Di Ksube - Cast - Opening Night Photos

EPHRAIM KISHON (Author, 1924-2005) one of Israel's best-loved writers abroad, was born in Hungary. He studied sculpture and painting and later wrote for the Hungarian stage as well as publishing humorous essays. He immigrated to Israel in 1949 and started publishing in Hebrew two years later. The feature films, Sallah Shabati and Blaumilch Canal, which he wrote, directed and produced, were distributed worldwide. His play, The Marriage Contract, had one of the longest runs ever in Israeli theater, and his sketches and plays have been performed on stage as well as on TV in many countries. Kishon published 42 books for adults and eight children's books. His work has been published in almost 40 languages. Kishon was awarded the "Bundesverdienstkreuz", First Class, Germany's highest award for literature (1990), the Bialik Prize (1998) and the Israel Prize for Lifetime Achievement (2002).

SHIMON COHEN (Composer) is a pianist, arranger and conductor. Born in Rishon- Lezion, Israel in 1937, he is fourth generation member of founders of the town. A graduate of the Israel Rubin Academy of Music in Tel-Aviv, where he studied composition with Alexander Uriah Boskovich and Paul Ben-Haim, and piano with Emma Gorochov. His compositions include symphonic works, concerti for solo instruments, chamber music, music for theater, music for feature and documentary films, choral music and songs. Shimon began his career as a composer and conductor in Kol Israel (The voice of Israel Radio). His songs and arrangements have become staples of the Israeli music scene. His works have been performed in the USA, Europe and Israel by celebrated orchestras, including the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra (IBA), the Boston Pops, the Los Angeles Symphony, the London Symphony, the Santa Barbara Orchestra, the Guatemala Orchestra, the Montevideo Philharmonic Orchestra and others, under the baton of renowned conductor, including himself. Shimon Cohen is a recipient of the 1998 "Eilam" and "Eshkolot" Prize for life achievement, and was awarded the Tel-Aviv Municipality Engel Prize in 2001. Shimon Cohen is teaching Orchestraion at the Buchman ’Äì Mehta Music School.

MOTL DIDNER (Director) serves as Associate Artistic Director and Outreach Director at The Folksbiene. Di Ksube marks his mainstage directorial debut. In 2004 he founded Di Folksbiene Trupe, a traveling youth ensemble that brings Yiddish language programs to audiences throughout the northeast. Mr. Didner has directed several special events and readings for The Folksbiene, including Di Kishfmakherin, Dos Groyse Gevins, Purimin Khelm and Bronx Express. Among his acting credits, he recently appeared on stage with Fyvush Finkel and Theodore Bikel in Di Komediantn (Neil Simon's The Sunshine Boys in Yiddish) and performs with Di Trupe in Makht a Tsimes and Mama's Loshn Kugel. Mr. Didner studied theatre at New York University's Tisch School of The Arts and Playwrights Horizons Theater School. He later studied Yiddish at The Workmen's Circle and YIVO's Summer Program at Columbia University. In 1996, Mr. Didner co-founded The Richmond Performing Arts Collective, serving as artistic director until 2002. Mr. Didner is a member of the National Executive Board of TheWorkmen's Circle and is on the board of directors of The Yiddish Artists and Friends Actors Club.

PENNY AYN MAAS (Choreographer, Assistant Stage Manager) is happy to be working for the Folksbiene again, having served as the choreographer for Di Yam Gazlonim, the ASM/understudy for Joanne Borts in On Second Avenue and the Stage Manager for the last three seasons of Kids and Yiddish. Recent choreography credits include Broadway Backwards 3 at the American Airlines Theatre and a production of High School Musical in New Jersey. As a performer, she has appeared on Broadway in Cabaret, Damn Yankees and Crazy For You as well as being featured on the cast album of the Off-Broadway hit Swingtime Canteen. She is a graduate of Illinois Wesleyan University.

JOSEPH SPIRITO (Stage design) has created sets and video for more than 80 productions here in New York City over the past decade. Recent work includes Backstage: A Love-Hate Story of theWomen's Movement at the Castillo Theatre; Homeland Security, choreographed and directed by Desmond Richardson; License to Dream, a collaboration of the Youth Onstage! performance troupe and the David Parsons Dance Company; and Morning Star, by Sylvia Regan, with the Peccadillo Theatre. Mr. Spirito is currently producing a documentary film on new performance based approaches in the fields of education, psychology and social work.

