Free Jews on Broadway: An Historical Survey of Performers, Playwrights, Composers, Lyricists and Producers by Stewart F. Lane Page A
Authors: Stewart F. Lane
Tags: Drama, United States, General, History, 20th Century, Theater, New York, New York (State), Performing Arts, Jewish, Jews in Popular Culture - United States, Theater - New York (State) - New York - History - 20th Century, Jewish Entertainers, