Michael Zegen, Julie Benko, Danny Kornfeld & More Join NYTF's Summer Soirée

This coming Monday, June 19, the award-winning National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene (NYTF) presents a Summer Soirée, a star-studded event celebrating the students, educators and supporters of NYTF's new Education Initiative aimed at combatting anti-Semitism through the performing arts.

 

The elegant evening will provide an exclusive preview of musical moments from NYTF's 2023-2024 season, from upcoming productions of Amid Falling Walls (Tsvishn Falndike Vent), Kids &Yiddish, and Hannah Senesh: Youth Edition.

 

“Join us as we work together to educate and connect young people through stories that speak to our common humanity,” said Artistic Director Zalmen Mlotek and Executive Director Dominick Balletta. “On this special evening, we look both at the resounding success of the last year and launch of the Education Initiative, and at the promising year ahead as we present three new productions for audiences of all ages.”

 

With Adam B. Shapiro (Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) as Master of Ceremonies, the evening will feature performances from artists who have been part of  NYTF's stellar productions, including a special appearance by The Mameles (Abby Goldfarb, Raquel Nobile and Jodi Snyder). The Mameles formed after they met while starring in NYTF's production of Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish.

 

Throughout the night, attendees also will be treated to performances by: Dani Apple, Joanne H. Borts, Aaron Diskin, Brian Glassman, Sophie Knapp, Annette Ezekiel Kogan, Yosef Kogan, Frank London, Avram Mlotek, Jenny Romaine, Rachel Yucht, Avi Fox-Rosen, Ilya Shneyveys, Dmitri Zisl Slepovitch, and Matt Temkin. And the evening will also include a band that includes Zalmen Mlotek, Frank London (of The Klezmatics).

 

The evening will feature a celebrity address by Michael Zegen from the hit show The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and special performances by Julie Benko, breakout star of Broadway's Funny Girl, and Danny Kornfeld from Barry Manilow and Bruce Sussman's new musical Harmony, which had its New York City premiere at the NYTF and starts performances at Broadway's Ethel Barrymore Theater October 18. The benefit also will feature a performance by the Schechter Bergen Children's Chorus.

 

During the Summer Soirée, the audience will get a taste of what's to come during NYTF's exciting 109th season; there will be previews of a new musical production, Amid Falling Walls (Tsvishn Falndike Vent), which tells through Yiddish song stories of the perseverance of the Jewish spirit during the Holocaust; Kids & Yiddish: The Mishegas Continues, a wildly entertaining, family-friendly, Jewish-themed show in the style of Sesame Street meets Saturday Night Live created by Yiddish Diva Joanne Borts along with NYTF Artistic Director Zalmen Mlotek and Yiddish Troubadour Menachem Michael Fox; and, Hannah Senesh: Youth Edition, an immersive three-part theatrical and educational experience for kids and young adults that tells the true story of Hannah Senesh, the heroic young Jewish woman who escaped from Axis-allied Hungary in 1939 to the safety of British Mandate Palestine.

 

The celebration takes place at The Lighthouse at Pier 61, Chelsea Piers, in Manhattan, beginning with a 6:00pm cocktail reception followed by a 7:00pm dinner; The event is fully Kosher with a menu by W Kosher Catering.

 

The performance portion of the Summer Soirée will be streamed so that NYTF's international online audience can participate in the festivities as well. For more information and sponsorship opportunities, please visit www.nytf.org/summer-soiree.