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
 

David Pinski

 

Born on 5 April 1872 in Mohilev-on-the-Dnieper, White Russia. He received his first education in a cheder, he moved with his parents at the age of thirteen to Moscow, when he, simultaneously with Yiddish studies, also studied general subjects.

"My father, a Moscow commissioner of military officers' clothing and decoration, --- recounted P. in his memoirs -- had a love of music but did not play any instrument, and had no voice for singing. Often he used to, on Shabes or on a holiday, pray on the pulpit, but that was in his own minyan..... The people who prayed praised him as a good man of prayer. He especially displayed his passion for music in that he was a "patriot" of the Moscow "Bolshoi Theatre," the theatre of the opera.

When there was a performance of Anton Rubinstein's "Maccabees," my father allowed me to stand a whole winter night at the box office of the theatre. He also allowed that my older brother should study violin playing. When my brother "learned" violin, he left it to study flute. and hitched me up to the violin and was totally furious when I didn't want to go in step."

1890-1891 -- Lived in Vitebsk, then went away to Vienna with the intention of studying medicine. However, due to the Moscow expulsion that ruined his parents, they consequently settled in Warsaw. Pinski was forced in 1892 to leave Vienna. He came to Warsaw and was employed as a teacher.

At the end of 1891 P. wrote the satire "Der groyser menshn-fraynd (The Great Philanthropist)," which he debuted in M. Spektor's "Der hoyz-fraynd (The House Friend)" III (1894).

 

In Warsaw P. went closely together with Y. L. Peretz and became active in Yiddish literature, which he had initially considered only a tool for the Socialist Movement which had begun on the Jewish streets. But soon he began to create in Yiddish as "an end in itself," and after a series of original creations (under his own name and pseudonyms), as well as translations and adaptations, especially on scientific themes, he organized across the Russian province the so-called "jargon committee" with whom he performed as a publisher of his own and Peretz's work.

In the Spring of 1896, P. settled in Berlin, where he heard lectures at the university, wrote for the New York "Abend blat," and founded the "Zeitgeist (Spirit of the Times)" publishing house. Later he also lived in Switzerland.

In December 1899 P. arrived in America, where he became a contributor and editor for the fiction department of the "Abend blat" and worked in "Di arbeter tsaytung," "Der arbeter," "Der yud" and "Der fraynd." In 1912 he had -- together with Joseph Schlossberg -- published the literary socialist journal "Di yidishe vokhnshrift." For a certain time he edited the Poale Zion organ "Der yidisher kemfer," became the chief editor for the daily Poale Zion newspaper "Di tsayt," wrote in "Der tog," and in the last years was a constant contributor for "Di tsukunft" and "Morgn zhurnal (Morning Journal)."

A part of P.'s fictional works were published in book form, among them several novels that were also put out as English translations.

[For details about P.'s general literary activity, see Zalmen Reyzen's "Lexicon of the Yiddish Literature."]

P. visited Eastern and Western Europe several times and was in Soviet Russia and in Eretz Yisrael.

P. is one of the most well-known and productive Yiddish dramatists. Already at the age of twelve he had written a "drama." In his memoirs, P. tells about this first fruit and his attitude and familiarity with the theatre:

"Mohilev, in my time, had only a summer theatre; in the winter there used to be from time to time a guest appearance of an itinerant troupe in the hall of the Dvoriansk Sobranye. The Yiddish orchestra played in both places. The flautist for the orchestra was my brother, at first a violin- and then flute teacher, and he used to take me with him to the theatre where I used to sit beside him in the orchestra. I had mostly glanced onto the stage, like a 'rooster' in 'B'nai adom (Sons of Adam)', unable to pick up the machinations that were being played on the boards. Yet I used to go to the theatre constantly, and with the greatest joy. And if not an editor, I wanted to become an actor -- a wish that later in Moscow grew stronger in me, so that I had already chosen a stage name...

On the large plaza near the burned-out barracks on Sklover Street, there stood a huge canvas circus, and in it guest-starred the Yiddish troupe of the actor Gartenstein. There I saw the plays "Rashi" and "Dr. almasado."... Here I had understood everything, sympathized, laughed and cried. The impression lasted for a long time, and helped me in my first play.

In the summer of 1884, in my twelfth year, I turned to my two friends, that I should write a play for both of them, in which I should insert the various songs from the Yiddish repertoire. One of them knew how to speak and sing with a voice of an elderly Jewish woman -- he was two actors. I had written a "drama" with three roles, a story set to the songs that they had sung in the form of the Yiddish play that had made such a strong impression on me. My "drama" was staged with an entrance fee during the Sukkos holiday in my grandmother's apartment. The large living room was the stage, the anterior was for the audience, the wide door between the rooms was draped with a bed sheet that was the curtain. On the threshold between the two rooms was a booth for the prompter -- I was the prompter. The show was a great success. My name as a writer was elevated, as was my consciousness as a writer."

His first play (written on 4 January 1899) was "Yesurim (Sufferings/Sorrows)," a drama in one act that soon was published in New York's "Abend blat," and at the same time it was also published anonymously in the publication "Im kamf," issued through the "Bund" in Geneva (second edition 1900) [which found itself into the library of a Lubavitch rabbi in New York]; in 1918 the one-acter was included in the first volume of P.'s "Dramas" (pp. 293-312), [which was] issued by the "Poale Zion" publishing house, New York.

The one-acter, soon after it was published, was staged by amateurs and won the prize during a competition of one-acters from the "Jacob Gordin Circle" in New York. An English translation by B. W. White was published in Boston (1932) in the book "Nine One-Acters from the Yiddish" (pp. 195-218).

P.'s first great play was "Isaac Sheftel," a drama in three acts (written 21 March -- 7 April 1899). At first it was printed in New York's "Arbeter" 1904-1905 [?]; the play in 1907 was published in book form in the New York publishing house of A. M. Yevalenko, and in 1919 it was included in the third volume of P.'s "Dramas" (pp. 221-295), issued by the publisher "Poale Zion," New York.

"Isaac Sheftel" was staged for the first time in 1909 in Odessa by the "Hirshbein Troupe," under the direction of Jacob Ben-Ami, with the following personnel [according to Leah Naomi the act in a factory was not performed]:

Isaac Sheftel -- Jacob Ben Ami
Beyle -- Leah Naomi
Pinye -- Ashin
Note Goldin -- Shlomo Kutner

On 2 January 1919 the play, under the direction of Ben-Ami, was staged for the first time in America, in New York's Irving Place Theatre during a testimonial evening for Sam Adler, and was never performed again.

During the 1919-1920 season the play was revived again in Europe, at first in Vienna in the "Burger Theatre," under the direction of Jacob Mestel with Yitzhak and Minnie Deytsh and Leah Weintraub in the main roles; in 1922 again in Vienna, in the "Unter Ogarten Hall," under the direction of Yitzhak Deytsh, with Ben Tsvi Baratov and Laura Glikman in the main roles, and since then it has remained in the repertoire of the Yiddish theatre in Europe.

In 1904 the play was published by Berlin's "Yiddish publishing house," translated by Martin Buber with an introduction by the translator (p. 103), and it is likely that in 1908 it was staged in Vienna by the actors Egon Brecher and David Herman.

In the 1918-1919 season the play, under the direction of Egon Brecher, was performed in the "Vienna Comedy House" in Vienna (about fifty times) in German in the translation of the early-killed Jewish-German poet Dr. Hugo Tsukerman, and that led to a lawsuit between the producer and the previous translator, who had charged that they had performed his [own] translation.

In 1918 the play was published in New York in the English translation by Isaac Goldberg, in a volume of P.'s  "Three Dramas" (pp. 1-79).

In 1900-1901 P. wrote his drama in three acts "Di muter (The Mother)," which at first was published in New York's "Der arbeter" (26 November 1904 -- 14 January 1905), and also at the same time in Peterburg's "Dos leben" (January, February 1905).

In 1913 the play was published in book form in the Warsaw publishing house "Tsentral" (pp. 96), and in 1918 was included in the first volume of P.'s "Dramas" (pp. 219-266).

On 4 November 1904 the play  was staged for the first time in New York's "Thalia Theatre" with the following personnel:

Rukhl Levin......
Misha...............
Sonia...............
Manya..............

Keni Lipzin
Jacob Cone
Shifra Zeitlin
Etie Tobias

 

Siomke................
Avraham Zalkind....
Zlate.....................
Zelde....................

[?]
Moshe Simonoff
Sonia Nadolsky
[?]

In 1905 the play was staged for the first time in Europe, by the "United Troupe" in Warsaw's "Muranow Theatre," with the following personnel:

Rukhl Levin......
Misha...............
Sonia...............
Manya..............

Esther Rukhl Kaminska
Joseph Brandesko
Sonia Edelman
Zina Rapel

 

Siomke................
Avraham Zalkind....
Zlate.....................
Zelde....................

Ida Kaminska
Jacob Liebert
[?]
[?]

Often performed by the troupe, the play also was staged by various amateur groups, with Esther Rukhl Kaminska as the guest actress. And in 1916 it was included in the repertoire of the "Vilna Troupe" in the production of Leib Kadison, with Yehudit Lares as "Rukhl Levin."

In the 1919-1920 season, the play, under the direction of Jacob Mestel was staged in the "Karl Theatre" in Vienna, with Rosa Ziegler as "Rukhl" and Moritz Ziegler as "Zalkind."

The play also was performed in Argentina, where on 19 August 1943 a benefit was staged as part of a testimonial evening for Bertha Zaslavska, who had acted in the title role.
 



Pavel Orlenev as "R' Moshe" in "Di familye tsvi."

 

In June 1903 -- May 1904 P. had, from his article "Magidim" in "Abend blat" (1900), created his play "Di familye tsvi (The Family Tsvi)," a tragedy in four acts, which in 1905 was issued by the "Bund" in Geneva, Switzerland (78 pp., 16°). Soon thereafter it was also printed in the "Di velt" publishing house in Warsaw and in Vilna (78 pp., 16°); the play in the span of a short time was reprinted many times. In 1919 it was included in the third volume of P.'s "Dramas," issued by the "Poale Zion" publishing house in New York (pp. 117-209, 16°).

Soon after it was published, the play was performed across the German professional and amateur stages of Eastern Europe. It was noted: a production in 1906 in Warsaw's "Jardin d'Hiver" theatre under the direction of Mark Arnstein with actors Adolf Berman in the title role of "R' Moshe," and at the same time [there was] a production in Zandberg's Lodz's "Grand Theatre," with Avraham Yitzhak Kaminski as "R' Moshe," Esther Rukhl Kaminska as "Mina," Yermolina-Vaysman as "Di shtute," M. Kh. Titelman as "Leon," and Sh. Landau as "Banker Hershman."

In the same year (according to the acter Budkin), Meyerson had staged the play in Vilna and Odessa, and in 1907 (according to Jacob Ben-Ami) --Titelman in Lodz.

In America [there was] a drama production during the 1908-1909 season in New York's "Lipzin Theatre," under the direction of Elias Glickman, with him in the role of "R' Moshe," with the participation of Morris Kroner, Moshe Schorr, Irving Honigman, David Shenholtz et al.

On 20 November 1905 it was staged in the Russian translation by Boris Kritshevsky in New York's "Orlenev Lyceum" by the famous Russian actor Pavel Orlenev, with him in the role of "R' Moshe."

In 1906 the play was published in a second Russian translation by Viktor Kugel under the name of "Pogrom Days" (Petersburg, 56 pp.).

In 1908 Egon Brecher, together with David Herman, staged the play in German in Vienna, Austria, with Brecher in the role of "R' Moshe."

The play was also performed in German in the student theatre in Berlin, and later across other German cities.

In 1919 in Munich's "George Miller Publishing House," in the second volume of "Yiddish Theatre," the play was published in the German translation by Aleksander Eliasberg (122 pp., 16°).

In 1918 the play was published in New York in the English translation of Isaac Goldberg, under the name "Der letster yid (The Last Jew)," in the volume of P.'s "Three Plays" (pp. 81-166, 16°).

On 8 May 1921, the play in the Hebrew translation by I. Fridman, was performed in the "Zion" theatre in Jerusalem.

On 7 December 1904, P. wrote "Gliksfargesene (Forgotten Souls)," a drama in one act that was published on 25 March 1905 in New York's "Der arbeter." In 1907 it was published in Warsaw in a separate edition (16 pp.), and was included in the first volume of P.'s "Dramas" (pp. 267-291), which was issued in 1918 by the New York publishing house "Poale Zion." The one-acter in 1919 was also published in Moscow.

Soon after his publishing of the one-acter, it was performed by amateurs, both in America as well as in Europe, it was among the most performed.

Circa 1906 the one-acter was performed in the professional Yiddish theatre in Warsaw, and on 18 May 1906 it was staged in New York's "Windsor Theatre" with Berta Kalich as "Fanya," and Gustav Schacht as "Hindes."

The "Vilna Troupe," soon after their formation (1916), included "Gliksfargesene" in their repertoire. Also the Vienna "Freie folks-bine" had, during the 1922-23 season, staged a performance (Director -- Yitzhak Deytsh, central roles -- B. Z. Baratov and Leah Weintraub).

In 1913, "Gliksfargesene" was published in Bialystok in Hebrew under the name of 'Eluvi hakhayim" in the translation of Pesach Kaplan (17 pp., 16°), and was performed often in the translation.

The one-acter also was performed many times in English in the translation of Isaac Goldberg, published at first in the volume "Six Plays" (Boston, 1916), then in the collection of "50 Modern One-Acters," issued in Cincinnati by Frank Shay and P. Loving (pp. 545-552), and also in a separate edition by a New York publishing house by S. French (20 pp., 1932).

In June -- July 1906 P. wrote his comedy in four acts, "Der oytser (The Treasure)," and published it in New York's "Der arbeter" 1906-1907[?].

Just at the same time, Sholem Aleichem had written a comedy with the same name and with the same theme. As P. recalls, he had in the winter of 1906-1907 read his comedy "Der oytser (The Treasure)" several times publicly, also for several theatre directors, among them Jacob P. Adler and Michael Mintz. First, in the beginning of March 1908 he had remarked in a report in a newspaper that Sholem Aleichem had read a comedy in Switzerland that hadn't been produced [yet], but had the same name "Der oytser (The Treasure)," but also publicly in subject(?). Fearing that if Sholem Aleichem would publish his comedy sooner, P. would be suspected as having plagiarized, P. in a letter to the editor of Peterburg's "Der fraynd" recalls in detail of the strange clash and asked immediately that they print his comedy, which they began to publish on 23 April 1908.

[In New York's "Sholem Aleichem's Book," it is said that in his letter to Y. D. Berkowitz, Sholem Aleichem had in February 1908 read his [own] comedy with the name "Der oytser," and [that] he had asked Berkowitz to sell it to Jacob P. Adler. Catching himself, that P. had also written a comedy with similar content and the same name, Sholem Aleichem changed the name of his [own] comedy to "Di goldgreber (The Golddiggers)."]

In 1919, the comedy in an adapted form was included in the second volume of P.'s "Dramas" (134 pp., 16°), issued by the New York publishing house of "Poale Zion."

On 12 June 1912, the play was performed for the first time on the Yiddish stage in New York's Kessler's Second Avenue Theatre, under the direction of Joseph Schildkraut. Hereby the main roles were performed by professional actors, such as in the episodic roles and stand-in scenes, with the participation of a known Yiddish writer from New York, because the revenue from the production was to be given by the former Yiddish Writers Union.

The personnel in the premiere was headed by:

"Chone the gravedigger" -- Rudolf Schildkraut
"Yakhne Breyne" -- Annie Manne
"Tille" -- Clara Young
"Yudke" -- Mark Schweid

The role of "The Matchmaker" was performed by the writer Israel the Yankee (Y. Y. Fridman). Among the other writers taking part were: Morris Winchevsky, David Pinski, Z. Libin, Joel Slonim, W. Pochotsky, Y. Marinov, Miriam Karpilov, B. Botwinik, Zalmen Kotler, Michael Aronson et al.

On 18 February 1919 the comedy was staged in New York's Irving Place Theatre for the benefit of Ludwig Satz, with him in the role of "Yudke"; on 21 April 1922 -- by Maurice Schwartz in the "Yiddish Art Theatre," with him in the role of "Chone," "Yakhne Breyne" -- Bina Abramowitz, "Tille" -- Celia Adler, "Yudke" -- Mark Schweid; 22 January 1923 -- in Philadelphia's "Arch Street Theatre," with Celia Adler, Yekhiel Goldschmidt and Jacob Mestel in the main roles; 15 October 1923 -- by the "Yiddish Literary Dramatic Society" in Chicago, under the direction of Mark Schweid, Music -- Victor Young, Scenery -- Todres Geler.

In the 1932-1933 season, "Der oytser," in a new stage adaptation and direction by Jacob Mestel, was staged in Toronto, Canada with Jacob Ben-Ami as "Chone the gravedigger," Stella Adler -- "Tille," Jacob Mestel -- "Yudke," and in Detroit ("Yudke" -- Jacob Ben-Ami, "Tille" -- Berta Gerstin, "Chone" -- Morris Weisman). A season later the same production was created in New York's Folks Theatre ("Chone" -- Reuben Wendorf, "Tsilye" -- Luba Kadison; "Yudke" -- Lazar Freed, "Yakhne Breyne" -- Anna Appel), in the summer of 1936 -- in the "Argentina" theatre in Buenos Aires ("Chone" -- Nathan Klinger, "Tille" -- Celia Teks, "Yudke" -- Jacob Mestel). Also the play was performed in the "Excelsior" theatre in Buenos Aires, under the direction of Nakhum Melnik ("Yudke" -- Melnik, "Tille" -- Devorah Rosenblum).
 

 

During the seventieth jubilee for the author, the comedy again became a benefit on 30 October 1942 in the Second Avenue Theatre, under the direction of Mark Schweid, with arranged music by Sholom Secunda, with:

Menasha Skulnik as "Chone"
Annie Thomashefsky as "Yakhne Breyne"
Miriam Kressyn as "Tille"
Mark Schweid (later -- Jacob Mestel) as "Yudke."

Miriam Kressyn as "Tille," Menasha Skulnik as "Chone," and Jacob Mestel as "Soskin" in "Der oytser."

In Europe, the comedy was performed for the first time in January 1927 in Warsaw by "Vikt," under the direction of Zigmunt Turkow, Scenery -- Y. Trefler, with the following personnel:
 
Chone the gravedigger....
Tille...............................
Yakhne Breyne..............
Yudke............................
Moshe Lipman
Ida Kaminska
Natalia Lipman
Adam Domb
  The Matchmaker...................
President of congregation.......
Soskin, the rich man..............
David Lederman
Zalmen Hirshfeld
Jacob Mandelblit

It was also performed by Julius Oskar, Isaac Goldberg, Pesach Kerman, S. Luria-Shpigel and David Birnbaum.

In 1910 the comedy was published by Berlin's theatrical publishing house by Eduard Bloch in the German translation of Feiga Frisch (131 pp.), and on 2 February 1911 it was staged under the direction of Max Reinhardt in Berlin's "Deutsches Theatre," with Viktor Arnold as "Chone," Fraulein Eybeshitz as "Tille," Margaret Kuper as "Yakhne Breyne," and Jan Gotovt as "Yudke."

In the 1918-1919 season, the comedy was performed in German in Vienna, in the "Vienna Comedy House," with Rudolf Schildkraut as "Chone" (direction -- Egon Brecher).

In 1915 "Der oytser" was published in New York in the English translation by Ludwig Lewisohn (194 pp.), and on 4 October 1920 it was staged by the "Theatre Guild" in New York's Garrick Theatre, under the direction of Emanuel Reicher, Scenery -- Francis Berger, with the following personnel:
 
Chone.................
Tille.....................
Yakhne Breyne.....
Yudke..................
Marriage Broker.............
Head of Community........
Soskin...........................
Two Members of the Society for Providing Dowries for Poor Maidens.......
Two Members of the Society for the Care of the Sick...........................................
Dudley Digges
Celia Adler
Helen Westley
Fred Eric
Edgar Stehli
Erskine Sanford
Henry Travers
William Rothschild
Jacob Weiser
S. Karrakis
Anthony Jochim
  A Lawyer......................
An Hysterical Woman....
An Old Woman..............
A Young Woman...........
Her Little Daughter.........
A Girl............................
A Woman......................
Another Woman.............
A Young Man.................
Another Man..................
Edwin Knopf
Lian Stephana
Rolla Lyons
Mary McAndrews
Florence Curran
Valerie Stevens
Adelina Thomason
Edith Leighton
Saul Michaels
William Worthington

The comedy was performed forty times and was staged in English many times by various professional troupes (among them in the "Repertory Theatre" in Boston under the direction of Mark Schweid) and amateurs, especially by the drama clubs in colleges and universities.

In London, England, on 12 June 1932 the "Oytser" was staged in English by the "Yiddish Dramatic League" with Abram Sofer as "Chone" and Doris Gilmore as "Tille."

On 16 August 1927 the comedy in the Hebrew translation by M. D--n [Dushman] was staged in "Beit Am" in Tel Aviv.

Also it is assumed that "Der oytser"  was performed in a location in Yokohama, Japan.

In August 1906 P. wrote his one-act tragedy "Der fremder (The Stranger)" [also known as "Der eybiker yid (The Eternal Jew)"], which was printed in New York's "Der arbeter" (8, 15, 22, 29 December 1906), and in Vilna's "Dos yudishe folk" (9 January 1907). In 1914 the one-acter was published in a separate edition by the publishing house of M. Gurevitsh in New York (61 pp.); in 1919 it was included in the third volume of P.'s "Dramas," issued in New York by the "Poale Zion" publishing house (43 pp.), in 1926 published separately in Warsaw by the Kletzkin publishing house (47 pp.), and finally in P.'s "Ale verk (Every Work)," in the volume "Mshikhim" (Warsaw, 1939, 36 pp.). "Der eybiker yid" was staged in Yiddish for the first time in the summer of 1942 in "Unzer kemp" by the Jewish National Workers Union, in Highland Mills, N. Y., under the direction of R. Ben-Ari, music by Joseph Rumshinsky, with the following in the main roles:

 
The stranger..............
Guryon.......................
Gamliel.......................
The woman beggar....
The young woman.....
The servant...................
  R. Ben-Ari
Max Bozyk
Israel Mandel
Bety Simonoff
Reyzel Bozyk
Malka Tikman

An anonymous Hebrew translation [according to some -- by M. Azrkhi; according to others -- a collective] was included in the repertoire of the "Habimah," which had the one-acter at first staged in Moscow, Soviet Russia, under the direction of V. M. Mchedelow, Scenery by V. Migndzhen and P. Ozonov, and then: scenery -- Gregoriy B. Yukulow, music -- Alexander Krein, with the following personnel:
 
Guryon............
Gamliel............
Tarfon..............
Abishi............
Hezikiah...........
Simon............
Barzilei..............
Amnon...........
Trtsh..............
Ida...............
Tamar............
M. Gnesin
M. Halevy
Aaron HaGiladi
David Vardi
Ben-Yamin
Sh. Bana
Sh. Frudkin
Tsvi
Kh. Beilin
Tz. Shapira
Kh. Yoelit
  Naomi...................
Tslh.......................
Fueh......................
Slkhh.....................
A poor person..........
Marta the dancer......
The blind person.......
The stranger.............
The young woman.....
The servant...............
Kh. Konrat
B. Heler
T. Yehudit
Kh. Alibmh
Sh. Khavivah
Sh. Avivit
A. Vinier
N. D. Tzemakh
Kh. Rubin
M. Elias

About the production, Ben-Ari writes in his book "Habimah":

."..Mchedelov had a difficult task with the group....the entire winter they had worked on the Pinski play. Mchedelov was deeply rooted in Stanislavski's method and had achieved terrific results. He had such love for the play that when one had said [in the play] that the Beit HaMedrash was destroyed, and the people were indignant without crying in lament, he used to stop and appear surprised that in fact it had truly occurred. The cry was so realistic that people in the street used to think that someone was being struck.

...The stage scenery for the "Eternal Jew" were easy constructed.... the production did not last longer than forty minutes. However, the impression of the audience was an unforgettable one.

...The performance was first shown to a chosen audience. We had two exalted guests: Stanislavski and Maxim Gorky. Gorki had wept during the production, and later he shook the hands of the actors and strongly praised the production and the play. Stanislavski also made compliments, along with a few key observations.

...The Moscow theatre enthusiasts began to take an interest in the group. Great Russian artists were not only sympathetic, but were ardent defenders of the "Habimah." They saw [it as] another [type of] Yiddish theatre that had been performed before them."

 

 

Nakhum Tsimakh as "the Stranger," and Chana Rovina as "the Young Woman" in "The Eternal Jew."

And about a benefit performance of the same play, Ben-Ari writes:

."..It had not lasted long, and the tragedy in one act had been turned into two large acts. There were found musical moments, there were in special fantastical clothing and scenery. Admittedly, there were words introduced by newly added people. The theatre director was invited who had staged the single act with us -- Mchedelov.... The first scene, with the market, was broadened. Krein had created wonderful music. The scene, when we begin to convene at the market, and the "hawking" of the goods, the different voices of the buyers mixing with the oriental music played by the orchestra, really created an impressive scene of the Orient. The costumes and painted scenery, by [Gregori B.] Yakulov, had added color and splendor. There was construction built on the stage that symbolized the market in the city of Birath Arba.

...And one has to add that only the wonderful music, the imposing scenery and costumes, the dance and movements that were introduced in the two new acts, made the production a success, but by no means the new manner of acting or the newly added roles. It has shown us that our imagination was not able to draw out more from the actor [act?], however much was written down. It simply lacked material. It is nevertheless a play for the masses, with two to three heroes....The masses for Pinski are even nameless, so that we have to by ourselves create an individual, and more than that, the more the masses are unspoiled, so there was not much to do.

....They praised the production, praised the participants, even Rovina in the role of the mother of the Messiah...The new "The Eternal" wasn't performed on our stage in the "Habimah" theatre because there was not any place to build the stage scenery. They persuaded the management of a "Russian camera theatre," which was then on a tour in Europe, to give us the theatre for the performance. It was the first time that we were performing on such a large stage with that large a hall.

...The benefit performance was staged and was shown to the press, the Moscow theatre enthusiasts, and was very well received. Truthfully, the actors were not satisfied, not as individuals, because no actors stood out, and also not as a collective. ... The press had praised us, of course, not for the masses."

The one-acter [performed], during the guest appearances of the "Habimah" all across Europe and America, was one of their great successes. However, after a production in New York that the author had attended, he had published an article in "Oyfkum" (January 1929), in which he had sharply protested the production and had accused the producer of blurring the characters that he had created, in introducing strange scenes, crippling the main hero, and reducing the language for the hero to "bloodlessness" and "weightlessness."

In the 1908-9 season Egon Brecher and David Herman staged the one-acter in German in Vienna, performing half with professionals, and half with amateurs.

The "Eybiker yid (Eternal Jew)" was translated into English by Isaac Goldberg and was first published, together with a characterization about the author, in New York's "Menorah Journal" (1918), then within a volume "Six One-Acters," and in 1910 in a volume "Ten One-Acters."

After the publication of the English translation, the one-acter was performed in Boston's "Community House" under the direction of Professor Baker, and later by various other amateur groups, such as the production on 23 May 1929 by the "Pathfinders Revivers" in San Francisco.

The one-acter may also have been published in a Russian translation within a collection.
 

"Yankel der shmid" production in New York's "Kessler's Second Avenue Theatre".

"Yenkel der shmid" production in New York's "Kessler's Second Avenue Theatre."

In November-December 1906, P. wrote the play in four acts, "Yenkel der shmid (Yenkel, the Blacksmith)," and it was published in 1910 by the Warsaw publishing house "Progress," in the volume "Dramas," printed in 1913 in the Warsaw publishing house "HaShakar" and in 1919 included within the fourth volume of "Dramas," issued by the publishing house "Poale Zion" in New York (122 pp.)

In October 1907 the play was staged for the first time by the "Literary Troupe" in Warsaw's "Elizeum Theatre" with the following personnel:
 
Yenkel
Simcha
Mariasha
Tamara
Frume
Aaron
Rivka
Raffuel
Chaya Peshe
  Leyzer Rapel
R. Weisman
Yermolina Weisman
Esther Rukhl Kaminska
Sonia Genzer
Shliferstein
Zina Rapel
M. Shapiro
Sonia Edelman

In 1908, soon after the formation of the "Hirshbein Troupe," "Yenkel der shmid" was included in their repertoire (under the direction of Jacob Ben-Ami); the same was done in 1919 by the "Frie yidishe folks-bine" in Vienna (under the direction of Jacob Mestel, later Yitzhak Deytsh).

On 25 November 1909, the play was staged for the first time on the Yiddish stage in America, in New York's "Thalia Theatre," under the direction of David Kessler, with the following personnel:
 
Yenkel
Simcha
Mariasha
Tamara
Frume
Aaron
Rivka
Raffuel
Chaya Peshe
  David Kessler
Bernard Young
Sonia Nadolsky
Esther Rukhl Kaminska
Fannie Greenberg
Louis Heyman
Rae Shneyer
Zigmunt Mogulesko
Annie Manne

Later, the play was very often found in the repertoires of many Yiddish professional troupes and amateur groups across Europe and America.

"Yenkel der shmid" is as well a sound film ("The Singing Blacksmith), especially adapted by the author. It was a production of the "Collective Film Producers" under the direction of Edgar G. Ulmer with the assistance of Osip Dymov and Ben-Tsvi Baratov, music by Jacob Weinberg, and was first shown on 1 November 1938 in the "Continental Theatre," New York, with the following personnel:
 

  The Old Blacksmith
Yenkel
Simcha
Mariasha
Tamara
Frume
Aaron
Rivka
Raffuel
Chaya Peshe
Elia
  Tsvi Baratov
Moyshe Oysher
Max Vodnoy
Lea Neomi
Miriam Riselle
Luba Wesoly
Yudel Dubinsky
Florence Weiss
Michael Goldstein
Anna Appel
Reuben Wendorf

Pictured above: Moyshe Oysher as "Yenkel der shmid."

The motion picture then was shown in many theatres across America and Europe.

In 1910, "Yenkel der shmid" was issued by Berlin's theatre publishing house by Eduard Bloch in the German translation by Feiga Frisch (114 pp.), and it was performed on the German stage.

In 1912 the play was published in Odessa in the Russian translation of D. Rosenblit, and it was staged with great success on the Russian stage.

The play in Hebrew was staged in the translation of Kh. Y. Brener [?] in August 1910 by the "Habimah Ha'Ivrit" in Yaffa with the following personnel:
 

Yenkel
Simcha
Mariasha
Tamara
Frume
Raffuel
Chaya Peshe
  M. Gnesin
H' Komar
Frau Berger
Liza Varon
Frau Melman
Y. Dushman
Frau Popper

The play, on 24 October 1921, also was performed in the "Zion" theatre in Jerusalem in a second Hebrew translation by Tsuh"r [Ben-Zion Yedidi].

In June-July 1908, P. wrote "Gabri un di froyen (Gabri and the Women)," a play in three acts and four scenes, and it was published in 1910 by Warsaw's publishing house "Progress" in a volume of "Dramas" (pp. 107-180), and in 1916 in a separate edition by New York's publishing house "Naye bine" (96 pp.), and in 1919 it was included in the fourth volume of "Dramas" (pp. 123-202), issued in New York by the publishing house "Poale Zion."

The play soon after its publication was staged by the Lodz "Dramatishe kunst (Dramatic Arts)," with the participation of Shoshana, Shulamis, Moshkovitsh et al, and was first staged on 2 March 1916 by the "Naye bine" in New York, under the direction of Yehoshua Gordon and Hedwig Reicher, stage scenery by the "Naye studio" after the drawings of Yehoshua Gordon.

The personnel of the first production in America consisted of:
 

Gabri
Gail
The small one
Lem
The father
The mother
  Henry Schacht
Henrietta Schnitzer
Malka Korenstein
Yekhiel Goldschmidt
Louis Weisberg
Clara Lengsner

On 19 January 1919, the play was staged in New York's "Irving Place Theatre"  with Henrietta Schnitzer, Celia Adler and Maurice Schwartz in the mail roles, and later, when Henrietta Schnitzer guest-starred in the Yiddish theatres in Poland.

In 1910 "Gabri and the Women" was issued in the German translation of Feiga Frisch in Berlin's publishing house by Eduard Bloch (79 pp.), and in the 1918-19 season was staged in the "Comedian House" under the direction of Egon Brecher.

The play also was translated into Russian by the actor Y. Yulin and was staged under his direction by the Russian troupe under the direction of Samuilova.

The author also found a second, lithographic anonymous translation under the name "Passion and Love."

It is supposed that the play also was performed in a Hebrew translation.

In August 1908, P. wrote "Mit ziger fonen (With Victorious Banners)," a play in one act that was published in March 1909 in New York's ""Di dramatishe velt (The Dramatic World)," in 1919 was included in the fourth volume of P.'s "Dramas," and in 1920 in P.'s volume "Dramas," issued by the Warsaw publishing house "Progress" (pp. 181-203).

Soon after its publication, the one-acter was staged by the "Prospect Dramatic Club."

On 21 February[?] 1915, the one-acter was staged by the "Progressive Dramatic Club" in New Haven, Connecticut, with Annie Licht (?) [the now-famous actress Miramova] as "Tanya."

The one-acter is performed very often by Yiddish amateur circles and dramatic societies in America and Europe.

On 2 December 1920, the one-acter in the Hebrew translation of Y. Dushman, was staged by "Tiatron Evri B'Eretz Yisrael (Hebrew Theatre in the Land of Israel) " in the "Eden" Theatre in Tel-Aviv.

In 1916 "Mit ziger fonen" was published in the English translation of H. Gudman in issue 10 of New York's journal "East and West."

In June-July 1911 P. wrote "Miriam fun magdala (Miriam of Magdala)," a drama in three acts and four scenes, from which the second scene of the third act was published in "Di tsukunft" (N. Y., January 1912), and the entire play in "Di tsukunft" (October, November, December 1913). In 1920 the play was included in the fifth volume of P.'s "Dramas," issued by the publisher "Poale Zion" in New York (pp. 129-208).

At the same time, P. also wrote "Professor Brener," a drama in three acts, which was published in the first volume of P.'s "Dramas," issued by the publishing house "Poale Zion" in New York (78 pp., 1918).
 

 

In the span of time between 29 July -- 3 August 1911, P. wrote a tragedy in three acts, "Der shtumer moshiakh (The Dumb Messiah)," and it was published in "Di yidishe vokhnshrift" (New York, March-April 1912), then in a separate edition by the New York publishing house of M. Gurevitsh (112 pp., 1914), and later it was included in the third volume of his "Dramas," issued by the publisher "Poale Zion" (New York, 1919, pp. 45-116). The play on 13 November 1919 was staged for the first time on the Yiddish stage in New York, in "Dos naye yidishe teater," under the direction of Emanuel Reicher, scenery -- Asonger, with the following prominent roles:

 
Menakhem Penini
Rachel
Leah
Hillel
Shmuel Sossen
The Blind Man
The Beggar
Blanche
  Emanuel Reicher
Henrietta Schnitzer
Anna Appel
Lazar Freed
Izidor Elgard
Gershon Rubin
Sam Adler
Sonia Gurska
 

Photo, left: Emanuel Reicher as "MenaKhem Penini" in "Der shtumer moshiakh (The Dumb Messiah)."

In 1918 the play was published in New York in the English translation of Isaac Goldberg, in a volume of P.'s "Dramas" (pp. 167-234), and was staged on 18 December 1918 in Cleveland, in "The Play House," under the direction of Raymond O'Neil, music by Charles De Harrak, settings and costumes drawn by M. De Santis.

The personnel for the premiere were:
 

Menakhem Penini
Rachel
Avigdor de Corbeille
Leah
Hillel
Reb Joseph
Reb Shmuel Sossen
Reb Jekhiel
The Blind Man
Albert Hinger
Edna Strong Hatch
Howard Burns
Katherine Kelly
Harry Merin
Ewart Whitworth
Walter Haas
Cary Alburn
Fred Muhlhauser
  The Blind Man's daughter
Levi
Miriam
Meshulem
The Beggar
Blanche
Count de Guesclin
First Soldier
Second Soldier
Elfreda Ruetenik
Elmer Lehr
Sabra Beaumont
David Warshawsky
Bernard Ruetenik
Jeanette Hamilton
Conrad Drake
Conrad Drake
Herman Joseph

To honor the production a special brochure was published in English, with an article by David Pinski, Isaac Goldberg and Raymond O'Neil [16 pp., 8°].

The play also was published in 1925, in Yaffa, in the Hebrew translation of K. Y. Silman [64 pp., 16°].

