Jews on Broadway: An Historical Survey of Performers, Playwrights, Composers, Lyricists and Producers
Page 25
When a new form of “mass” entertainment was created, like the American musical (a totally American creation along with jazz music), the Jews par ticipated. Unlike other professions, many of which excluded Jews, this was an opportunity for the Jewish people to excel, and they did, becoming experts.
Similarly, the African American community, once liberated, has also become a force in American theater. Our English cousins and the Irish have also been major contributors to 20th century American theater.
195
Epilogue
Likewise, going forward, as the makeup of our country changes, it should be reflected in our culture. All this notwithstanding, the Jewish contribution to American theater continues to reshape and redefine us as a people and as Americans.
196
Chapter Notes
Chapter 1
2. John Kenrick, “A History of The
Musical. Vaudeville — Part II,” http://
1. Edna Nahshon, “The Golden
www. musi cals 101.com/vaude2.htm.
Epoch of Yiddish Theatre in America: A
Brief Historical Overview,” http://www.
jewish-theatre.com/visitor/article_dis-
Chapter 3
play.aspx?article ID = 14 11.
2. Nahma Sandrow, Vagabond Stars:
1. Jerry Klinger, “America was dif fer -
A World History of Yiddish Theater (Syra-
ent. America is different.” http://www.
cuse, NY: Syracuse University Press,
jewish mag. com/86mag/usa10/usa10.htm.
1995).
2. Michael Palomino, “Jews in the
3. Ibid.
‘USA’ 06: 1929–1939,” http://www. ges chi
4. Ibid.
ch tein chro nologie.ch/ USA/ Enc Jud _ juden
5. Ibid.
- in-USA06_1929–1939.html.
6. Adler Family, www.eilatgordinlevi
3. “The Dearborn Independent,” http:
tan.com/kurenets/k_pages/adler.html.
//freemasonry.bcy.ca/anti-masonry/dear
7. Nahma Sandrow, personal inter-
born. html.
view, October 2009, New York City.
4. Klinger, “America was different.”
8. Ibid.
5. Ellen Adler, personal interview, Oc-
9. Ellen Adler, personal interview,
tober 2009, New York City.
October 2009, New York City.
6. Nate Bloom, “Irving Berlin, Ellin
10. Ibid.
Mac Kay and White Christmas, ” http://
11. Sandrow, Vagabond Stars.
www. interfaithfamily. com/arts_and_en-
12. Anastasia Tsioulcas, “Michael Til -
ter tainment/popular_ culture/ Irving_ Ber
son Thomas invites you to meet his
lin_Ellin_McKay_ and_White_Christm-
grand parents — the amazing Thomashef-
as. shtml.
skys” http:// www.jewish-theatre.com/ vis-
7. Richard Reublin, “Irving Berlin, the
itor/article_ display. aspx?articleID=1434.
Dean of American Songwriters,” http:
//par lorsongs.com/bios/berlin/iberlin.php.
Chapter 2
Chapter 4
1. Wayne Keyser, “Vaudeville & Bur-
1. Ellen Adler, personal interview, Oc-
lesque History & Lingo,” http:// www.
tober 2009, New York City.
good magic. com/carny/vaud.htm.
2. Tom Oppenheim, Speech delivered
197
Chapter Notes
to the Jewish Historical Society of New
Chapter 7
York, October, 2009, New York City.
3. “About Us,” http:www.stella adler.
1. R.J. Donovan, “Family Matters,”
com/ about.html.
http://www.onstageboston.com/Articles/
4. Oppenheim, Speech.
2005/ 11/ November/revrosen.html.
5. Janine Parker, “Jerome Robbins
2. Frank Rich, “Stage: The Musical
(1918–1998),” http://www.boston phoenix.
‘Cage Aux Folles,’” http://www.nytimes.
com/ archive/ dance/98/08/06/ JER OME_
com/ 19 83/ 08/22/arts/stage-the-musical-
ROBBINS.html.
cage-aux-Folles.html.
6. Ellen Schrecker, The Age of Mc -
Car thyism: A Brief History with Documents
(New York, St. Martin’s Press, 1994).
Chapter 8
Chapter 5
1. Dennis Brown, “Jersey Boys writer
Marshall Brickman is no career counse -
1. Lillian Hellman, http://www. quo
lor — but he’s a great interview,” http: //
ta tions page.com/quotes/Lillian_Hellman.
www.riverfronttimes.com/2008-04-23/
2. Zero Mostel biography, http://
culture/too-good-to-be-true-jersey-boys-
www.imdb.com/name/nm0609216/bio.
writer-marshall-brickman-is-no-career-
3. Bill Blankenship, “Inherit the
counselor-mdash-but-he-s-a-great-inter
Con troversy,” http://cjonline.com/stories/
view/.
030201/ wee _inherit.shtml.
2. Michael Elkin, “‘Light’ of His Life?:
4. Stewart F. Lane, Let’s Put On a
Composer Adam Guettel settles the score
Show (Portsmouth, New Hampshire:
on an important and revealing question:
Hein e mann Publishing, 2007).
Who has impacted him the most?,” http:
//www.jew ish exponent.com/article/ 200
Chapter 6
15.
3. Ibid.
1. Ellen Adler, personal interview,
4. Anna Sobering, “Q&A with Jeff
October 2009, New York City.
Marx, Co-creator of Broadway musical
2. Charles Strouse, personal inter -
‘Avenue Q.’” http://www.kansan.com/
view, April 2010, New York City.
news / 2010/mar/11/q-jeff-marx-co-creator-
3. Ibid.
broad way-musical-avenue-q/.
4. Ibid.
5. Mervyn Rothstein, “A Life in the
5. Ibid.
Theatre: Carole Shorenstein Hays,” http:
6. Tovah Feldshuh, personal inter-
// www. playbill.com/news/article/140734-
view, May 2010, New York City.
A-Life-in-the-Theatre-Carole-Shoren
7. Ibid.
stein-Hays.
8. Ibid.
6. “Jewish Recipients of the Antoi nette
9. Ibid.
Perry (Tony) Award for Best Musical Pro-
10. Ibid.
duction,” http://www.jinfo.org/
Tony_
11. Howard Kissel and Jay Maeder,
Award_Musical.html.
“Joe Papp the Torrent,” www.ny daily ne
7. Jason Zinoman, “At Ease in His
ws. com/ archives/news/1999/07/25/1999-
Own Pigeonhole,” http://www.ny times.
07-25_joe_papp_the_torrent.html.
com/ 2009 /08/16/theater/16Zino.html.
198
Bibliography
Books
Green, Stanley. Broadway Musicals, Show by Show. 3d ed. Milwaukee: Hal Leonard, 1990.
Lane, Stewart F. Let’s Put On a Show. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2007.
Sandrow, Nahma. Vagabond Stars: A World History of Yiddish Theater. Syracuse: Syracuse University Press, 1995.
S.D., Trav. No Applause — Just Throw Money: The Book That Made Vaudeville Famous.
New York: Faber and Faber, 2005.
Personal Interviews/Visits
Adler, Ellen. Personal interview, New York City, October 2009.
; Feldshuh, Tovah. Personal interview, New York City, May 2010.
Sandrow, Nahma. Personal interview, New York City, October 2009.
S.D., Trav. Personal interview, New York City, October 2009.
Shubert Archives. Personal visit, New York City, February 2010.
Strouse, Charles. Personal interview, New York City, April 2010.
Speeches
Oppenheim, Tom. Speech delivered to the Jewish Historical Society of New York, New York City, October 2009.
Websites
Adler Family, http://www.eilatgordinlevitan.com/kurenets/k_pages/adler.html.
Alan Brody, www.alanbrodyworks.com.
American Theatre Wing, http://americantheatrewing.org.
Answers.com, www.answers.com.
Broadway World.com, www. broadwayworld.com.
Charles Strouse, www.charlesstrouse.com.
Corine’s Corner, www.corinescorner.com.
199
Bibliography
Encyclopedia of World Biographies, www.notablebiographies.com.
Film Reference, www.filmreference.com.
Internet Broadway Database, www.ibdb.com.
Jerry Herman, www.jerryherman.com.
Jewish Theatre, www.jewish-theatre.com.
Jewish Virtual Library, www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org.
Jinfo.org, www.jinfo.org.
Mahalo.com, www.mahalo.com.
Musicals 101, www.musicals101.com.
New Georgia Encyclopedia, www.newgeorgiaencyclopedia.org.
PBS, www.pbs.org.
Public Theater, www.publictheater.org.
Quotationspage.com, www.quotationspage.com.
Songwriters Hall of Fame, www.songwritershalloffame.org.
Stella Adler.com, www.stellaadler.com.
Talkin’ Broadway, www.talkinbroadway.com.
Whole New World of Alan Menken, www.alanmenken.info/ biography/ biography.
html.
Online Articles
Berry, Melissa. “A Date with the Thomashefskys at Disney Concert Hall.” http://www.
buz zine.com/2009/01/a-date-with-the-thomashefskys/.
