The
People's Theatre
The People's Theatre was located at 201 Bowery (between
Rivington and Spring Streets) in Manhattan.
The
lessees and managers were Adler, Edelstein and Boris Thomashefsky;
the theatre manager was Max Rosenthal.
Here
we see a placard from the People's Theatre dated 18 November 1901.
The production is of William Shakespeare's "Hamlet" (titled here
"Hamlet, The Prince of Denmark), though it was performed in Yiddish.
It is a benefit performance.
The
placard, in part, states:
Extra!
Extra! A benefit for the people, literature and drama!
"'Benefit
for the Stuchiner Young Men's Benevolent Association. Tragedy in
five acts by Shakespeare, adapted by Mr. [Boris] Thomashefsky. Mr.
Thomashefsky as Hamlet, Mme. [Sophia] Karp as Ophelia. A night to
remember for all theatergoers and culture aficionados. Every
Yiddish
theater holds a benefit nightly and the sponsor looks for some old
play that the public has seen many times before. But we have spared
neither energy nor money but have sought out for our coreligionists
the very best drama in the world, and one that is seldom performed.
The ear can listen to it time and again and the eye can never be
sated with watching the beautiful scenes and Mr. Tomashefsky's
extraordinary performance."
photo: courtesy of the New York Public Library Digital Gallery. |