On 16 July -- 7 August 1912, P. wrote "Di bergshteyger (The Mountain Climbers)," a play in four acts, printed in 1913 in New York's "Dos naye leben," and later included in the fifth volume of his "Dramas," issued by the publisher "Poale Zion," New York (1920, pp. 305-381).

In October 1912, P. wrote his drama in four acts "Yeder mit zayn got (To Each his own God)," which was published in New York's "Di tsukunft" (April, May, June, July 1917), and later it was included in the first volume of P.'s "Dramas," issued by the publisher "Poale Zion" (New York, 1918, pp. 73-151).

The play on 11 October 1912 was staged for the first time on the Yiddish stage in New York, in "Kessler's Second Avenue Theatre," under the direction of Kessler, with the following personnel:
 

Menasha Rivkin
Dobe
Isaac
Ida
Shifra Kunin
Morris Gelson
Yosef Neyman
A Neighbor
  David Kessler
Rae Shneyer
Louis Heyman
[?]
Sabina Lakser
Sam Shneyer
Maurice Schwartz
[?]

In the 1921-22 season, the play, under the direction of Leon Blank, was staged in Philadelphia in the "Arch Street Theatre," with Leon Blank, Dina Feinman and Jacob Mestel in the main roles.

In the 1922-23 season, the play, under the direction of Yitzhak Deytsh, was staged in the "Rolland Stage" in Vienna, with Ben-Tsvi Baratov, Leah Weintraub, Yuna Reyzman and Michael Price in the main roles.

In November 1931 Dr. Paul [Ben-Zion] Baratov staged the play in London in the "Pavilion Theatre."
 

 

"Der shtumer Moshiakh" in "Dos naye yidishe teater"

On 27 September 1943 the play was staged in the "Excelsior" theatre in Buenos Aires, as part of a testimonial evening for Morris Lerer.

On 14 March 1913 P. wrote "Gevisen (Conscience)," a drama in one act, which soon was published in "Di tsukunft" (May 1913), and later was included in the fifth volume of his "Dramas," issued by the publisher "Poale Zion," New York (1920, pp. 291-303).

The one-acter was performed by the "Progressive Dramatic Club" in New York.

The one-acter in the English translation under the name "Conquest [Victory]" was staged in 1913 with Hedwig Reicher during her tour across many cities of America.

On 1-3 August 1913, P. wrote "A dolar (A Dollar)," a comedy in one act, which was published in New York's "Di tsukunft" (April 1914), and then included in the second volume of P.'s "Dramas," issued by the publisher "Poale Zion," New York, 1919 (pp. 183-206).

The comedy was performed by many amateurs, staged by Maurice Schwartz in the "Garden Theatre" for the middle school with the "Farband" during a school production.

In 1917 the one-acter was translated into English by Joseph Michael and published in the "Stratford Journal," Boston (1 June, pp. 25-41). Revised by Isaac Goldberg, the translation was included in the volume "10 Plays" (New York, 1920, pp. 51-73), and in 1922 in B. Roland Lewis' book "Contemporary One-Act Plays" (pp. 321-341). In 1932 the one-acter was published in a separate edition by the publishing house of Samuel French (New York, pp. 24).

The English translation is very often performed by amateur groups, especially in colleges, and won the prize for one-acters in Camp Tamiment, Pennsylvania.

In 1913, "A Dollar" was published in an anonymous Hebrew translation in "HaToren" (New York, Vol. 1, June--November 1913, pp. 198-207).

In the span of time between 22 April 1913 and 9 July 1915, P. wrote five biblical one-acters and published them in "Di tsukunft": "Michal" (September 1914), "Abigail" (February 1915), "Bathsheba" (April 1913, and reprinted in "Minikes yom-tov bleter," Sukkos 1927), "In the harem" (June 1915) and "Abishag" (February 1916), which later, under the general name of "King David and his Wives," were issued by the publishing house "Poale Zion," New York, 1920 (106 pp.)

In 1924 in Bucharest, Rumania, under the direction of Bela Daniel, "King David and his Wives" was staged by the "Vilna troupe," with the participation of Joseph Buloff, Luba Kadison, Anna Braz, Miriam Orleska, Elihu Stein, Joseph Kamien and Jacob Weislitz.

On 7 January 1925, under the direction of Leon Halpern, the one-acter "Bathsheba" was staged on the Vienna small-art stage "Di gildene pave."

In 1916 in the volume "Six Plays," published in Isaac Goldberg's English translation, was the one-acter "Abigail." Also the other one-acters in Goldberg's translation were printed in various periodical editions. In 1923 five one-acters were published in Goldberg's translations under the name "King David and his Wives," in New York's publishing house of B. W. Huebsh (185 pp.)

The one-acter "Michal" was staged in English in the "Yiddish Center," 85th Street and Lexington Avenue, New York, and "Bathsheba," which often used to be recited in English by the actress Hedwig Reicher during her guest-appearances across America.

In July 1914 P. wrote his "Beser nisht geboyrn vern (Better Not to Be Born)," a drama in four acts, and it was published in "Di vahrhayt" (New York, July 1914 [?]), and in 1918 it was included in the first volume of his "Dramas," issued by the publisher "Poale Zion," New York (pp. 153-218).

The drama in 1929 was staged by Dr. Paul Baratov across Eastern Europe.

In July 1915 P. wrote "Politik (Politics)," a comedy in one act, published in "Der yidisher kemfer," and in 1919 it was included in the second volume of his "Dramas," issued by the publisher "Poale Zion" (New York, pp. 233-257).

The one-acter was staged circa 1928 in Camp "Unity House"; fom then on the theatre building in the camp took on the name "David Pinski Theatre."

It was translated into English by Harry Birnbaum under the name "Diplomasye (Diplomacy)," and it was printed in a periodical edition; the one-acter in 1920 in Isaac Goldberg's revision was included in the volume "Ten Plays" (New York, pp. 111-134).

Between 11 July and 14 August 1915, P. composed "Nina Morden's libes," a play in four episodes, which was published in "Di tsukunft" New York, January, February, March, April 1920) and also included in the fifth volume of P.'s "Dramas," issued by the publishing house "Poale Zion," New York, (pp. 209-289). The second episode was reprinted in "Minikes yom-tov bleter," N. Y., Sukkos 1928.

On 15 November 1916, P., wrote a scene in one act, "Kleyne heldn (Little Heroes)," published in "Di tsukunft" (N. Y., December 1916), and in 1919 was included in the second volume of his "Dramas," issued by the publishing house "Poale Zion," New York (pp. 259-273).

This one-acter was published in the "Stratford Journal," Boston, 1 June 1917 (pp. 15-24) in the English translation of Isaac Goldberg, and in 1918 it was reprinted in the volume "Six Plays of the Yiddish Theatre" (Boston, pp. 24-5); in 1920 it was included in the volume "Ten Plays" (New York, pp. 135-147), and was performed in English in the "Neighborhood Playhouse" in New York.

On 22 February 1918, P. wrote his comedy in one act, "Der fonograf (The Phonograph)," published it in "Di yidishe arbeter shtime" (N. Y., May -- June 1918), and then it was included in the second volume of P.'s "Dramas," issued by the publishing house "Poale Zion," New York (1919, pp. 135--165).

 

 

Title page of "Di familye tsvi," "Yasha Kuznietz ["Yenkel der shmid"] and "Hamoshiakh Halm" ["Der shtumer moshiakh"]


Circa 1927 the one-acter was staged under the direction of Izidor Cashier at Camp "Unity House," with the parts played by the campers.

In 1920 "Der fonograf" was published in the volume "Ten Plays," in the English translation of Isaac Goldberg (pp. 1-33).

On 26 March 1918 P. wrote "Der erfinder und dem kenigs tokhter (The Inventor and the King's Daughter)," a play in one act, published in "Di tsukunft" (January 1919), also included in the second volume of P.'s "Dramas," issued by the publisher "Poale Zion," New York (pp. 207-232).

In 1931/32 the one-acter, under the direction of Leib Kadison, was staged by the "Freie folksbine" in New York.

In 1920 the one-acter, in the English translation by Isaac Goldberg, was included in the volume "Ten Plays" (New York, pp. 87-110), and since then is often performed by various amateur circles. So it was known: a production in the "Yiddish Center" in New York, 85th Street and Lexington Avenue, and a production staged by the Society for Yiddish University Students on 19 May 1927 in Liverpool, England, in the "David Lewis Theatre."

In June 1918 P. wrote "Di sheyne none (The Beautiful Nun)," a drama in one act, which was published in "Der yidisher kemfer" (New York), and later was included in the second volume of "Dramas," issued by the publishing house "Poale Zion," New York (pp. 279-287).

In 1920 the one-acter, in the English translation of Isaac Goldberg, was published in the volume "Ten Plays" (pp. 149-160), and in the summer of 1925 was staged by the author in Camp Tamiment, Pennsylvania.

On 26 June 1918 P. wrote "Der got fun dem reykhgevorenes volhendler (The God of the Newly Rich Wool Merchant)," a comedy in one act, published in "Der yidisher kemfer" (New York), and in 1919 was included in the second volume of his "Dramas," issued by the publishing house "Poale Zion," New York (pp. 182-1167?).

In 1920 the one-acter was published in Isaac Goldberg's English translation in the volume "Ten Plays" (pp. 35-49).

In the time from 3--9 August 1918 P. composed his "Libes krume vegn (Love's Strange Ways)," a drama in four acts, which was included in the fourth volume of his "Dramas," issued by the publishing house "Poale Zion," New York, 1919 (pp. 231-317).

The play was first staged on 11 December 1918 in New York's "Irving Place Theatre," under the direction of Maurice Schwartz, with the following personnel:
 

Nachum Kaplan
Mrs. Kaplan
Rachel Kaplan
Chana Gisin
Lena Lesser
Benedict Lesser
Zeltzer
Albert Forman
  Maurice Schwartz
Anna Appel
Liza Varon
Celia Adler
Berta Gerstin
Ludwig Satz
Jacob Ben-Ami
Boris Rosenthal

In 1919 P. wrote the one-acter "Toykekhe (Chapter of Curses)," published in "Der yidisher kemfer" (New York), and in 1920 included in the third volume (pp. 297-308) of P.'s "Dramas," issued by the publishing house "Poale Zion," New York.

The one-acter, in the English translation by Isaac Goldberg under the name of "Poland 1919," was published in the "Menorah Journal" (New York, August 1919), in 1920 included in the volume "Ten Plays" (New York, pp. 161-175), and was performed many times, especially with success during a teacher's conference in Toronto, Canada.

In 1919 P. also wrote "Kalikes (Cripples)," a comedy in one act, and the volume was published in "Di tsukunft" (N. Y., July 1919).

In 1920 the one-acter was published in the English translation by Isaac Goldberg in the volume "Ten Plays" (pp. 75-86), and in 1932 was issued separately by New York's French publishing house (pp. 12).

In the summer of 1925 the author staged the translation in Camp Tamiment, Pennsylvania. On 10 April 1926, the one-acter was staged by the Menorah Society by Harvard and Radcliffe colleges in the "Agassiz House," Cambridge, Massachusetts, and many times was performed by other groups.

From 18-22 June 1919, P. had written his "Adnihu," a tragedy in one act, published in "Der idishere kemfer," and included in the fifth volume of "Dramas," issued by the publishing house "Poale Zion," New York 1920 (pp. 107-128).

In 1920 P. wrote "Der aveyres jeger (The Hunter's Sins)," a scene in one act, published in "Di tsayt" (New York, 12 December 1920), and later in "Di literarishe bleter" (Warsaw, Volume 46, 1931).

In 1923 P. wrote "Dray (Three)," a drama in three acts, and it was published in the journal "Ineynem" (Chicago, 2nd and 3rd notebooks, 1924).

The play was not performed in Yiddish.

In the English translation of Celia Abramo, the play was staged by the translator circa 1930 in the "Totten Theatre," New York.

 
Left: "Der letster sakh hakhol" in Provincetown Playhouse"; Right: Baruch Aronson's stage scenery  for "Der letster sakh hakhol"

In 1923 P. wrote "Der letster sakh-hakhol (The Final Balance)," a tragedy in four acts, which was published in "Di tsukunft" (New York, October, November, December 1923).

On 29 January 1925 in the tragi-comedy, under the direction of Egon Brecher, scenery by B. Aronson, was staged in New York's "Unzer Theatre," with the following in the main roles:
 
The flour merchant
Di flour merchant's wife
A male neighbor
A female neighbor
The protsentnik
The worker
  David Vardi
Bela Belerina
Joseph Greenberg [Green]
Chava Yoalit
Victor Pecker
Jacob Bliefer

"Der letster sakh-hakhol" in the English translation of Anna K. Pinski, was staged in 1927 in New York's "Provincetown Playhouse."

