Writer Mikhl Yashinsky’s new drama The Gospel According to Chaim, the strange tale of a Jewish writer’s quixotic attempt to publish a controversial book, begins previews on Thursday, December 21 en route to a world premiere opening on Christmas Eve, Sunday, December 24 at 7:30 PM. Playing a total of 21 performances through Sunday, January 7, Di psure loyt khaim is performed in Yiddish with English supertitles.
Yashinsky has written the first entirely original, full-length American Yiddish drama to be produced for a general audience in seven decades; he also appears in the cast, which features Melissa Weisz, who starred in New Yiddish Rep’s production of God of Vengeance in 2016-17. Also featured are Joshua Horowitz and Sruli Rosenberg, both in their professional theatre debuts. Weisz, and Rosenberg are both native Yiddish speakers who grew up in Orthodox communities in New York.
The cast, and director Dmitri Barcomi, co-founder of the new pop-up Museum of Drag, are part of the burgeoning downtown Yiddish arts and social scene that continues to draw new adherents from multiple backgrounds.
Tickets, which are $25, $36 and $45, are available at www.newyiddishrep.org
Performances are Wed at 3pm and 7:30pm; Thu, Fri at 7:30pm; Sat at 3pm & 7:30pm, and Sun at 3pm. Added performances on Sun Dec 24 at 7:30pm; Mon Dec 25 at 7:30pm, and Tue Jan 2 at 7:30pm. (Performance on Sat Dec 23 at 7:30pm only.)
The Gospel According to Chaim is at Theater for the New City, 155 First Ave, New York, NY.
