All About Jewish Theatre - The Golem Comes Alive at Chicago Jewish Theatre

This famous tale of a man-made creature is by the noted Yiddish writer H. Leivick. Leivick (1888-1962), hailed as the greatest Yiddish poet and playwright of his time, whose real name was Leivick Halpern, was born in Russia. In 1906 he was arrested for opposing the rule of the Tsar and sentenced to four years forced labor and exile to Siberia; escaping Siberia, he left for America in 1913, where, living in New York, he became the most prominent figure in Yiddish literature. “In his verse they could find echoes of Dostoyevsky, messianic yearnings, frustrated revolutionary dreams and soft individual sensibilities in a harsh world.(www.shtetlinks.jewishgen.org/igumen/igumen_leyvik.htm)

Leivick published THE GOLEM as a poetic drama in Yiddish in 1921, and a new translation into English was made by Professor Joseph C. Landis, an acclaimed professor and translator of Yiddish, from Leivick’s original work. This translation of the play has been adapted by David Fishelson, Artistic Director of Manhattan Theatre Ensemble, where the work premiered in 2002. The Chicago Jewish Theatre production is directed by David Zak, the acclaimed Artistic Director of Bailiwick Repertory.

The stage manager is Tom Hagglund with set design by Mike Schwabe, costumes by Elizabeth Shaffer, sound by Rob Steel, props by Sarah Morgan, and lights by Jared Moore.

The word “golem” means “shapeless matter” in Hebrew, and the enduring legend of the golem began with a story in the Talmud. Many versions of the story emerged over the years, with the most famous version, the one being produced by CHICAGO JEWISH THEATRE, telling of the legend of “The Maharal,”* a Rabbi who uses his knowledge of Kabbalah** to create a powerful creature out of the clay of the earth to protect the Jews of Prague from mobs who threaten their lives.

The Golem of this story, who is created only to protect the Jews from their enemies, instead begins to feel the emotions of humans, and his desire for love leads to tragedy. Yearning to become more human, he defies the authority of the Rabbi, the Maharal, and eventually must be returned to the clay of the earth.

The figure of The Golem has come down to us in popular culture as a creature on the TV show “The X Files/Kaddish,” and is even thought to have been the inspiration for Mary Shelley’s creation of “Frankenstein.” Legend also states that the Golem still sleeps in the great synagogue of Prague, the Altneuschul, and that even the Nazis, during their occupation of Prague in 1939-45, feared to enter the room.

“I was watching a PBS documentary on Jewish life in Chicago and heard an anecdote from an individual who, as a young boy, had the chance to see Babe Ruth play at Comiskey Park the same night Leivick was coming to his school to recite poetry,” says CHICAGO JEWISH THEATRE Artistic Director Elayne LeTraunik. “He didn’t give it a second thought. He dearly wanted to see Babe Ruth but, as he put it, ‘Leivick was….Leivick.’”

Included in the cast are Mark Douglas-Jones as The Maharal, Andrew Lines as The Golem, Elliot Leffler as Isaac and The Young Prophet, Ben Martini as Tankhum, Roger Hand as The Old Prophet, Gene Cordon as Thaddeus, Julie Burt as Devorale, John Luzar as Jacob, Barbara Figgins as Rebbetsin, and Peter Esposito as Reb Bassevi.

The Maharal is an acronym for the Hebrew “Moreinu Ha-Rav Rabbi Liva” which means “Our Teacher the Master Rabbi Lowe”

Kabbalah is a movement within Judaism that first emerged in the 13th century texts called The Zohar and The Book of Creation which focuses on meditation and ecstatic prayer. Those who practice Kabbalah are said to have the power to heal the sick, raise the dead, bring about the coming of the Messiah and induce states of mystical experience. The current interest in Kabbalah as a New Age movement has nothing to do with the historical Kabbalah, which was closer to magic.
Contact :

Elayne LeTraunik , Producer &Director

Chicago Jewish Theatre , 5123 N. Clark St.
e-mail : ChgoJewishTheatr@aol.com

Web : www.chicagojewishtheatre.com