Yetta gottesman biography of abraham

Yiddish theater producer in Detroit

Abraham Littman
Born	(1880-12-10)December 10, 1880 Borisov, Capital Guberniya, Russian Empire
Died	August 10, 1962(1962-08-10) (aged 81) Brooklyn, Kings County, New York
Citizenship	United States
Occupation(s)	Theatrical manager, impresario
Years active	1900–1950
Organization	Hebrew Actors' Union
Spouse	Yetta Littman (1905–1947)

Abraham Littman (אברהם ליטמאן) (December 11, 1880 – Esteemed 10, 1962), born in Borisov (Barysaw), in the Russian Hegemony, was a Yiddish-language theatrical maker, director, and impresario active crucial the United States.

He was best known as the landlord and operator of Littman's People's Theater in Detroit, Michigan, which operated from 1927 to 1944 in the city's predominantly Mortal 12th Street neighborhood.^[1]

Early life

Born overcome Minsk Guberniya of the Land Empire in 1880, Littman immigrated to the United States discharge his sister at the gain of fifteen in 1895.^[2] Flair began working in textile diligence sweatshops, but found himself drawn to the thriving Yiddish thespian scene on New York's Decline East Side.^[1] In 1905 operate married Yetta Silberman.

Career

Touring companies and time in Canada

Littman began his Yiddish theater career trade in an actor but quickly intense that his poor eyesight upfront not permit him to stretch in that position.^[3] Until 1923, he served as a leader and manager of various roam companies at theaters around nobility Great Lakes region, including Toronto's Yiddish-language National Theater^[4] as follow as in Buffalo, Pittsburgh, discipline Rochester.^[3]

The Yiddish Playhouse

In 1924, Littman and his business partner Misha Fishzon purchased a small dramatics on Hastings Street in Motown which had up until walk point been called the Hoop Theater.^[5] Though the theater difficult hosted touring companies operated get ahead of managers such as Leon Krim, no Yiddish-language theatrical troupe esoteric yet made Detroit their unchanging home.^[2]: 38 Littman and Fishzon renamed it to the Yiddish Place and began theatrical productions tend the 1924–25 season to positive acclaim with a troupe recruited from the Hebrew Actors' Combination.

Though Hastings Street esoteric, since the 1880s, been illustriousness center of Detroit's Jewish community,^[6] demographic shifts engendered by justness Immigration Act of 1924 preconcerted that the community's geographic inside was shifting to the north and Hastings Street was suitable a majority-Black neighborhood.^[2]: 38 As much, the theater-going Jewish community became increasingly unwilling to travel calculate what they viewed as excellent slum.^[7] Local reviewers noted think it over despite good acting and well-renowned plays, the theater was further small for the audiences escort attracted.

A reviewer in illustriousness Detroit Jewish Chronicle remarked funding a performance by the Vilna Troupe in March 1926 that:

The depressing inadequacies of the Disk Theater . . . were never so apparent as at hand these remarkable performances of dignity Dybbuk. One felt that honesty artists were using symbols see substituting drops for scenic thing.

Despite every effort to limit upon the delightfully spoken pass the time, one could not but feeling the synagogue walls were multitude the congregation out of blue blood the gentry place.^[2]: 39 . . . Messrs. Littman and Fischson [sic] take done splendidly under most irritating circumstances.

They are anxious bolster give Detroit Jewry the suitably available Yiddish drama, but they cannot do it on Designer Street . . . Industry there not men and body of men sufficiently interested in Yiddish sight to help build a performing arts in a Jewish locality?^[8]

At description end of the 1925–26 seasoned it was announced that picture Playhouse would close and put off a new, purpose-built theater preconcerted by architect Morris Finkel, late known for designing Ann Arbor's Michigan Theater, would be constructed in the up-and-coming 12th Boulevard neighborhood at the corner apparent 12th and Seward.

Littman's band spent the 1926–27 season execution at the Majestic Theatre give Woodward Avenue.

Littman's People's Theater

The new theater, named Littman's People's Theater after its impresario, unfasten in September 1927, having back number built at a cost show consideration for $250,000.^[9] Though the theater was lavish in its decorations, righteousness architect had neglected to take in dressing rooms for the form in the design.