In 1924 P., wrote his one-acter "Dos shenste shifl (The Most Beautiful Boat)," which was published in  the "Children's Journal" (New York, February 1928), and in the English translation by Anna K. Pinski was the winner in a content of English one-acters by the production of the author Labor Day 1924 in Camp Tamiment, Pennsylvania, by the lake.

In 1926 P. wrote "Isaak Pinieff," a tragedy of the revolutionary worker's movement in four acts, and it was published in "Der oyfkum" (New York, September, October, November, December 1926). The play is the second part of his earlier drama "Isaac Sheftel."

The third act of the play in the German adaptation by Siegfried Schmitz was printed in the September-October volume, 1932, by the Vienna-Berlin "Menorah Journal" (pp. 363-383), with an introduction by the adapter, who gives a short synopsis of the first three acts of the play.

In 1926 P. also wrote "Der ziger," a drama in three acts and eight scenes; it was published in "Der oyfkum" (New York, October, November, December 1927).

The play on 29 November 1933 was staged under the direction of Boris S. Glogolin, scenery by Morris Tenenbaum, by the "Yiddish Dramatic Circle" in Milwaukee, in the auditorium of the "Yiddish Center," with the following personnel:
 

Bert Magnin
Mrs. Magnin
Sidney
Paul
Irma Rachlis
Sam Etkin
  Yitzhak Tepper
Rachel Keyzer
Chaim Weinshel
Hershel Perlstein
Ida Bursten
Dr. Joseph Bursten

In 1928 P. wrote "Alexander and Diogenes," a historical world tragedy in five acts and twelve scenes, from which the second scene was printed in the New York journal "Di vokh" (27 December 1929), and the entire drama was published in 1930 in the Vilna publishing house of B. Kletzkin (Vilna, 180 pp.)

From 5-31 July 1928, he wrote his "Rabbi Akiva un bar kokhba," a tragedy in five acts, of which the first act was printed in "Der yidisher arbeter" (N. Y., 10 October 1930), and the last act in the book "Far yidish." The entire play was included with the author's "Entire Works (Ale verk)," volume "Mshikhim" (Warsaw, 1939, pp. 133-239).

On 13 March 1932 under the direction of Ben-Zion Gordin, P.'s "Der A. R. Z. A. B." was staged in Chicago by the "Yiddish Literary Dramatic Society," a satirical play in four acts.

On 5 April 1932 the first act of the play, under the direction of Joseph Buloff and Jacob Mestel, was staged in New York's "Mecca Temple" for the sixty year jubilee of the author.

The play was later printed in "Bodn" (New York, October-December, 1934).

In March 1932 in "Di tsukunft" P.'s "Opgezogt (Laid Off)" was published, a tragedy in one act, which was staged on 23 March 1932 by the "Yiddish Dramatic Circle" in Milwaukee in the theatre of the "Yiddish Center," with the following personnel:
 

Emanuel Shelvin
Mr. Tulin
Miss Cook
Mr. Hant
Mr. Flondzher
The Doctor
Elsie Shelvin
The Shelvin's young son
The Shelvin's young daughter
  Chaim Weinshel
Abraham Paperno
Zelde Bootzin
Hershel Perlstein
Israel Post
Jacob Leviant
Sonia Roitblat
Moshe Perlstein
Rishe Waxer

The one-acter in 1932 was published in the English translation by Anna K. Pinski in the volume "One-Acters for the Stage and Study" (New York, pp. 157-168), and very often was performed by amateur circles.

On 1 April 1934, under the direction of Mark Schweid, there was staged at the Pioneers (khalutzim) Seder in the "Central Plaza," New York, a Seder scene in one act, "Die Arbeah Bonim (The Four Sons)," which P. had especially written for that purpose.

The personnel who performed the scenes, consisted of:
 

Call for response
Response
The father
The wise one
The wicked one
The naive one
The one who does not know what to ask
  David Pinski
From the audience
Menachem Rubin
Abraham Teitelbaum
Jacob Silbert
Jacob Bergreen
Ben-Tsvi Baratov

In this connection, the printed one-acter is divided among the guests.

In "Di tsukunft" of May, June and July 1934, P. published his drama in three acts, "Der koyekh vos buit (The Strength That Builds)," which on 8 March 1935 was staged under the direction of L. Kadison in New York's "Folks Theatre."

In 1934 he also wrote "Shir a tragedye," a comedy in three acts, which was published in the New York "Der yidisher kemfer" (30 April and 7, 14, 21 and 28 May 1943).

The play under the direction of Jacob Cone was staged on a tour by the "Yiddish National Workers Union" across America with parts for: Celia Adler, Annie Lilien, Bronya Bronstein and Jacob Cone.

From 12 July -- 18 August 1935, P. wrote "Shabtai tsvi un sarah," a tragedy in five acts, and it was published in "Di tsukunft" (New York, June, July, August, September, October, November and December 1936), and later was included in his "Entire Works (Ale verk)," volume "Mshikhim" (Warsaw, 1939, pp. 241-350).

In the same year he also wrote "Mir viln arbetn (We Want to Work)," a play in one act, which on 20 December 1935 was published in the New York "Der yidisher kemfer," and the one-acter "Di shtimen fun di gefalene (The Voices of the Fallen)."

In 1937 P. wrote his "Ale tolados nakh... (All Descendants After...)," a tragedy in three acts, which was published in the New York "Di tsukunft" (October, November and December 1937).

 

Top row, right to left: Victor Pecker as "Simcha" in "Yenkel der shmid"; Luba Kadison as "Beruriyah"; Yehudit Lares and Leib Kadison as "Frume" and "Aaron" in "Yenkel der Shmid."

Bottom row, right to left: Joseph Greenberg [Green], Chava Yoalit, David Vardi and Victor Pecker in "Der letser sakh-hkhol"; Henrietta Schnitzer as "Gabri" in "Gabri and the Women."
 

 

In the same year he wrote "Di greste heldn-tat (The Greatest Heroic Deed)."

In 1938 P. wrote his play "Gulah," a mystery play in five episodes, which was published in "Der yidisher kemfer" (N. Y., 23, 30 December 1938, 6, 13, 20, 27 January and 3 February 1939).

In 1938 P. published his "Der shnayder vert a kremer (The Tailor Becomes a Storekeeper)," a grotesque in three acts and eight scenes, in "Der yidisher kemfer" (New York, Volumes 254, 255, 256, 257, 258, 259).

On 25 February 1938, the play as a comedy in three acts and six scenes was staged in Chicago by the Federal Theatre "W. P. A.," under the direction of Adolf Gertner, scenery by Clive Rickabaugh, music by David Sheinfeld, choreography and plastic (art) by Nathan Vizansky, with the following personnel:

Sam
Esther
Shop boss
Union leader
Geller
The uncle
The aunt
The chief editor
The assistant editor
  David Yanov
Genevieve Gertner
Alex Amasya
Yitzhak Fishelevitsh
L. Lewis
David Shehnholtz
Stella Shulman
Nathan Vizansky
Meyer Rosen

On April 1938 the comedy was staged in New York's "Daly's Theatre," by the Federal Theatre "W. P. A.," under the direction of Martin Wolfson, scenery by Paul Azanov, music by Morris Rauch and costumes by H. R. Kozlov, with Chaim Shneyer in the role of "Sam the Tailor."
 

photo, left: Ida Kaminska as "Tilye" in "Der oytser (The Treasure)."

In "Der yidisher kemfer," New York, on 28 April 1939 P.'s "Fun knekhtshaft to freyheyt (From Slavery to Freedom)" was published; on 9 August 1940 -- "Devorah un Barak" (a play), and on 24 January 1941 -- "Di shteyner fun libe" (a dramatic play).

In "Di tsukunft" of February 1942 P.'s play "Moner un tsoler" was printed, which was performed by Ludwig Satz and Celia Adler on a tour for the "Jewish National Workers Union" across forty cities in the United States and Canada, beginning on 11 January 1942 in New York.

In "Di tsukunft" of March 1942 there was published P.'s one-acter "Purim-shpil (Purim Play)."

P. also in "Di tsukunft" (August 1942 and others) published several monologues of biblical and historical motif, which carried general characteristics of "Israel un zayn land."

P. had in manuscripts the following plays, which were neither printed nor staged:

  • "On an entfer (Without an Answer)," a drama in four acts (written in 19230, a precursor of the play "Better Not to be Born").

  • "Di hora," a drama in three acts (written in 1932).

  • "Zumer-leb," a comedy in three acts (1933).

  • "Der tsadik un der sotn (The Wise Man and the Devil)," a tragedy in four acts (1933, built on Anski's "Tog un Nakht (Day and Night)."

  • "Der besh't un der gazln (The Baal Shem Tov and the Bandit)," a tragedy in five acts (1940).

  • "Nisht antloyfn! (Don't Flee!)," a play in three acts (1944), the drama of a refugee, who was a bavaustziker Jew in a concentration camp.
     

    Jacob Fishman dramatized P.'s story as "Di meydl beym orn-koydesh (The Girl on the Holy Casket)," and it was staged by the "Folksbiene" in 1928 in New York's "Rend School." Joseph Buloff dramatized P.'s story "Beruriya" ("Beruriya and other stories, published by David Pinski, Inc."), and staged it, together with Luba Kadison on 29 July 1932 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and then in New York.

    P.'s monologues "Geshlogn dem tatn (Beat the Father)," "In meshugim-hoyz (In the Mad House)," and "Hayntike yungelayt (Contemporary Youth)" were very often taken on my actors and by amateurs.

    P. also wrote theatre critiques in "Abend blat," "Arbeter," "Yidishe vokhnshrift," "Yidisher kemfer" and "Di tsukunft," and an article in "Di theater velt" (Volume 1, 1908), in which he came out publicly against "too much like German" on the Yiddish stage and agitated for a uniform stage Yiddish. A part of that article falls under the name "Dos yidishe drama" published in New York, 1909, (58 pp.)
     

     

    photo, right: Facsimile of the title page to P.'s play "Nisht antloyfn! (Don't Flee!)." Written at the Griner Felder Colony in Woodbridge, New York. It also states that the writing of the play began on 16 June 1942, and the date it was finished was 25 June 1944.

N. Yeri's German translation of the book was published in the Vienna "Yidishe tsaytung" of 6, 20 August, 15, 20 September, 22 and 29 October 1909.

P. is co-editor of "Di tsukunft," president of the "Jewish National Workers Union," member of Ts.?k. of the Hebrew Poale Zion party, ex-president of the Yiddish club, ex-president of the former "Yiddish Culture Society," chairman of the former Dramatic Society and "Unzer Theatre."

In April 1922 and in 1932 P. was honored on his fifty-and sixty-year jubilee (anniversary) with the publication of special jubilee editions with a biographical and bibliographical data. Articles about the jubilees and photographs of the heroes of his plays and family photographs, and in November 1942 -- for his seventy-year jubilee -- a special volume from the "Farband-shtime (Union Voice)."


P.'s plays printed in Yiddish:

* -- not checked by the editors.

[1]    Sufferings, a drama in one act ["Abend-blat," N. Y., 1899*]

[1a]   [anonymous, in the book "Im kampf," edited by the "Allgemeynem idishen arbeter-bund in russland un poylen," (2nd reprint), Geneva, September 1900, pp. 16-31].

[1b]   David Pinski, Drama, publisher "Poale Zion," New York, 1918. First volume [pp. 293-312, 16°].

[2]    Isaac Sheftel, a drama in three acts ["Der arbeter," N. Y., 1904-1905*].

[2a]   Arbeter, a drama in three acts, the International Library publication of A. M. Yevalenko, New York, 1907 [81 pp., 16°].

[2b]   David Pinski. Dramas., publisher "Poale Zion," New York, 1919.

[3]    The Mother, a drama in three acts ["Der arbeter," New York, 26 November; 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 December 1904, 14 January 1905].

[3a]   The Mother, ["Dos leben," Peterburg, January, February 1905].

[3b]   "Tsentral" Publishing Society, Warsaw, 1913 [96 pp., 16°].

[3c]   David Pinski. Dramas., publisher "Poale Zion," New York, 1918, First volume  [pp. 219-266, 16°].

[4]    The Family Tsvi, a tragedy in four acts, published by the Bund, Geneva, 12905 [78 pp., 16°].

