Yiddish Theatre District

[1][2][3][4][5] The District hosted performances in Yiddish of Jewish, Shakespearean, classic, and original plays, comedies, operettas, and dramas, as well as vaudeville, burlesque, and musical shows.

[3][6][7] By World War I, the Yiddish Theatre District was cited by journalists Lincoln Steffens, Norman Hapgood, and others as the best in the city.

[6] Among those who began their careers in the Yiddish Theatre District were actor Paul Muni and actress, lyricist, and dramatic storyteller Molly Picon (born Małka Opiekun).

[35][36] The Yiddish Walk of Fame is on the sidewalk outside of its original location, honoring stars of the Yiddish era such as Molly Picon, actor Menasha Skulnik, singer and actor Boris Thomashevsky (grandfather of conductor, pianist, and composer Michael Tilson-Thomas), and Fyvush Finkel (born Philip Finkel).

[1][35] In 2006, New York Governor George Pataki announced $200,000 in state funding would be provided to the Folksbiene, the last remaining historical Yiddish theatre company.

The Grand Theatre , some time before 1906
In 1926, developer Louis N. Jaffe built this theatre for actor Maurice Schwartz ("Mr. Second Avenue") and his Yiddish Art Theatre . After four seasons it became the Yiddish Folks Theatre, [ 17 ] then a movie theatre, the home of the Phoenix Theatre , the Entermedia Theatre, and now a movie theater again, the Village East Cinema . [ 18 ] It was designated a New York City landmark in 1993. [ 17 ]
George Gershwin , c. late 1920s or early 1930s