The National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene (NYTF) production of “Soul to Soul,” the electrifying and emotionally-captivating theatrical concert that explores the parallels between African American and Jewish music, will be presented virtually this Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
This exhilarating and moving musical event, which previously played annually to sold-out houses in New York City and across the country, will be presented for the first time online.
Amid the pandemic, National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene has ramped up its virtual offerings, presenting more than 70 broadcasts — concerts, readings, Yiddish lessons and benefits — and reaching more than 200,000 people. In early December, the Folksbiene Chanukah Spectacular — featuring close to 90 stars of Broadway and Yiddish theatre from across the globe — drew an international audience of more than 35,000 viewers.
Now in its tenth year, “Soul to Soul” features a star-studded cast of singers, including Broadway veteran Elmore James (Disney’s “Beauty and The Beast” on Broadway), Cantor Magda Fishman (B’nai Torah Congregation in Boca Raton), Tony Perry (NYTF’s “Shpiel! Shpiel! Shpiel!”), Lisa Fishman (“Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish”) and Tatiana Wechsler (“Oklahoma!” at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival).
“What 2020 has taught us is that we all need to work together if we are to claim a shenere un besere velt (a more beautiful and better world),” said Zalmen Mlotek, NYTF artistic director, and Dominick Balletta, NYTF executive director. “‘Soul to Soul’ is an artistic manifestation of the shared experiences through music of two peoples — and a powerful statement of the necessity of building bridges if we are to become ‘a more perfect union.’”
The annual concert, a combination of English spirituals, civil rights songs, Yiddish folk songs and theatre songs, will premiere on Monday, January 18at nytf.org. All Yiddish songs will include English translation subtitles. The presentation will be available for viewing starting at 4:00 p.m. (ET).
Audiences must register in advance at nytf.org/soul; tickets are $12. Once viewers start to watch the show, they will have a 4-day window to complete viewing. For additional information, email info@nytf.org.