[4a]   Publisher "Di velt," Warsaw, 1906, [82 pp., 16°].

[4b]   Publisher "Di velt," Vilna, 1906, [82 pp., 16°].

[4c]   David Pinski, Dramas, publisher "Poale Zion," New York, 1919, third volume [pp. 117-209, 16°].

[5]    Forgotten Souls, play in one act, ["Der arbeter," New York, 25 March 1905].

[5a]   A drama in 1 act, Warsaw, 1906 [16 pp., 16°].

[5b]   David Pinski, Dramas, Publisher "Poale Zion," New York, 1918, First volume [pp. 267-291, 16°].

[5c*]  A Drama in one act, Moscow, 1919, 16 pp.

[6]    The Treasure, a comedy in four acts, ["Der arbeter," N. Y., 1906-1907 (?)*].

[6a]   ["Der fraynd," Peterburg, begun from 23 April 1908*].

[6b]   David Pinski, Dramas, publisher "Poale Zion," New York, 1919, second volume [134 pp., 16°].

[7]    The Eternal Jew, drama in one act, ["Der arbeter," N. Y., 8, 15, 22, 29 December 1906].

[7a]   ["Dos yudishe folk," Vilna, 9 January 1907].

[7b]   The Eternal Jew (The Stranger), a tragedy in four parts (antoylungen), M. Gurevitsh publsiher, New York, 1914 [61 pp., 16°].

[7c]   David Pinski, Dramas, a tragedy in one act, publisher "Poale Zion," New York, 1919, third volume [43 pp., 16°].

[7d]   Dramatic poem, Warsaw, B. Kletzin, 1926, [47 pp., 16°].

[7e]   David Pinski, Every Work ("Ale verk"), Der eybiker yid, a tragedy in one act, "Mshikhis," Warsaw [1939, 36 pp., 16°].

[8]    Yenkel, the Blacksmith, a play in four acts, publisher "Progress," Warsaw -- New York 1910 [105 pp., 16°].

[8a]   A play in 4 acts, publisher "HsShakar," Warsaw Tre"g [1913, 105 pp., 16°].

[8b]   David Pinski, Dramas, publisher "Poale Zion," New York, 1919, fourth volume [122 pp., 16°].

[9]    Gabri and the Women, a play in three acts and four scenes, publisher "Naye Bine," New York, 1916 [96 pp., 16°].

[9a]   David Pinski, Dramas, publisher "Progress," Warsaw -- New York 1910 [pp. 107-180, 16°].

[9b]   David Pinski, Dramas, publisher "Poale Zion," New York, 1919, fourth volume [pp. 123-202, 16°].

[10]    With Triumphant Banners, a play in one act ["The Dramatic World," New York, March 1909].

[10a]   David Pinski, Dramas, publisher "Poale Zion," New York, 1919, fourth volume [pp. 203-229, 16°].

[10b]   David Pinski, Dramas, publisher "Progress," Warsaw -- New York, 1919, fourth volume [pp. 181-203, 16°].

[11]    Miriam of Magdala, a drama in four acts [after the second scene of the third act. "Di tsukunft," N. Y., January 1912].

[11a]   Drama in three acts and four scenes, ["Di tsukunft," N. Y., October, November, December 1913].

[11b]   David Pinski. Dramas, publisher "Poale Zion," New York, 1920, fifth volume [pp. 129-308., 16°].

[12]    David Pinski. Dramas, Professor Brener, a drama in three acts, publisher "Poale Zion," N. Y., 1918, first volume [72 pp., 16°].

[13]    The Dumb Messiah, a tragedy in three acts, ["Yidishe vokhnshrift," N. Y., March -- April 1912].

[13a]   A Drama in three acts, M. Gurevitsh publisher, New York, 1914 [112 pp., 16°].

[13b]   David Pinski, Drams, publisher "Poale Zion," New York, 1919, third volume [pp. 45-116, 16°].

[14]    The Mountain Climbers, a play in four acts, ["Dos naye lebn," New York, 1913].

[14a]   David Pinski, Dramas, publisher "Poale Zion," New York, 1920, fifth volume [pp. 305-381, 16°].

[15]    Each to his Own God, a drama in 4 acts, ["Di tsukunft," N. Y., April, May, June, July 1917].

[15a]   David Pinski, Dramas, publisher "Poale Zion," N. Y., 1918, first volume [pp. 73-151., 16°].

[16]    Gevisen (one-acter), ["Di tsukunft," New York, May 1913].

[16a]   David Pinski, Dramas, publisher "Poale Zion," New York, 1920, fifth volume [pp. 291-303, 16°].

[17]    A Dollar, one-acter, ["Di tsukunft," New York, April 1914].

[17a]   David Pinski. Dramas, publisher "Poale Zion," New York, 1919, second volume [pp. 183-206, 16°].

[18]    [King David and his Wives, five one-acters]: Michael ["Di tsukunft," N. Y., September 1914]; Abigail ["Di tsukunft," N. Y., February 1915]; Bathsheba ["Di tsukunft," N. Y., April 1913]; In the Harem ["Di tsukunft," N. Y., June 1915]; Abishag ["Di tsukunft," N. Y., February 1916].

[18a]   King David and his Wives, five one-acters, David Pinski. Dramas, publisher "Poale Zion," N. Y., 1920, fifth volume [106 pp, 16°].

[18b]   Bathsheba, ["Minikes yom-tov bleter," N. Y., Sukkos 1927].

[19]    Better not to be Born, a drama in five acts [Di vahrhayt," N. Y., 1914*].

[19a]   David Pinski, Dramas, publisher "Poale Zion," N. Y. 1918, first volume [pp. 153-218, 16°].

[20]    Politics, a comedy in one act ["Yidisher kemfer," N. Y., 1915*].

[20a]   David Pinski, Dramas, publisher "Poale Zion," N. Y., 1919, second volume [pp. 233-257, 16°].

[21]    Nina Morden's liebes (in 4 episodes), ["Di tsukunft," N. Y., January, February, March, April, 1920].

[21a]   David Pinski. Dramas, publisher "Poale Zion," N. Y., 1920, fifth volume [pp. 209-289, 16°].

[21b]   [Second episode in "Minikes yom-tov bleter," N. Y., Sukkos 1928].

[22]    Little Heroes (a scene in one act), ["Di tsukunft," N. Y., December 1916].

[22a]   David Pinski. Dramas, publisher "Poale Zion," New York 1919, second volume [pp. 259-273, 16°].

[23]    The Phonograph, a comedy in one act, ["Di yidishe arbeter shtime," N. Y., May -- June 1918].

[23a]   David Pinski, Dramas, publisher "Poale Zion," N. Y., 1919, second volume [pp. 135-165, 16°].

[24]    The Inventor and the King's Daughter, one-acter, ["Di tsukunft, N. Y., January 1919].

[24a]   David Pinski. Dramas, a postlude in one act, publisher "Poale Zion," N. Y., 1919, second volume [pp. 207-232, 16°].

[25]    The Beautiful Nun, ["Der yidisher kemfer," 1918*].

[25a]   David Pinski, Dramas, publisher "Poale Zion," N. Y., 1919, second volume [pp. 279-287, 16°].

[26]    The God of the Newly Rich Wool Merchant, a comedy in one act, ["Der yidisher kemfer," N. Y., 1918*].

[26a]   David Pinski, Dramas, publisher "Poale Zion," N. Y., 1919, second volume [pp. 167-182, 16°].

[27]    Love's Strange Ways, a drama in five acts, David Pinski. Dramas, publisher "Poale Zion," N. Y., 1919, fourth volume [pp. 231-317, 16°].

[28]    Chapter of Curses, ["Der yidisher kemfer," N. Y., 1918*].

[28a]   "Chapter of Curses," a scene from a terrible time, David Pinski. Dramas, publisher "Poale Zion," N. Y., 1920, third volume [pp. 297-308, 16°].

[29]    Cripples,  (a comedy in one act), ["Di tsukunft," N. Y., July 1919].

[30]    Adnihu, a tragedy in one act, ["Der yidisher kemfer," N. Y., 1919*].

[30a]   David Pinski, Dramas, publisher "Poale Zion," N. Y., 1920, fifth volume [pp. 107-128, 16°].

[31]    The Hunter's Sins, (a scene) [in one act], "Di tsayt," New York, 12 December 1920.

[31a]   ["Literarishe bleter," Warsaw, Volume 46, 1931].

[32]    Three, a drama in three acts, ["Ineynem," Chicago, second and third notebooks, 1924].

[33]    The Final Balance, a tragi-comedy in 4 acts with a prologue ["Di tsukunft," N. Y., October, November, December 1923].

[34]    Isaak Pinieff, a tragedy of the revolutionary workers movement, in four acts, (second part of "Isaac Sheftel"), ["Oyfkum," N. Y., September, October, November, December 1926].

[35]    The Most Beautiful Boat, a play, ["Children's Journal"], New York, February 1928], a drama in three acts and eight scenes.

[36]    Di ziger, ["Der oyfkum," N. Y., October, November, December 1927].

[37]    Alexander and Diogenes, [second scene "Di vokh," N. Y., 27 December 1929].

[37a]   World history-like tragedy in five acts and twenty-two images; Vilna publishing house of B. Kletzkin, Vilna 1930 [180 pp., 16°].

[38]    Rabbi Akiva, a tragedy in five acts [first act. "Der yidisher arbeter," N. Y., 10 October 1930].

[38a]   Rabbi Akiva, a drama in five acts, last act, ["Far idish," New York, Trts"a [1930], pp. 41-44].

[38b]   Rabbi Akiva and Bar Kochba, David Pinski, Every Work (Ale verk), volume "Mshikhim," Warsaw [1939, pp. 37-132, 16°].

[39]    Shlomo Mlkhi and David Hrubni, ["Globus," Warsaw, July, September, October, 1932].

[39a]   David Pinski, Every Work (Ale verk), volume "Mshikhim," Warsaw [1939, pp. 173-239, 16°].

[40]    Der A. R. Z. A. B., a satirical play in four acts ["Bodn," N. Y., October-December 1934].

[41]    Laid Off, a tragedy in one act ["Di tsukunft," N. Y., March 1932].

[42]    The Tailor Becomes a Storekeeper, a grotesque in three acts, eight scenes ["Der yidisher kemfer," N. Y., Volumes 254-259, 1938].

[43]    The Strength That Builds, a drama in three acts [Di tsukunft," N. Y., May, June, July 1943].

[44]    The Four Sons, a sequence of scenes [in one act], New York, 1934 [12 pp., 32°].

[45]    Shir a tragedye, a comedy in three acts ["Der yidisher kemfer," N. Y., 30 April, 7, 14, 21, 28 May 1943].

[46]    Shabtai Tsvi and Sarah, a tragedy in five acts, ["Di tsukunft," N. Y., June, July, August, September, October, November, December 1936].

[46a]   David Pinski, Every Work (Ale verk), Volume "Mshikhim," Warsaw [pp. 241-350, 16°].

[47]    We Will Work, a scene in one act ["Der yidisher kemfer," N. Y., 20 December 1935].

[48]    The Voices of the Fallen.

[49]    All Descendants After.., a tragedy in three acts, ["Di tsukunft," N. Y., October, November, December, 1937].

[50]    Gulah, a mystery play in five episodes, ["Der yidisher kemfer," N. Y., 23, 30 December 1938, 6, 13, 20, 27 January, 3 February, 1939].

[51]    The Greatest Heroic Deed.

[52]    From Slavery to Freedom (a prelude) [in one act], ["Der yidisher kemfer," N. Y., 28 April 1939].

[53]    Devorah and Barak (a prelude) ["Der yidisher kemfer," N. Y., 9 August 1940].

[54]    Di shteyner fun libe, (a drama) [in one act], ["Der yidisher kemfer," N. Y., 24 January 1941].

[55]    Moner un tsoler, a scene in one act, ["Di tsukunft," N. Y., February 1942].

[56]    Purim Play [one-acter], ["Di tsukunft," N. Y., March 1942].


In Hebrew:

[1]   A Dollar, (a comedy in one act), ["HaToren," Newark, Vol. I, June-November 1913, pp. 198-207].

[2]   The Dumb Messiah, a drama in three acts, adapted by K. Y. Silman, Yaffa, 1925 [64 pp.].


In Russian:
 

In German:

[1]    Eisik Schefftel, ein judisches Arbeiteredrama in drei Akten, von David Pinski. Autorsierte Ubertragung aus dem judischen Manuskript von Martin Buber, Judischer Verlag, Berlin [1904], [with an introduction by Martin Buber, 103 pp., 16°].

