New Yiddish Rep Revives RHINOCEROS Off-Broadway, Starting Tonight

Distinguished Israeli actor, Gera Sandler, stars in the Yiddish world premiere of Eugene Ionesco's Rhinoceros in the role of Dudard.

Performances are set to begin tonight, September 7th, with the Opening on Thursday, September 14th at the Castillo Theatre, 543 West 42 Street (between Tenth & Eleventh Aves.) New Yiddish Rep's rare revival of Rhinoceros will be performed in Yiddish with English supertitles.

Gera Sandler's numerous film credits include JELLYFISH, A FILM UNFINISHED and A TALE OF LOVE AND DARKNESS. For 12 years, he was one of the leading actors in the Yiddish Theatre in Israel. His prominent roles include Nathan Rothschild in the musical THE ROTHSCHILDS, Hershl in SIMPLE STORY and Yasha Mazor in THE MAGICIAN OF LUBLIN.

Nearly 60 years since its premiere, the darkly comedic and terrifying Rhinoceros is making its Yiddish language debut with a translation by Eli Rosen. The sublime is merged with the ridiculous in this savage commentary on the human condition, in which an individual citizen of a small town watches his friends turn into Rhinoceroses one by one until he alone stands unchanged. The cast of Rhinoceros also features Alec Burko, Amy Coleman, Macha Fogel, Malky Goldman, Sean Griffin, Chezky Israeli, David Mandelbaum, Caraid O'Brien, Eli Rosen, Luzer Twersky, and Melissa Weisz.

Eugene Ionesco (1909 - 1994) was one of the foremost figures of the French avant-garde theatre. Among his most popular plays are Rhinoceros, THE BALD SOPRANO, THE LESSON, THE CHAIRS, and THE KILLER.

A veteran of both the Yiddish and modern theatre, director Moshe Yassur, who was born in Iassy, Romania (the cradle of the Yiddish theatre), worked for several years with Jean-Marie Serreau at the Théatre de Babylone in Paris, taking part often as assistant director in several first productions of Beckett and Ionesco. In New York Yassur was a protege of Woody King Jr., directing at the New Federal Theatre, and he helmed New Yiddish Rep's acclaimed productions of DEATH OF A SALESMAN and WAITING FOR GODOT.

RHINOCEROS marks the second Yiddish world premiere at New Yiddish Rep, following their groundbreaking production of GOD OF VENGEANCE last season which scored a New York Times Critics' Pick. New Yiddish Rep is dedicated to creating modern theater which speaks to a diverse contemporary audience, including those who never might have thought they could connect to a performance in a language other than their own.

RHINOCEROS is being presented in association with the Castillo Theatre and performances will be Wednesdays through Saturdays at 7:30 pm, with matinees Saturday & Sunday at 2 pm. Rhinoceros is set to play a limited Off-Broadway engagement through October 8th.