ON DELANCEY STREET

A New Musical
book by Elsa Okon Rael, Shellen Lubin, and Matthew Gandolfo / lyrics by Shellen Lubin / music by Matthew Gandolfo
loosely based on the award-winning picture book “What Zeesie Saw On Delancey Street” by Elsa Okon Rael / illustrated by Marjorie Priceman

On Delancey Street is a new two-act musical exploring the conflict between autonomy and community through a precocious girl’s adventures on the Jewish Lower East Side of 1936. The story is told from the 1970s in the same locale by “current” residents protesting the loss of their community center, and so the cast is diverse and multi-cultural.

Illustrations used by permission of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing.

For more information: thezeesieproject@gmail.com

WHEN ZAYDEH DANCED ON ELDRIDGE STREET

A New 1-hour Family Musical
book by Elsa Okon Rael / lyrics by Shellen Lubin / music by Matthew Gandolfo
based on the book by Elsa Okon Rael / Illustrated by Marjorie Priceman

Based on the award-winning picture book by Elsa Okon Rael, When Zaydeh Danced on Eldridge Street tells the story of Zeesie--a bright, inquisitive girl on the Lower East Side of New York City in 1935--and what surprises await her and her very stern grandfather on Simchat Torah, when they have no choice but to go to temple together while Mama is giving birth to a son, who Zaydeh hopes will finally be the one to carry on his legacy.

This musical was presented in a concert reading (with staging and choreography) November 17-20, 2022

starring Jordan Charney as Zaydeh
and Annabelle Wachtel as Zeesie

with:
Joanne Halev
Jacob Harran
Scott Harrison
Samantha Helmstetter

direction by Shellen Lubin
music direction by Matthew Gandolfo
choreography by Teddy Kern
production stage manager - Zija Brubaker Lubin-West
at the Edmond J. Safra Theater
in the Museum of Jewish Heritage - Living Memorial to the Holocaust
36 Battery Place - NY, NY
www.mjhnyc.org

When Zaydeh Danced on Eldridge Street was presented by the Museum of Jewish Heritage - a Living Memorial to the Holocaust. The production was made possible in part with public funds from Creative Engagement, a regrant program supported by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA) in partnership with the City Council and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and administered by Lower Manhattan Cultural Council.

This concert presentation was also supported by individual supporters. Promotional partners included NYTF (National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene), the Eldridge Street Museum, 14th Street Y, Village Yontif, Theater Breaking through Barriers, and the Women in the Arts & Media Coalition.