[2]    Gabri und die Frauen, ein schauspiel in drei Akten und vier Bildern. Deutsch von Fega Frisch; Theaterverlag Eduard Bloch, Berlin [1910, 79 pp.].

[3]    Der Schatz, komedie in vier Akten, Deutsch von Fega Frisch, Theaterverlag Eduard Bloch, Berlin [1910, 131 pp., 16°].

[4]    Die Familie Zwi, drama in vier Aufzugen, ubertragen von Alexander Eliasberg, [Judisches Theater," Zweiter Band, 1919, George Muller Verlag, Munchen, 122 pp, 16°].

[5]    Isaak Pinieff, drama in vier Aufzugen, von David Pinski, fur die deutche Buhne bearbeitet, von Siegfried Schmitz, dritter aufzug, ["Menorah," Wien-Berlin, September/October 1932, pp. 363-383]. [After a short overview about P.'s drama in German, the translator wrote a brief synopsis for the first two acts of "Isak Pinieff" and then the translation of the third act].


In English:

[1]    The Treasure, a drama in four acts, translated by Ludwig Lewisohn, New York, B. W. Huebsch, 1915 [194 pp., 16°].

[2]    Forgotten Souls, a drama in one act, by David Pinski, "Six Plays of the Yiddish Theatre," translated and edited by Isaac Goldberg, Ph. D., Boston [1916], John W. Luce and Col, pp. 51-83].

[2a]   Forgotten Souls, a drama in one act, translated by Isaac Goldberg, [Frank Shay and P. Loving -- "Fifty Contemporary One-Act Plays," Cincinnati, pp. 545-552).

[2b]   New York, S. French [1932, 20 pp., 16°].

[3a]   With Triumphant Banners, by David Pinski, (translated by H. Goodman), ["East and West," N. Y., 10, 1916].

[4]    Little Heroes, a war episode in one act, authorized translation from the Yiddish by Isaac Goldberg, ["Stratford Journal," Boston, June 1, 1917, pp. 15-24].

[4a]   ["Six Plays of the Yiddish Theatre," second series, Boston [1918], John W. Luce and Company, pp. 1-24].

[4b]   ["Ten Plays," New York, 1920, pp. 135-147].

[5]    A dollar!, a symbolic comedy in one act, authorized translation from the Yiddish by Joseph Michael, ["Stratford Journal," Boston, June 1, 1917, pp. 25-41].

[5a]   A comedy in one act, translated by Isaac Goldberg, ["Ten Plays," New York 1920, pp. 51-73. The comedy is translated by Joseph Michael, and is only revised by Isaac Goldberg].

[5b]   [In B. Roland Lewis' "Contemporary One Act Plays," New York, 1922, pp. 321-341].

[5c]   Samuel French, New York [1932], 24 pp.

[6]    The Dumb Messiah, a drama in three acts, translated by Isaac Goldberg, ["Three Plays," New York, 1918, pp. 167-234].

[7]    The Last Jew [The Family Tsvi], a tragedy in four acts, translated by Isaac Goldberg, ["Three Plays," New York, 1918, pp. 81-166, 16°].

[8]    Isaac Sheftel, a drama in three acts, translated by Isaac Goldberg, ["Three Plays," New York, 1918, pp. 1-79, 16°].

[9]    "Six Plays," second series, Boston [1918], John W. Luce and Co. [pp. 25-69].

[10]   Poland -- 1919, "A Scene Out of Terrible Days," by David Pinski, authorized translation from the Yiddish, ["The Menorah Journal," New York, August 1919, pp. 179-184].

[10a]  Poland -- 1919, [In one act, David Pinski, "Ten Plays," translated from the Yiddish, by Isaac Goldberg, B. W. Huebsch, New York, MCMXX [1920], pp. 161-175].

[11]   The Beautiful Nun, a drama in one act, translated by Isaac Goldberg, ["Ten Plays," New York, 1920, pp. 149-160].

[12]    The God of the Newly Rich Wool Merchant, [a comedy in one act], translated by Isaac Goldberg, ["Ten Plays," New York, 1920, pp. 35-49].

[13]    Cripples, a comedy in one act, translated by Isaac Goldberg, ["Ten Plays, New York, 1920, pp. 75-86].

[13a]   Samuel French, New York [1932], 12 pp.

[14]    The Inventor and the King's Daughter, [a play in one act], translated by Isaac Goldberg, ["Ten Plays," New York, 1920, pp. 87-110].

[15]    The Phonograph, a comedy [in one act], translated by Isaac Goldberg, ["Ten Plays," New York, 1920, pp. 1-33].

[16]   Diplomacy [Politik], a satire [in one act], translated by Isaac Goldberg, ["Ten Plays," New York, 1920, pp. 111-134. The one-act play is translated by Harry Birnbaum, and is only revised by Isaac Goldberg].

[17]    Abigail, a biblical drama in one act, by David Pinski, ["Six Plays of the Yiddish Theatre," translated and edited by Isaac Goldberg, Ph.D., Boston [1916], John W. Luce and Co., pp. 1-49].

[18]    King David and His Wives, by David Pinski, translated from the Yiddish, by Isaac Goldberg, New York, B. W. Huebsch, Inc., MCMXXIII [1923], [Michal, pp. 9 -41

[17a]   Abigail, pp. 43-96; Bathsheba, pp. 97-126; In the Harem, pp. 127-151; Abishag, pp. 153-186].

[19]    Sorrows, a drama, by David Pinski, ["Nine One-Act Plays From the Yiddish," translated by Bessie W. White, Boston [1932], John W. Luce and Co., pp. 195-218].

[20]    Laid off, a tragedy in one act, translated by Anna K. Pinski, ["One Act Plays for Stage and Study," seventh series, New York, 1932, pp. 157-168].
 

M. E. from Michael Price, Leib Kadison, Itzhak Rivkind.

Sh. E. from Jacob Mestel, Mark Schweid, Joseph Buloff, Kh. Lieberman, Leah Naomi.
 

  • Zalmen Reyzen -- "Lexicon of Yiddish Literature," Vilna, 1927, Volume II, pp. 885-898.

  • B. Gorin -- "History of Yiddish Theatre," N. Y., 1929, Volume II, pp. 183, 195, 214, 216, 218, 271, 281.

  • "Jüdisches Lexikon," Berlin, Band II, p. 192; IV, pp. 925-6.

  • Isaac Landman -- "The Universal Jewish Encyclopedia," N.Y., v. 8, pp. 538-39.

  • Joseph Jaffe -- "Di muter," "Der arbayter," N. Y., 29 Oct. 1904.

  • Ab. Cahan -- D. Pinski's "Di muter" in thalia theater, "Forward," N. Y., 11 November 1904.

  • R. B. [Sh. Janovsky] -- In di theaters, "Fraye arbayter shtime," N. Y., 12, 19 November 1904.

  • Kh. Aleksandrov -- "Di muter," "Der arbayter," N. Y., 12, 19 November 1904.

  • R. Argin -- Fun der literarisher velt, "Dos leben," Peterburg, March 1905.

  • S. M. Klorman -- Dos idishte verk, "Der arbayter," N. Y., 10, 17, June 1905.

  • R. B. [Sh. Janovsky] -- In theater, "Fraye arbayter shtime," N. Y., 2 December 1905.

  • [--] "The Family Zwee" -- A Remarkable Drama of Jewish Life, "The New York Times," 10 December, 1905.

  • M. Baranov -- In dem rustishen theater, "Forward," N. Y., 16 January 1906.

  • J. Entin -- Yakov gordin un das yidishe theater, "Der yidisher kempfer," N. Y., Number 8, 1907.

  • Z. Kornblith -- "Yenkel der shmid" in thalia theater, "Di yidishe bine," N. Y., 3 December 1909.

  • Ab. Cahan -- D. Pinski's "Yenkel der shmid" in thalia theater, "Forward," N. Y., 7 December 1909.

  • R. B. [Sh. Janovsky] -- In theater, "Fraye arbayter shtime," N. Y., 4, 11, 18 December 1909.

  • David Frischmann -- "Shriften," Warsaw, 1911, Volume III, pp. 122-128.

  • [--] In der yidisher theater velt, "Forward," N. Y., 12 October 1912.

  • [--] D. Pinski's naye piese in kessler's theater, "Forward," N. Y., 12 October 1912.

  • B. Gorin -- Yeder mit zein got, "Di tsukunft," N. Y., November 1912.

  • Algin -- In der bikher velt, "Di tsukunft," N. Y., January 1915.

  • R. B. [Sh. Janovsky] -- In theater, "Fraye arbayter shtime," N. Y., 22 April 1916.

  • [--] -- Author of Yiddish Dramas Discusses Ideals, "The New York Times," 22 April 1917.

  • Hillel Rogoff -- A naye piese fun dovid pinski in shvarts' theater, "Forward," N. Y., 13 December 1918.

  • J. Entin -- Dovid pinski's interesante piese, "Di varheit," N. Y., 15 December 1918.

  • Uriel Mazik -- Saul ruskin -- tsevy meynungen vegn dovid pinsi's nayeste piese, "Der tog," N. Y., 21 December 1918.

  • R. B. [Sh. Janovsky] -- In theater, "Fraye arbayter shtime," N. Y., 21 December 1918.

  • J. Entin -- Dovid pinski's "eyzik sheftel" oyf der bine, "Di varheit," N. Y., 19 January 1919.

  • Hillel Rogoff -- Dovid pinski's "oytser" endlikh oyfgefirt oyf der yidisher bine, "Forward," N. Y., 21 February 1919.

  • J. Entin -- Dovid pinski's "Der oytser" oyf der yidisher bine, "Di varhayt," N. Y., 22 February 1919.

  • Ab. Cahan -- Pinski's "der shtumer moshiakh" inm nayem theater, "Forward," N. Y., 5 December 1919.

  • Der kritiker -- In der teater velt, "Gerekhtigkeyt," N. Y., Number 48, 1919.

  • Y. L. Peretz -- "Literatur un leben," Tsenter band (di verk fun yitzhak leibush peretz), N. Y., 1920, "Idish" Publishers, pp. 158-162, 289-302.

  • Ab. Cahan -- Dovid pinski's piese "der oytser" in an amerikaner theater, "Forward," N. Y., 8 October 1920.

  • Hillel Rogoff -- Der id in tsvey piesen oyf brodvey, "Forward," N. Y., 14 October 1920.

  • David Pinski -- In an eygener angelegeheit, "Di tsayt," N. Y., 24 October 1920.

  • Noakh Prilutski -- "Yidish teater," Bialystok, 1921, Vol. I, pp. 9-10, 16, 23, 37, 39; Vol. II, pp. 51, 55, 87-89.

  • Baal Makhshoves -- "Shriften," Vilna publishing house of b. a. kletzkin, Vol. I, pp. 147-166, Vol. III, pp. 79-84.

  • M. Zinger -- Dovid pinski's dramen in vien, "Di tsayt," N. Y., 14 January 1921.

  • "50 yeriger yubileum fun dovid pinski, 1872 -- 1922," N. Y., 1922.

  • Sh. Niger -- Di dramatishe verk fun dovid pinski, "Di tsukunft," N. Y., June, July 1922.

  • Morris Meyer --Di vilner trupe, "Di tsayt," London, 29 October 1922.

  • Isaac Goldberg -- "The Drama of Transition," Cincinnati, 1922, pp. 379-403.

  • "Fraye yudishe falksbine -- preseshtimen," Vienna, [1922], p. 15.

  • "Freie Jüdische Volksbühne -- Pressestimmen," Vienna [1922], pp. 9, 49-50, 66, 70.

  • M. Melamed -- Dovid pinski's "oytser" in artsh, "Di yidishe velt," Philadelphia, 26 January 1923.

  • A. Fatkin -- Di moskver "habimah," "Milgroym," Berlin, Vol. 3, 1923, pp. 21-29.

  • [--] -- 25 yor shafn fun a idishn dramatisker, "Tealit," N. Y., January 1924.

  • Dr. Hillel Zolotarov -- "Geklibene shriften," N. Y., 1924, Vol. II, pp. 177-191.

  • M. Osherowitz -- Der eyndruk vos di "vilner" makhen in "yenkel der shmid," "Forward," N. Y., 24 April 1924.

