The Sorceress (Di Kishefmakherin) NYC Reviews and Tickets

83%

(57 Ratings)

Positive

100%

Mixed

Negative

Members say

Entertaining, Great singing, Delightful, Enchanting, Clever

About the Show

NYTF presents one of the earliest works of modern Yiddish theater, an 1878 musical fantasy starring an innocent young heroine and her dashing fiancé. Performed in Yiddish with English and Russian subtitles.

From the show:

A magical, musical fantasy starring an innocent young heroine and her dashing fiancé, a devious stepmother, and a scheming wicked witch. “The Sorceress takes its audience into a world of illusion, intrigue, and not least of all, suspense: will Good trump Evil?

Written in 1878, The Sorceress (Di Kishefmakherin) is one of the earliest works by Avrom Goldfaden, the acknowledged father of modern Yiddish theatre. It was brought to America in 1882 by a 14-year old Boris Thomashefsky, who would go on to become one of Yiddish theatre’s biggest stars.

Show-Score Member Reviews (57)

Great staging, Great singing, Great acting, Funny, Delightful

See it if A wonderful night of theater. Fantastic. Not to be missed. Bring everyone with you.

Don't see it if If you have trouble with reading subtitles.

Romantic, Great singing, Funny, Delightful, Enchanting

See it if You want a feel good fairy tale like play/musical. It was all in Yiddish but there is translation and it was not distracting.

Don't see it if I don't know why you would not want to see this fun play. Kids would like it too.

Energetic, Charming, Great singing, Entertaining, Delightful

See it if you are ready for something joyful that's well sung and well staged. You'll laugh.

Don't see it if you don't like melodramas or opererttas. Read more

Refreshing, Entertaining, Great staging, Delightful, Ambitious

See it if charming, colorful, delightful theatricals with dramatic arch villains amuse you. Don't miss this! The singing is wonderful too.

Don't see it if Reading supertitles bothers you. Or if you require even a suggestion of realistic plotting.

Great acting, Funny, Entertaining

See it if This is a very lively production with great music, costumes and acting. The story is engaging

Don't see it if You don't like supertitles

Great singing, Great acting, Great staging, Entertaining, Delightful

See it if you want to enjoy a wonderful musical that has a moral ending.

Don't see it if you want a play that leaves you guessing at the end as to the outcome.

Escapist humor, Entertaining, Enchanting, Delightful

See it if you're happy to take yourself back to simpler times with a classic binary of good and evil, you appreciate the historical work

Don't see it if you're looking for a more complex storyline, you want a direct translation in the supertitles

Dated, Funny, Enchanting

See it if you are interested in Yiddish theatre, or theatre history; you’re interested in seeing a restoration of a classic Yiddish comedy/melodrama.

Don't see it if You don’t like subtitles; don’t like operetta; prefer modern theatre. Read more

Critic Reviews (2)

CRITIC’S PICK. "'The Sorceress’ Casts a Charming Spell in Yiddish: Now playing at the Museum of Jewish Heritage, the 19th-century operetta is a fairy tale confection you can feel right down to your kishkes."
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"The National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene...has reached even further back in the tradition of Jewish-themed theater in New York City, to 1878, presenting Avrom Goldfaden's 'The Sorceress,' the first piece of Yiddish theater to appear on an American stage..."
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Trailer

Creative team

National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene