Heshl Epelberg

Lives in the Yiddish Theatre
SHORT BIOGRAPHIES OF THOSE INVOLVED IN THE Yiddish THEATRE
aS DESCRIBED IN zALMEN zYLBERCWEIG'S "lEKSIKON FUN YIDISHN TEATER"
1931-1969

Heshl Epelberg

Born in 1861 in Łomazy, Siedlce region, Poland, into a pious, Chasidic family. Until the age of sixteen he studied in a Beit HaMedrash, then he got married. In 1880 he settled in Warsaw.

"He arrived into the literary theatrical world of the Radoiner shtibl, -- M. Kipnis wrote -- a Chasid, a good Talmudist, just got caught up in the story ... bit by bit he started to read and write, to dig into the Haskalah books, and it didn't take long, and the Chasidic with the long capote and small Hasidic hat became an editor ... At first he appeared with his "Yom-Tov Bleter," which he had issued for Passover and Sukkos with the contributions of various writers. He himself there had written small stories and songs of the light genre, which then were strongly received in the Jewish settlements. ... And although the literary profession gave him some challah on Shabbes and bread on weekdays, he did not neglect this. Later being a manager of a printer shop, he tried to combine with publishing calendars -- with anouncements and songs. Epelberg's calendars (1888-1889) soon got a name. He had a good head, and he also was a good organizer. He started to go to the Yiddish theatre. At first in the "Eldorado," where a Kristin Olginska had performed with the Yiddish theatre, sometimes when Yiddish theatre was banned, they had to make "German-Jewish" theatre for the powers that be, and later in the "Bagatela" by Weisfeld. Already in the Eldorado he arrived with his own operetta, "Dovid in der viste (David in the Desert)," for which one (Elihu-Zalmen) Yarkhovsi had written the music. In his "David in the Desert" he wanted to imitate Goldfadens "Bar Kokhba" and "Shulamis," had also written in verse, and he succeeded with the operetta due to this, that the great Jacob Adler, who sometimes (1888) played in Warsaw, had himself play in the operetta in the role of "King Solomon."

For Epelberg, this was a great win.

The play soon thereafter was published in print ("David in the Desert, or, Goliath the Philistine," a historical play in five acts with twelve scenes, authored by H. Epelberg, Warsaw, on the pages of Y. Alapin, 1888, 16°, 64 pages), republished several times, and then for a long time remained in the repertoire of the Yiddish theatre.

On 30 August 1915 the play in a combined form (together with Dr. M. Zalkind’s “Dovid bmdbr”) was staged in Hebrew in Lodz by Zalmen Zylberzweig in his father’s (Tsvi Ben-Yakov) earlier Hebrew translation (under the name “Dovid melekh Yisroel (David the King of Israel),” a biblical drama in four acts and eight scenes.”)

“In the year 1905 Fiszon, together with Kaminski, founded in Warsaw this Yiddish theatre in “Jardin d’Hiver” (on Chmielna Street) – M. Kipnis writes – he (Epelberg) was already acting as a newspaper man in the theatre. He was a writer of advertisements for the newspaper and corrector of plays … Epelberg further evolved as an outstanding theatre person. In the year of 1906 he became a partner of the “Elizeum” with Kaminski and the artist Rappel, organized the large tour to Russia and Peterburg for the Yiddish drama, together with Esther-Rokhl Kaminska, and thanks to him the whole outside world found out about the Yiddish theatre, and from such great Yiddish artists as Esther-Rokhl Kaminska. Epelberg came to Warsaw and he, together with the artist Rappel remained the owners of the “Elizeum” Theatre. Epelberg directed his one-acter, "Der shadkhan (The Matchmaker)," an operetta in one act by H. Epelberg, Warsaw, trs'z, 16°, 30 pages. The one-acter, Z. Siun Tre’t, was staged in Hebrew in the translation of Tsuhr (Ben-Zion Yedidah?) by the “Hebrew Habima” in Jerusalem), then a drama, “Der korbn” (Der korbn, a drama in four acts by H. Epelberg, Warsaw (1909), 16°, 124 pages). He had greater achievements, but soon he appeared as a translator and corrector of theatre pieces. He corrected the theatre piece, “Shimshon ha-gibor (Samson the Hero)”, El nhrus babel (Zion, or, On the Rivers of Babylon)” (by Yosef Latayner), which was put on in the Elyzeum Theatre with great success.

Epelberg also authored the plays “Esterke, oder, Di yiudishe tokter als poylishe kenigin bay Kazimir der groys, kenig fun poyln (Esterke, or, The Jewish Daughter as Polish Queen of Kazimir the Great, King of Poland),” a historical drama in five acts with nine scenes. After various sources of information by H. Epelberg, Warsaw, Trs’z” (16°, 76 pages) in “Der engel,” an operetta in five acts and ten scenes. Adapted by H. Epelberg, Warsaw, 1899 (16°, 86 pages).

Dr. Mukdoni talks about Epelberg’s dramatic activity: “Only one who has already written as a story writer was H. Epelberg, the director of the “Elizeum.” He caught the harvest of the American operetta and melodrama writer, and he used to prepare similar courses for his theatre. However he never had any objections about this, that other works brought in more money than his and should play in his theatre. H. Epelberg already was a professional playwright, but as a director and as a businessman, he preferred to let an authentic American play be played, if he thought that it would have more success."