  • Melech Epstein -- Di vilner tseykhenen zikh oys in "yenkel der shmid," "Frayhayt," N. Y., 25 April 1924.

  • Ab. Cahan -- Di vilner trupe in dovid pinski's "yenkel der shmid," "Forward," 26 April 1924.

  • Ben-Zion Yedidi-- Dovid pinski, "Der hium," Jerusalem, 23 October 1924.

  • [--] -- Dovid Pinski vegn zeyne verk, "Literarishe bleter," Warsaw, Number 86, 1925.

  • Ab. Cahan -- A piese mit'n nomen "der letster skh hkhl" in "unzer theater," "Forward," N. Y., 4 February 1925.

  • L. S. Bieli -- Pinski's "der letster skh hkhl," "Yiddish tagenblat," N. Y., 6 February 1925.

  • L. Krishtol -- "er letster skh hkhl" in "unzer theater," "Fraye arbayter shtime," N. Y., 6 February 1925.

  • "Dos sholem aleikhem bukh," N. Y., 1926, pp. 87-89, 222.

  • Tsvion -- "Der eybikeger id," "Forward," N. Y., 22 December 1926.

  • Shakhna Epstein -- Di "habimah-kinstler in a far'khshuf'tn kreyz, "Frayhayt," N. Y., 22 December 1926.

  • Dr. Michael Weichert -- "yehudi hanitskhi" in "Habimah," "Literarishe bleter," Warsaw, Number 89, 1926.

  • Sarah Goldberg -- David Pinski, Dramatist of Depth and Vision, "The B'nai B'rith Magazine," March 1927.

  • N. Meisel -- Dovid pinski's "der oytser" in vikt, "Literarishe bleter," Warsaw, Number 4, 1927.

  • Der lebediger -- "Di ferte vand," Warsaw, [1928], pp. 177-178.

  • Der lebediger -- "Shpiel un lebn," Warsaw [1928], pp. 25-27, 106-109.

  • Ben-Zion Yedidi -- Yehudi hanitskhi, "Dar hium," Jerusalem, 16 April 1928.

  • B. Y. Bialostotsky -- 35 yor, "Der oyfkum," N. Y., April 1928.

  • David Pinski -- Bamerkungen, "Der oyfkum," N. Y., May 1928.

  • Pesye Khna -- Dovid pinski, "Der oyfkum," N. Y., Number 10, 11, 1928.

  • Ekhonen Zeitlin -- Sensatsionele geshlekhte-dramatik oder "beser nisht geboyrn vern" fun dovid pinski, "Unzer ekspress," Warsaw, 11 January 1929.

  • Dr. A. Mukdoni -- Zikhronus fun a yidishn teater-kritiker, "Archive," Vilna, 1940, pp. 343, 359, 382, 386, 419.

  • Dr. Jacob Shatzky -- [retsenzies], dort, pp, 504-505.

  • Moshe Shtarkman -- [retsenzies], dort, p. 488.

  • M. Osherowitz -- "Dovid kesler un muni veyzenfraynd," N. Y., 1930, pp. 88-90, 116-117, 126.

  • B. Karlinius -- "Habimah," pinski, yehudi hanitskhi, "Der moment," Warsaw, 12 March 1930.

  • Sh. Niger -- A moderne problem in a historisher drame, "Der tog," N. Y., 4 May 1930.

  • Sh. Niger -- Dovid pinski's "aleksander un diagenes," "Der tog," N. Y., 11 May 1930.

  • [--] -- Kolegn-tsunoyfkum in nyu-york lkhbud dovid pinski's drame, "Literarishe bleter," Warsaw, 27 June 1930.

  • Ab. Cahan  -- Literarishe notitsen, "Forward," N. Y., 14 September 1930.

  • David Pinski -- Dovid pinski entfert ab. kahan'en, "Der tog," N. Y., 5 October 1930.

  • Z. Zylbercweig -- Lsuldus hsitrun hebri barts israel, "Haretz," Tel Aviv, 26 December 1930.

  • Y. Kh. Brnr -- "Khol khsbi," Hutsas shtibl, A"Y, Hr"ts, [1930], Khrkh Shmini, Book A', pp. 154-159.

  • "Bibliologisher zamlbukh," Moscow, 1930, Vol. I, p. 433.

  • Leo Finkelstein -- Dovid pinski's "aleksander un diogenes," "Literarishe bleter," Warsaw, Number 12, 1930.

  • [--] -- A briv fun dovid pinski, "Literarishe bleter," Warsaw, Number 40, 1930.

  • Y. Rapaport -- Dovid pinski's "aleksander un diogenes," "Vokhnshrift," Warsaw, Number 33, 34, 1931.

  • B. Y. Goldstein -- Tsi veyse ir az -- "Fraye arbayter shtime," N. Y., 3 July 1931.

  • "60 yoriger yubileyum fun dovid pinski, 1872-1932." N. Y., 1932.

  • L. Melakh -- Fuftsik un zekhtsik, "Proletarisher gedank," Toronto, March 1932; "Di prese," Buenos Aires, 20 March 1932.

  • Efrim Auerbach -- Der eybig-yunger kinstler, "Morning Journal," N. Y., 1 April 1932.

  • Dr. Kh. Zhitlowsky -- Dovid pinski, "Der tog," N. Y., 3 April 1932.

  • Y. P. [Pat] -- Dovid pinski, "Vokhnshrift," Warsaw, Number 30, 1932.

  • M. Ravitsh -- An ovnt mit dovid pinski, "Vokhnshrift," Warsaw, Number 31, 1932.

  • N. M. [Meisel] -- Der gehoybener gast, "Literarishe bleter," Warsaw, Number 29, 1932.

  • Peretz Hirschbein -- Dovid Pinski, dort.

  • [--] -- Dovid pinski vegn zikh zikh un zayn shtafn, "Literarishe bleter," Warsaw, Number 31, 1932.

  • Kh. Oreshkes -- Dovid pinski, "Shikago," Chicago, Number 20-21, 1932.

  • Morris Mason -- "Shikager dramatishe gezelshaft," dort.

  • J. Entin -- Dovid pinski, Der klasiker, "Di tsukunft," N. Y., April 1932.

  • M. Gnsin -- Brashis hsitrun barts israel, "Khol nue," Tel Aviv, (17), 29 July 1932.

  • A. B. Bialin -- "Moris shvarts un der yidisher kunst teater," N. Y. [1934], pp. 12-14, 83-84.

  • Ray Haskin -- "Der koyekh vos boyt," "Der yidisher kemfer," N. Y., 20 March 1935.

  • M. B. Stein -- "Der koyekh vos boyt," "Der yidisher kemfer," N. Y., 5 July 1935.

  • Dr. A. Mukdoni -- Bikher un shreyber, "Morning Journal," N. Y., 12 December 1935.

  • M. Rotenstein -- Dovid pinski, "Di yidishe velt," Philadelphia, 8 March 1936.

  • Dr. L. Zhitnitsky -- "Der oytser," "Di prese," Buenos Aires, 28 September 1936.

  • Shmuel Rozhansky -- "Der oytser," vos iz nisht keyn oytser, "Da"ts, Buenos Aires, 28 September 1936.

  • W. Bresler -- "Der oytser," "Morgntsautung," Buenos Aires, 28 September 1936.

  • [--] -- Agasajaran al director J. Mestel en el Argentino, "Tribuna Libre," Buenos Aires, 30 September 1936.

  • [--] -- Homenaje J. Mestel, "Teatros & Cines," Buenos Aires, 1 October 1936.

  • W. B. [Bresler] -- "Der oytser" un "shimshon un delilah," "Morgntsaytung," Buenos Aires, 3 October 1936.

  • Dr. L. Zhitnitsky -- Der oytser, "Di prese," Buenos Aires, 3 October 1936.

  • Shmuel Rozhansky -- "Der oytser" a piese far a rezhisor, "Da"ts," Buenos Aires, 4 October 1936.

  • "Eyva-bleter," Vilna, 1937, pp. 166-170.

  • R. Ben-Ari -- "Habimah," Chicago, 1937, pp. 56-61, 169-179, 186.

  • Nachman Mayzel -- Bagegenishen un shmuesen mit dovid pinski, "Da"ts," Buenos Aires, 27 February 1938.

  • [--] -- Dovid pinski "Der shnayder vert a kremer" in "greyt northern teater," "Der yidisher kurier," Chicago, 4 March 1938.

  • Dr. A. Mukdoni -- Dovid pinski's a kamedye, "Morning Journal," N. Y., 21 April 1938.

  • Joel Entin -- Dovid pinski's "der shnayder vert a kremer," "Der yidisher kemfer," N. Y., 22 April 1938.

  • William Edlin -- "Der shnayder vert a kremer," "Der tog," N. Y., 23 April 1938.

  • Kh. Gutman -- Di naye muvies fun der vokh, "Morning Journal," N. Y., 7 November 1938.

  • Ab. Cahan -- Dovid pinski's "yenkel der shmid" als yidishe toki, "Forward," N. Y., 12 November 1938.

  • Joel Entin -- "Yenkel der shmid" als film, "Der yidisher kemfer," N. Y., 25 November 1938.

  • John Simons -- "Who's Who in American Jewry?," N. Y., 1938-39, p. 816.

  • Z. Zylbercweig -- Pinski der dramaturg, "Unzer brentsh," N. Y., April 1939.

  • A. A. Roback -- "The Story of Yiddish Literature," N. Y., 1940, pp. 197-200, 260, 267, 283, 395, 405, 406, 411.

  • "Finf un tsvantsik yor folksbine," N. Y., 1940, pp. 38, 43-44, 108, 147.

  • N. Auslender -- "Yidisher teater 1887-1917," Moscow, 1940, pp. 90-92, 182-183, 204-205, 224, 256-258, 294, 310-311.

  • Yankev Botoshansky -- Kafe royal, "Di prese," Buenos Aires, 12 May 1940.

  • Avraham Regelson -- Der moshiakh-gedank dramatizirt, "Der yidisher kemfer," N. Y., 31 May 1940.

  • Joel Entin -- Etlekhe kapitlekh fun yehoshua gordon's leben, "der yidishe kemfer," N. Y., 28 November 1941.

  • Morris Meyer -- "Idish teater in london," London [1942], pp. 123-127.

  • Peretz Hirshbein -- Shreyber oyf dem amerikaner baden, "Der tog," N. Y., 8 February 1942.

  • David Pinski -- Ikh vaks a shreyber, "Di tsukunft," N. Y., April 1942.

  • Sh. Niger -- Dovid pinski, "Di tsunkft," April 1942.

  • B. Rivkin -- Di vegn fun dovid pinskis dramaturgye, dort.

  • Jacob Kirschenbaum -- Ver darf feyern dovid pinski's yubl, aktyorn tsi arbeter farband?, "Morning Journal," N. Y., 16 October 1942.

  • Jacob Kirschenbaum -- Di heyntige oyffirung fun dovid pinski's "oytser," "Morning Journal," N. Y., 30 October 1942.

  • Z. Shneyer -- Dovid pinski, "Forward," N. Y., 31 October 1942.

  • Jacob Kirschenbaum -- Idish teater gefint "klondeyk" in dovid pinski's piese, "der oytser," "Morning Journal," N. Y., 6 November 1942.

  • Khayim Gutman -- Dovid pinski's "der oytser" in sekond av. teater, "Morning Journal," N. Y., 6 November 1942.

  • B. Levitan -- Feyge forshtelung in idishen teater, fun velkher der oylem hot shtark hna gehat, "Forward," N. Y., 6 November 1942.

  • Jacob Mestel -- "Unzer teater," N. Y., 1943, pp. 23, 28, 29, 33-34, 65, 89, 101, 111-112, 167-169.

  • N. Buchwald -- "Teater," N. Y. [1943], pp. 267, 344, 382, 384-285, 387, 391.

  • Edward D. Coleman -- "The Jew in English Drama," N. Y., 1943, pp. 7, 101-102, 170-171.

  • N. B. Minkoff -- Dovid pinski, "Der yidisher kemfer," N. Y., 16 April 1943.

  • Leib Kadison -- Entdekt a piese far der "vilner troupe," "Der amerikaner," N. Y., 7 July 1944.


 

 

 

 


 

Home       |       Site Map       |      Exhibitions      |      About the Museum       |       Education      |      Contact Us       |       Links


Adapted from the original Yiddish text found within the  "Lexicon of the Yiddish Theatre" by Zalmen Zylbercweig, Volume 3, page 1762.
 

Copyright © Museum of Family History.  All rights reserved.