Re: p.s. Oliver/Jewish content overall

[Eliott Kahn <Elkahn...>]

>
>Since we're sort of on the topic of Jewish musicals, anyone have interesting 
>thoughts/tidbits/source info on some of the other lesser (known) B'way shows 
>with explicit Jewish content and charachters:
>
>The Rothschilds
>Milk and Honey
>Parade
>Falsettos
>Catskills/Ukraine
>Ragtime
>others???.....


Thank you to Eve for bringing this up; I'll have to find a recording of Oliver! 
now. It's been a looong while since I've heard it.

I picked up THE ROTHSCHILDS CD and was quite disappointed by the score. It just 
didn't strike me as very good--nor do I recall it sounding especially 
"Hebraic"--please let's not discuss what this means.

On the other hand, there are two musical theatre scores with Jewish 
influences--both musical and dramatically--that I would heartily recommend. One 
is FUNNY GIRL by composer Jule Styne and lyricist Bob Merrill. The other is 
RAGS by composer Charles Strouse and lyricist Stephen Schwartz.

These are shows with distinctively Jewish characters who sing in distinctly 
American-Jewish idioms. Again, I consider the musical and dramatic idioms 
American-Jewish. For a stronger connection to Eastern European culture one must 
look to the Yiddish Theatre.

It is certainly not a coincidence that all these shows originated in the 
sixties when so many second-generation Jews were upwardly, socially mobile.

Two favorites:

FUNNY GIRL

I'm Private Schvartz fin Rockavay
And you know I've heard reports
That the Kaiser moves a block avay
When they tell him, "Here comes Schvartz...."

Tell Far Rockavay
Not to move the dock avay,
'Cause sailing home is General Schvartz!"

RAGS

Two sunny rooms facing the street,
Only last year they were painted.
One room to sit, one room to eat,
One to get better acquainted.


Eliott Kahn




>Regards,
>
>Adam Davis, Director
>Kfar Jewish Arts Center
>773.550.1543
>
>Kfar Jewish Arts Center is an inclusive arts incubator that serves to 
>stimulate, promote and produce the next generation of Jewish expression.  
>Hebrew for village, Kfar is an artistic community of local actors, musicians 
>and artists.  Visit our Kfar at  
><http://www.kfarcenter.com>www.kfarcenter.com. 

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