Blankenship, Bill. “Inherit the Controversy.” http://cjonline.com/stories/ 030201/ wee_
inherit.shtml.
Bloom, Nate. “Irving Berlin, Ellin MacKay and White Christmas.” http://www.inter faith family.com/arts_and_entertainment/popular_culture/ Irving_ Berlin_ Ellin_
McKay_and _ White_Christmas.shtml.
Brown, Dennis. “Jersey Boys writer Marshall Brickman is no career counselor — but he’s a great interview.” http://www.riverfronttimes.com/2008-04-23/culture/too-good-to-be-true-jersey-boys-writer-marshall-brickman-is-no-career-counselor-mdash-but-he-s-a-great-interview/.
“The Dearborn Independent.” http://freemasonry.bcy.ca/anti-masonry/dearborn.html.
Donovan, R.J. “Family Matters.” http://www.onstageboston.com/Articles/ 2005/11/
Novem ber/ revrosen.html.
Edelman, Marsha B. “Leonard Bernstein: Jewish America’s Favorite (Musical) Son: A cele brated American composer, conductor, teacher, and pianist who infused his work with his Jewish heritage.” http://www.myjewishlearning. com/culture/2/
Music/ American_ Jewish_Music/Leonard_Bernstein.shtml.
Elkin, Michael. “‘Light’ of His Life? Composer Adam Guettel settles the score on an important and revealing question: Who has impacted him the most?” http://
www.jewishexponent.com/article/20015.
Kenrick, John. “A History of the Musical. Vaudeville — Part II.” http://www.musicals 101. com/ vaude2.htm.
Keyser, Wayne. “Vaudeville & Burlesque History & Lingo.” http://www.goodmagic.
com/ carny/ vaud.htm.
Kissel, Howard, and Jay Maeder. “Joe Papp the Torrent.” http://www.nydailynews.com/
archives/ news/1999/07/25/1999-07-25_joe_papp_the_torrent.html.
Klinger, Jerry. “America was different. America is different.” http://www. jewishmag.
com/ 86mag/usa10/usa10.htm.
200
Bibliography
Medoff, Rafael. “The Bergson Group vs. the Holocaust — and Jewish Leaders vs. Bergson.” http://www.jewishpress.com/pageroute.do/21747/.
Nahshon, Edna. “The Golden Epoch of Yiddish Theatre in America: A Brief Historical Overview.” http://www.jewish-theatre.com/visitor/article_display.aspx?arti cle ID=1411.
O’Donnell, Edward T. “82 Years Ago: Abie’s Irish Rose.” http://www.edwardtodon nell. com/ hib chronabiesirishrose.html.
Palomino, Michael. “Jews in the ‘USA’ 06: 1929–1939.” http://www. geschich tein chronologie.ch/USA/EncJud_juden-in-USA06_1929-1939.html.
Parker, Janine. “Jerome Robbins (1918–1998).” http://www.bostonphoenix.com/
archive/ dance/ 98/08/06/JEROME_ROBBINS.html.
Pogrebin, Robin. “How Broadway Bounced Back After 9/11; But Downtown Theater Lacked the Right Ties.” http://www.nytimes.com/2002/05/22/theater/how-broadway- bounced- back-after-9-11-but-downtown-theater-lacked-the-right-ties.html.
Reublin, Richard. “Irving Berlin, the Dean of American Songwriters.” http://parlor songs. com/bios/berlin/iberlin.php.
Rich, Frank. “Stage: The Musical ‘Cage Aux Folles.’” http://www.nytimes.com/ 1983/
08/ 22/arts/stage-the-musical-cage-aux-Folles.html.
Rose, Frank, and Erin M. Davies. “Can Disney Tame 42nd Street?” http://money. cnn.
com/ magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/1996/06/24/213770/index.htm.
Rothstein, Mervyn. “A Life in the Theatre: Carole Shorenstein Hays.” http://www.
play bill. com/news/article/140734-A-Life-in-the-Theatre-Carole-Shorenstein-Hays.
_____. “Stage Struck. A Funny Thing Happened on Tony Winner Jerry Zak’s Way to Med School: He Became a Broadway Director.” http://www.cigaraficionado. com/
Cigar/ CA _ Profiles/People_Profile/0,2540,104,00.html.
Schneider, Danielle. “On this day in NY history: Blacklisted comic genius Zero Mostel is born.” http://www.examiner.com/ny-in-new-york/on-this-day-ny-history-blacklisted-comic-genius-zero-mostel-is-born.