GAIL COOPER-HECHT (Costume Designer) has designed the costumes for more than 300 productions on Broadway and Off, National and International Tours, Regional Theaters, and TV, and Operas. Current productions include Three Mo Tenors playing in NYC on 42nd Street. Last season in NYC: Room Service (Soho Playhouse), Arrivals (Bank St.), Fugue (Cherry Lane), Yiddish Pirates of Penzance (Folksbiene), A Stone Carver, (Soho Playhouse), Morning Star, (Pecadillo), The Screams of Kitty Genovese (MMTF). A graduate of Boston University's SFA&A, she has taught Costume Design at Marymount Manhattan College and is a member of the League of Professional Theatre Women and United Scenic Artists.

DAN SCULLY (Lighting Designer) Recent designs - The Blonde, The Brunette, and the Vengeful Redhead (Asolo Rep), The Greeks - Part II (Juilliard Drama), Inventing Pookie Jenkins, Fall For Dance 2007 (City Center), A Ghost's Bargain (Two River Theatre Co.), With Glee (NY Musical Theatre Festival), Novel and A Wive's Tale (SPF), Il Tabarro (Vertical Player Rep. Opera), Big Love (Fordham University), Caligula (Soho Rep), Richard III and As You like It (Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival), Alive@10 and Rainy Day People (NYU Musical Theatre Writing Program), Chunk in 9 Pieces (Cunningham Studios), Sideshow (RMP/ATA), 365 Days/365 Plays: Week 11 (Ars Nova/Public), dance pieces for Kyle Abraham, Ryuji Yamaguchi, Marin Leggat, et. al., and projects at The Kitchen, PS 122, Symphony Space, Baryshnikov Arts Center, and the Chocolate Factory. MFA - New York Unversity.

DON JACOBS (Sound Designer) Senior partner in In Concert Audio, who has been a concert sound system design and mix engineer since 1978. He is pleased to be designing his third Folksbiene production. Other theater projects include: The Screams of Kitty Genovese, and Arrivals. Further information at www.inconcertaudio.com.

MATT TEMKIN (Supertitle designer).When not designing the type for those challenged in Yiddish, Matt can be found working as a drummer and percussionist. He has designed all the main stage projections since The Lady Next Door. Matt is glad to have been a part of the Folksbiene being nominated for two Drama Desk Awards. He thanks his bicycle for providing many hours of exercise.

MARCI SKOLNICK (Stage Manager) Off Broadway: Kleynkunst!, A Yiddish Vaudeville, The Yiddish Pirates of Penzance, On Second Avenue, A Novel Romance, The Lady Next Door (Folksbiene), Tony ’Äòn' Tina's Wedding (Artificial Intelligence), Sake with the Haiku Geisha (Gotham Stage), Angels: The Musical (The Duke on 42nd Street), The Madwoman of Chaillot (Acting Company Salon Series). Other NY Theatre: Animus (INTAR), Madame Killer (Clubbed Thumb), Savage Nursery (Tandem Otter), The Merchant on Venice (Lark Play Development Center), Dr. Julia Wonder (Dixon Place), Waiting for Godot - 50th Anniversary Production (tangent). Regional: Tempest, Two Gentlemen of Verona, A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Rivals, Richard III, As You Like It (Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival), Spalding Gray: Stories Left to Tell. Proud member of Actor's Equity. Ms. Skolnick is a graduate of Hofstra University.

ZALMEN MLOTEK (Artistic Director) is a leading figure and an internationally recognized authority on Yiddish folk and theatre music. He has brought Yiddish-Klezmer music to Broadway and off-Broadway stages and venues worldwide. He trained as a conductor at the Juilliard School, Tanglewood with Leonard Bernstein. He has served as musical director for Those Were the Days, the first Bilingual musical to be nominated for two Tony Awards. He was musical director and co-creator of Shlemiel the First, The Golden Land, On Second Avenue and others. He has been the force behind the Folksbiene's revitalization for the past 10 years. He introduced the idea of supertitles for all performances, now in Russian and English, making our shows and concerts totally accessible. He has instituted children's shows, staged readings and outreach groups that now present Yiddish theatre (all with supertitles) to communities around the metropolitan area and throughout the United States.

GEORGIA BUCHANAN (Managing Director) came to the Folksbiene with experience at a number of New York and New Jersey nonprofit theaters. Previous positions include Managing Director at Playwrights Theatre of New Jersey, the Women's Project & Productions in Manhattan, General Manager at The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey and Irondale Ensemble Project, a non-profit theater company with extensive outreach and educational programs in the New York City. Ms. Buchanan was Associate Producer of Kat and the Kings at the Cort Theatre on Broadway and The Springhill Singing Disaster at Playwrights Horizons, which she coproduced during its move to Off-Broadway. In addition, she is Associate Producer of A Tale of Two Pizzas, a feature film by Vincent Sassone. A graduate of Vassar College, the National Theatre Institute and the Commercial Theatre Institute, she founded Spectrum Stage Company, a non-profit theater company dedicated to the one-act play, in 1988 and served as its Producing Director until 1997.