A project I conceived and co-produced with fellow cast member, Ben Liebert:
The cast of the Off-Broadway hit, "Fiddler on the Roof" in Yiddish, performing "God Bless America" sung in Yiddish - and featuring the show's director, Academy and Tony Award-winning actor, Joel Grey, along with Steven Skybell, who starred as Tevye. This was originally released on the eve of the 59th Presidential Inauguration of Joseph R. Biden Jr. as a celebration of the ideals of the U.S., as well as a prayer for her future. Yiddish was one of the two native tongues of Irving Berlin, who wrote the iconic anthem.
ABOUT "GOD BLESS AMERICA"
“God Bless America” was originally written in 1918 for a musical revue by Irving Berlin, a Jewish immigrant born Israel Beilin, while Berlin was in the U.S. Army. Deciding the song didn’t fit the tone of the revue, the song was set aside. Twenty years later in 1938 with the rise of Adolf Hitler and fascism, Berlin revisited and revised the song and released it as a prayer for the country and a patriotic song of peace. “God Bless America” was introduced on an Armistice Day broadcast in 1938, sung by Kate Smith.
The Yiddish version of the song being presented by the cast, entitled “Got Bentsh Amerike,” was originally translated by producer, musicologist, performer and Yiddish Radio Project co-creator, Henry Sapoznik, who worked on Yiddish translations for Mandy Patinkin’s album, Mamaloshen. www.henrysapoznik.com
PERFORMERS:
The video features Steven Skybell, the award-winning actor who played Tevye in Fiddler in Yiddish, along with Jennifer Babiak, Samantha Hahn, Ben Liebert, Stephanie Lynne Mason, Rosie Jo Neddy, Raquel Nobile, Drew Seigla, and Rachel Zatcoff.
The production also includes a special message by the show’s director, Academy and Tony Award-winning actor/director, Joel Grey.
Additional Fiddler cast members appearing in the video (from both the Museum of Jewish Heritage production along with the Off-Broadway, Stage 42 production) include: Joanne Borts, Josh Dunn, Michael Einav, Lisa Fishman, Kirk Geritano, John Giesige, Lydia Gladstone, Abby Goldfarb, Mary Illes, Josh Kohane, Maya Jacobson, Moshe Lobel, Evan Mayer, Jonathan Quigley, Nick Raynor, Bruce Sabath, Kayleen Seidl, Adam B. Shapiro, Jodi Snyder, James Monroe Stevko, Ron Tal, Bobby Underwood, and Mikhl Yashinsky.
The video also features Lauren Thomas, who played the titular role in Fiddler, on violin, along with the show’s clarinetist, Zisl Slepovitch, on piano.
ABOUT THE VIDEO:
The video of “God Bless America” in Yiddish was conceived by Lisa Fishman
www.lisafishman.com
and co-produced with Fiddler cast member, Ben Liebert.
The video was mixed and edited by Liebert.
www.benliebert.com
An original musical arrangement and piano accompaniment were provided by Fiddler orchestra first chair clarinetist, D. Zisl Slepovitch, www.dmitrislepovitch.com
The video features Lauren Jeanne Thomas on violin, who played the titular role of The Fiddler. Motl Didner, Associate Artistic Director of the NYTF, served as dialect coach.
A PRAYER OF MESSAGE AND PEACE:
Lisa Fishman, a singer, songwriter, and actress who played Bobe Tsaytl in Fiddler and who came up with the idea for the video explains, “Berlin, a Jewish immigrant whose family came to America in 1893, released ‘God Bless America’ as a ‘solemn prayer’ and song of peace during a time of rising fascism in Europe.”
Fishman continued, “As we emerge from this dark chapter of division and strife and welcome in a new Presidential administration, singing this iconic anthem in Yiddish - the author’s native tongue, is a unique way for the Fiddler family to honor our incoming leaders, to celebrate the ideals and values of our country, and to pray for this beautiful and fragile - yet enduring - democracy. I can’t think of a more appropriate time in history or group of people to share Berlin’s prayer with the world.”
ABOUT "FIDDLER" IN YIDDISH:
Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish (aka: Fidler afn Dakh) was originally produced by the National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene at the Museum of Jewish Heritage - A Living Memorial to the Holocaust. This production transferred to Off-Broadway’s Stage 42 Theater with Hal Luftig and Jana Robbins as lead producers.
The production was directed by Joel Grey - with assistant direction by NYTF’s Associate Artistic Director, Motl Didner, and musical direction and conducting by NYTF’s Artistic Director, Zalmen Mlotek. Dominick Balletta serves as Executive Director of the NYTF.
National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene:
www.NYTF.org
YIDDISH LYRICS:
GOT BENTSH AMERIKE
LAND VOS IKH LIB
SHTEY ZHE BAY IR
MADRIKH ZAY IR
IBERAL LAYKHT A SHTRAL UNDZ TSULIB
FUN DI BERG BIZ
TSU DI PRERYES
BIZ DI YAMEN VAYS MIT SHOYM
GOT BENTSH AMERIKE
MAYN ZISE HEYM
גאָט בענטש אַמעריקע
לאַנד װאָס איך ליב
שטיי זשע בײַ איר
מדריך זײַ איר
איבעראַל לײַכט אַ שטראַל אונדז צוליב
פֿון די בערג ביז
צו די פּרעריעס
ביז די ימען, װײַס מיט שוים
גאָט בענטש אַמעריקע
מײַן זיסע היים
www.lisafishman.com
26 янв 2021
