Target Margin Theater, presented by The Chocolate Factory Theater, continues its exploration of Yiddish Theater with a new adaptation of one of the central plays of Yiddish history, Uriel Acosta: I Want That Man!, taken from myriad literary and historical sources. Created and directed by TMT's Artistic Director, David Herskovits, with original songs by Rebecca Hart, and toy theater created by Kathleen Kennedy Tobin, the four-member cast features Don Castro, James Tigger! Ferguson, Mary Rasmussen and J.H. Smith III. Performances for a limited engagement continue through Saturday, April 5, 2014 at The Chocolate Factory (5-49 49th Avenue, Long Island City, Queens). Opening night is Monday, March 24, 2014 at 8:00 p.m. Check out a first look below!
The centerpiece of the 2013-2014 season is a new version of the life of 17th Century Jewish philosopher and skeptic, Uriel Acosta. Apostate, believer, lover, teacher-Uriel Acosta is all of them. And he is too much for the Jews of Amsterdam in the 17th century. When they excommunicate him a struggle ensues in the soul of every thinking, feeling being. Uriel challenges us all. Uriel Acosta's story was adapted in different versions by dozens of Yiddish theater troupes all over the world, in the 19th and 20th centuries. The role became a star vehicle for the greatest performers on the Yiddish stage: Goldfadn, Adler, Tomashevsky, they all had 'their' Uriel. Target Margin's production is a collage of many of these different versions, as well historic documents about his life, Yiddish-theater histories and memoirs, and contemporary reflections on apostasy and otherness.
The creative team includes Kaye Voyce (Set/Costumes), Lenore Doxsee (Lights), David Herskovits /Jesse Freedman (Sound), Gil Sperling (Video), Aaron Ethan Green (Props), Debra Caplan (Dramaturg), Nick Trotta (Assistant Director/Associate Dramaturg), and Ann Marie Dorr (Production Manager). The Production Stage Manager is Olivia O'Brien, with Assistant Stage Manger Nic Adams.
Tickets are priced at $20, with benefit performance tickets at $100, and are available at www.targetmargin.org, or www.chocolatefactorytheater.org.
Photo credit: Erik Carter
Jesse Freedman (sound tech, rear), Mary Rasmussen, Don Castro, James Tigger! Ferguson and J.H. Smith III
J.H. Smith III, James Tigger! Ferguson, Don Castro, and Mary Rasmussen
James Tigger! Ferguson and Don Castro (front), with J.H. Smith III and Mary Rasmussen (rear)
Mary Rasmussen, Don Castro and J.H. Smith III, with James Tigger! Ferguson (rear)
Mary Rasmussen, Don Castro and J.H. Smith III
Mary Rasmussen, with Nic Adams (Assistant Stage Manager)
James Tigger! Ferguson, J.H. Smith III, Nic Adams (ASM), Mary Rasmussen and Don Castro
Videos