According to M. Kipnis: "Epelberg was a theater director on a large scale and regarding the theater he did not receive any money or resources. At first he brought over Clara Young, Moshkovich, Lobel, Schilling and others. Over the last years when Kaminski had built his theatre on Oboźna Street, Epelberg had, as a mensch with a pen, led the competition with Kaminski in the newspaper columns with advertisements. ... And that's how it was all day "for the Jews" and the advertisements for both theatres. Both ... and the crowd enjoyed themselves, ,,, Epelberg had already been looking for new valuables from his Haskalah lexicon and took it seriously. ... And after a big profit on his account -- Yiddish posters, Epelberg was the first to issue epaulettes to the authorities to allow the pasting of Jewish posters on the poles. And according to Dr. Mukdoni: " ... His theatre is the most successful in Warsaw. His theare indeed has the appearance of a theatre. His strong eye pays attention to everything. He is demanding with the neighbors [arumike], strict with the actors and the attendants. Actors stand in front of him with respect and a little fear. He looks at them from top to bottom and speaks with them with measured words: Yes, no. Give them a quick scald, a sting, and be done with them. He is a well-to-do Jew, he basically looks at the comedians with contempt; they are empty-hearted, empty-headed and enough for him. I begin to speak with him about his theatre. He is already an old chcken presser [?]. Nothing irritates him in the theatre. He is not any kind of an actor and thank God that he protected himself from this. He is a writer and also makes no sense of it. In general he is a Jew with character, who isn't afraid of the printed word. He already had a fight with the press for a sharp criticism of his piece. He already published a review of the theatre. He is not one of those who let himself be spat into the porridge; one plays theatre for the audience, not for some crazy intelligentsia who ask for the moon. ... If the public goes crazy and wants Peretz's drama, he will be the first, even though he is at odds with Peretaz, to ask for forgiveness and take his dramas from him. Meanwhile, nobody wants it. May Peretz sit at home and not come to his theatre. ... His greatness lasted until the very outbreak of the war. ... With all his faults, Mr. Epelberg was a solid theatre directot. He always had a good theatre troupe, and quite often no money was received to make a performance more or less interesting."

In 1908 Epelberg began to publish his theatre weekly page (The Theatre World, illustrated weekly page for the theatre, literature, art, science and entertainment, by H. Epelberg, published in Warsaw, 24 volumes from T'r Tshri until Y Nisn Trs't). About the weekly page, M. Kipnis writes: "Der shenster tat zener iz ober geblibn: The illustrated weekly, "Theatre World," he issued in the year of 1908 un vet hot oygehaltn an edition of 22 (24) really practical volmes with the most interesting articles about theatre and art by the great writer vos mir hobn armont, Peretz himself has in Epelberg's "Theatre World" wrote five beautiful things, Sholem Asch published there his account, "The Voice," Vaysberg published his drama, "Jealousy and Lust," and others."

Dr. Mukdoni has another opinion about the weekly page:

"In the short renaisssance time , there was a weekly, illustrated theatre newspaper with the name of "Di teater velt (The Theatre World)." Regardless, the weekly had the name of "Theatre World, and there less was written about theatre; only from time to time here they used to publish articles about theatre, but entirely naive and diletantish." In this weekly Epelberg also published several articles about Sholem Aleichem and about Yiddish theatre."

In the last years of his directing Yiddish theatre in Warsaw, Epelberg introduced Yiddish-published programs for the production, at times also with articles about actors and the produced plays. This program was prublished in 132 volumes and had the name, "Program and Critique," a daily edition for critics, reviewers and the average theatre enthusiast. Warsaw, Editor -- H. Epelberg. Publishing house "Elizeum." Cost 5 kopeks (28+18), 1 September 1912, 12 July 1914. From Volume 19 -- "A Daily Edition for Every Theatre Enthusiast."

He stopped his theatrical activity during the outbreak of the World War. Epelberg in 1921 wandered off to America, where he opened a small food store and lived in great poverty.

On 23 November 1922 Epelberg had a benefit that was staged in Brooklyn's Liberty Theatre, with Julius and Emilia Adler in the main roles, in the play "Di nekhome (The Revenge)."

On 7 January 1927 Epelberg passed away in New York.

Epelberg's published plays in Yiddish:

1. David in the desert, or, Goliath hplshti (Goliath the Philistine), a historical operetta in five acts with twleve scens. Authored by H. Epelberg, Warsaw, authored by Y. Alapin, 1888 (16°, 64 pages).

2. Der engel, an operetta in five acts and ten scenes, adapted by H. Epelberg (published in "Epelberg's illustrated calendar," tenth anniversary, Warsaw 1899) (16°, 86 pages).

3. Esterke, or, The Jewish Daughter as Polish Queen, of Kazimir, the Great King of Poland," a historical drama in five acts with nine scenes, after various sources of information by H. Epelberg, Warsaw, Trs’z” (16°, 76 pages).

4. Der shadkhan (The Matchmaker), an operetta in one act by H. Epelberg, Warsaw, Trs'z (16°, 30 pages, 1909).

5. Der korbn, a drama in four acts by H. Epelberg, Warsaw (16°, 124 pages, 1909).

Z. Reisen -- "Lexicon of Yiddish Literature," Volume II, pp. 793-94.
B. Gorin -- "History of Yiddish Theatre," Volume II, p. 271.
M. Weichert -- "Theatre and Drama," Vilna, Volume I, p. 59.
Gershom Bader -- Oyf fremde erd geshtorbn, "Yidishes tageblat," N.Y., 16 January 1927.
M. Kipnis -- One of the Pioneers, "Haynt," Warsaw, 4 February 1927.
Dr. A. Mukdoni -- Memories of a Yiddish Theatre Critic, "Archive," Vilna, 1930, pages 345, 354-55, 385, 387, 421.

Adapted from the original Yiddish text found within the "Lexicon of the Yiddish Theatre" by Zalmen Zylbercweig, Volume 2, page 1582.