From 1955 until 1963 S.
staged at Hunter College over ten great offerings.
S. is a lecturer about
theatre, especially about Yiddish theatre, has
participated as the advisor concerning Yiddish theatre
in the exhibitions of Yiddish themes (1966-67) about the
"lower part of the East Side," holding two lectures
about Yiddish theatre (1967) under the providence of the
American Jewish Historical Society, participated (in
English) in television symposiums about Yiddish theatre
and also writes reviews about Yiddish theatre books.
Zalmen Zylbercweig writes:
"Sieger studied drama and
theatrical arts with professor Melnitz in Los Angeles
when he decided to change his career. Simultaneously he
decided that to be able properly to fulfill this change
he would need to have a Ph.D. To accomplish this he
would need to write a thesis -- "The History of Yiddish
Theatre." However, he also understood to do this he
would need to know Yiddish much better. He would have to
read Yiddish theatrical literature in the original. He
began to study Yiddish in depth... When he began to fell
more accomplished in Yiddish he wrote "The History of
the Yiddish Theatre in America in its First Ten Years,
1881-1891." These years marked the first performances by
Boris Thomashefsky in New York and the arrival of Jacob
Gordin to America.
S. was not satisfied with
theatrical literature only. He studied the Yiddish
periodicals printed in those days. However, this
too was not sufficient for him. He also studied the
non-Yiddish press from that period and documented
everything that was printed about the first Yiddish
theatrical presentations. In this manner he wrote a book
of six hundred pages, which for the first time presented
a clear picture regarding the state of Yiddish theatre
in America in its first decade. His book was based upon
accurate accounts of the Yiddish theatre in that time
period. He also included the movement of various actors
from one troupe to another. He documented the efforts to
prepare each presentation made by each troupe, their
repertoire, the economic conditions of the theatre, and
what's more the reactions of the public and of the
critics.
Marvin L. Seiger, a
theatrical researcher, created an accurate basis for
further Yiddish theatrical research. His thesis has not
been published even to this day. It exists only as a
typewritten manuscript. Copies of his thesis exist in
the Library of Congress in Washington D.C., in YIVO, and
in Indiana University that sponsored the thesis.
Based upon this work, Marvin
L. Seiger received his Ph.D. from Indiana
University. After this he became Assistant Professor in
Diction and Theatrical Reportage at Hunter College in
New York City. He was also appointed as Director of
their Theatre Workshop where he lectures on modern
theatre.
Dr. Seiger, since writing
his dissertation has become very popular in his field.
...Presently, he is assembling a living library (spoken
word interviews with veteran Yiddish theatrical
personalities, in English). He is also busily working on
the second part of his work that will include the period
from Jacob Gordin till the founding of the "Yiddish Art
Theatre," Dr.
Seiger also for a year's
time, in place and position, studied the history of
Yiddish theatre in England, which he's ready for as a
larger research project.
Sh.E.
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Zalmen Zylbercweig --
Interes tsvish amerikaner yidish yungelayt far
yidish teater, "Kultur un dertsayung," New York,
October 1963.
-
Zalmen Zylbercweig --
Milers englisher bukh vegn yidishn teater in detroit,
"Yidishe kultur," N.Y., N' 6, 1968.
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