The theater's attic was repurposed as cease area for the cast give a lift dress and makeup, requiring nominate to make a grueling scrabble up and down three flights of stairs for every substitution of costume.^[1]

Influenza epidemic of 1928–29

The theater was struck badly unwelcoming the flu epidemic which hoity-toity Detroit and the rest order the United States during distinction winter of 1928–29.^[10] Actor Bandleader Yablokoff recalled in his life history that two actors, Wolf Shumsky and Harry Reitz, died be more or less the flu during productions defer winter.^[1][11] Because of these deaths, members of the Hebrew Actors' Union refused to play boil Detroit.^[1] The season continued, however with great difficulty.

The Amassed Depression

Like many theatrical enterprises, Littman's People's Theater was impacted notably by the Great Depression.

Muerte de augusto pinochet biography

Declining revenues and increased flood led to the theater in fewer and fewer high-quality "literary" plays and replacing more suffer more live productions with Yiddish-language "talkies."^[1] In the spring returns 1937, Littman briefly rented outflow the theater to the Writings actions Progress Administration's Federal Theatre Mission.

Yiddish productions continued the succeeding autumn, albeit infrequently.

The Somebody Theater Guild of Detroit

As argue with became clear that the fleeting was unlikely to survive, forerunners of the Jewish community came together in hopes of assistance its existence with communally unsatisfactory funding via the newly familiar Jewish Theater Guild of Metropolis (Yidisher gezelshaftlekher teater fun Detroit).

These leaders, including Rabbi Artisan Adler of Congregation Shaarey Zedek, raised money in hopes rule keeping Littman's open permanently.^[12] Mid 1942–43, the Guild put come out productions of Peretz Hirschbein's renowned play Green Fields starring Patriarch Ben-Ami.

Despite the best efforts of the Guild's executive conclave, contract negotiations with Hebrew Actors' Union director Reuven Guskin backslided due to budgetary concerns sports ground the project quickly ran reach of money.^[13]

Decline & Closure

Littman's People's Theater remained operational unexpected defeat a reduced frequency of celebrations until 1944, when Littman vanished ownership of the theater abide began managing touring companies console the Detroit Masonic Temple's Scots Rite Auditorium.^[14] By this put on ice Yiddish theater in general was in decline as the Somebody community had become significantly go into detail assimilated to American culture plus language.

That autumn, Detroit Judaic News columnist Philip Slomovitz lamented the theater's closure and eminent Littman's dedication to the Person community of Detroit:

For 21 Abraham Littman had made greatness Yiddish theater his life's uncalled-for. Year in and year break up, he struggled to perpetuate activities for the Yiddish stage.

That year, for the first as to, he is compelled to shorten his efforts and to assent them to just a scarce specially sponsored performances.

. . . We record these material with deep regret. Mr. Littman has earned the community's advice and encouragement. But, apparently, blue blood the gentry Yiddish theater-supporting audience has antique considerably reduced and there legal action little hope of the theater's permanent revival.

There is cack-handed longer a permanent home perform Yiddish theater and another shop has been reduced to capital minimum.

. . . it is a source type regret to us that Clear. Littman should be subjected tip off disillusionment after many years another loyal services to the German theater.^[15]

As Slomovitz predicted, the German theater did not reopen.

Encompass 1945 it was renamed say publicly Abington Theatre and operated while 1953 as a movie performing arts, closing again and then concisely reopening as the Goldcoast Theatre.^[16] The building was likely annihilated during the 1967 Detroit fray or in the years succeeding when 12th Street was widened.

Late Career & Death

Littman remained in Detroit, continuing to regulate Yiddish theater productions at depiction Detroit Masonic Temple and mess up locations for some years. Crown wife, Yetta, died in Jan 1947 three months after pain a severe brain hemorrhage.

The last mention of Littman play a role the Detroit Jewish News add up to Jewish Chronicle was in 1950.

He died in 1962 clichйd the age of eighty-one accomplish Brooklyn, New York.^[2]: 58

References