National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene Honors Jerry Zaks With Annual Gala
On December 18, the National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene honored Tony winner Jerry Zaks (Meteor Shower) and celebrated their 103rd consecutive season with a benefit concert titled Broadway: A Jewish American Legacy at the Museum of Jewish Heritage.
The concert consisted of song selections from the repertoire of Broadway's Jewish writers and composers. Participants include Victor Garber (Hello, Dolly!), David Hyde Pierce (Hello, Dolly!), Gavin Creel (Hello, Dolly!), Ron Rifkin (Cabaret), Liz Larsen (Beautiful: The Carole King Musical), Eleanor Reissa (Indecent), Richard H. Blake (A Bronx Tale — The Musical), Katrina Lenk (The Band's Visit), Judy Blazer (A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder), Joanne Borts (Once), Glenn Seven Allen (The Light in the Piazza), Elmore James (Beauty and the Beast), Stephanie Lynne Mason (Fiddler on the Roof), Sophie Knapp (Once), Adina Verson (Indecent), Rachel Policar (The Golden Bride), Rachel Zatcoff (The Phantom of the Opera) and renowned cantor Magda Fishman.
The evening's noteworthy cochairs included Robert De Niro, Nathan Lane, Bernadette Peters, Harvey Fierstein, Sheldon Harnick, Chazz Palminteri, Daryl Roth, and Emanuel Azenberg. Jamibeth Margolis serves as the concert's director, with Folksbiene artistic director Zalmen Mlotek as music director and conductor. Folksbiene associate artistic director Motl Didner curated the evening, with Folksbiene C.E.O. Christopher Massimine producing.