Kwittken and Eyal Sherf. The design team includes Folksbiene regulars Gail Cooper-Hecht (costume design) , Don Jacobs (sound design).Dan Scully (lighting designer ) and Joe Spirito (scenic designer. )
Zalmen Mlotek is the show's music director, and Penny Ayn Maas is responsible for the choreography.
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"The Marriage Contract" performs 23 times. Schedule varies. Tickets, which are $40 and $45, can be purchased via Ticket Central -- by phone at (212) 279-4200 or online at www.ticketcentral.com . Tickets to the red carpet opening are $100.
For more information visit www.folksbiene.org . The state-of-the-art JCC in Manhattan, where Folksbiene is in residence for a fifth straight season, is located at 334 Amsterdam Avenue (76th Street).
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