Schrecker, Ellen. “Communism and National Security: The Menace Emerges,” from Chapter 3 of The Age of McCarthyism: A Brief History with Documents.” www.writ ing.upenn.edu/ ~afilreis/50s/menace-emerges.html.
Sobering, Anna. “Q&A with Jeff Marx, Co-creator of Broadway musical ‘Avenue Q.’”
http: //www.kansan.com/news/2010/mar/11/q-jeff-marx-co-creator-broadway-musical-avenue-q/.
Tsioulcas, Anastasia. “Michael Tilson Thomas invites you to meet his grandparents —
the amazing Thomashefskys.” http://www.jewish-theatre.com/visitor/article_ dis play.aspx? articleID=1434.
Warnke, Nina. “Immigrant Popular Culture as Contested Sphere: Yiddish Music Halls, the Yiddish Press, and the Processes of Americanization, 1900–1910.” http://jthe ater.tri pod. com/warnke.htm.
Zinoman, Jason. “At Ease in His Own Pigeonhole.” http://www.nytimes.com/ 2009/08/
16/theater/16Zino.html.
201
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Further Reading
Jacob Adler:
Jacob Adler: A Life on the Stage — A Memoir by Jacob Adler and Lulla Rosenfeld.
Stella Adler:
Stella Adler on the Art and Technique of Acting by Howard Kissel.
The Art of Acting by Stella Adler.
Woody Allen:
Woody Allen on Woody Allen: In Conversation with Stig Bjorkman by Woody Allen with Stig Bjorkman.
Irving Berlin:
As Thousands Cheer: The Life of Irving Berlin by Laurence Bergreen.
Irving Berlin: Songs from the Melting Pot by Charles Hamm.
Leonard Bernstein:
Leonard Bernstein: American Original by Burton Bernstein and Barbara Haws.
Leonard Bernstein: The Political Life of an American Musician by Barry Seldes.
Boublil and Schonberg:
The Musical World of Bo
ublil and Schonberg: The Creators of Les Miserables, Miss Saigon, Martin Guerre and The Pirate Queen by Margaret Vermette.
Fanny Brice:
Funny Woman: The Life and Times of Fanny Brice by Barbara W. Grossman.
Fanny Brice: The Original Funny Girl by Herbert G. Goldman.
Mel Brooks:
It’s Good to Be the King: The Seriously Funny Life of Mel Brooks by James Robert Parish.
Eddie Cantor:
Eddie Cantor: A Life in Show Business by Gregory Koseluk.
George Gershwin:
George Gershwin: An Intimate Portrait by Walter Rimler.
George Gershwin: A New Biography by William G. Hyland.
Fascinating Rhythm: The Collaboration of George and Ira Gershwin by Deena Ruth Rosenberg.
203
Further Reading
Ira Gershwin:
Ira Gershwin: The Art of the Lyricist by Philip Furia.
Jacob Gordin:
Finding the Jewish Shakespeare: The Life and Legacy of Jacob Gordin by Beth Kaplan.
Oscar Hammerstein II:
Getting To Know Him: A Biography of Oscar Hammerstein II by Hugh Fordin.
The Wordsmiths: Oscar Hammerstein II and Alan Jay Lerner by Stephen Citron.
Moss Hart:
Act One: An Autobiography by Moss Hart.
Dazzler: The Life and Times of Moss Hart by Steven Bach.
Lillian Hellman:
An Unfinished Woman: A Memoir by Lillian Hellman and Wendy Wasserstein.
Conversations with Lillian Hellman (Literary Conversations Series) by Lillian Hellman.
Al Jolson:
Al Jolson: A Bio-Bibliography by James Fisher.
Al Jolson, You Ain’t Heard Nothin’ Yet! by Robert Oberfirst.
Jolson: The Legend Comes to Life by Herbert G. Goldman.
George S. Kaufman:
George S. Kaufman: An Intimate Portrait by Howard Teichmann.
Jerome Kern:
Jerome Kern by Stephen Banfield.
Jerome Kern: His Life and Music [Paperback] by Gerald Bordman.
Tony Kushner:
The Theater of Tony Kushner: Living Past Hope by James Fisher.
Understanding Tony Kushner by James Fisher.
Lerner and Loewe:
The Musical Worlds of Lerner and Loewe by Gene Lees.
David Merrick:
David Merrick: The Abominable Showman by Howard Kissel.
Arthur Miller:
Arthur Miller by Christopher Bigsby.
Arthur Miller: His Life and His Work by Martin Gottfried.
Miller in an Hour by James Fisher.
Conversations with Miller by Mel Gussow.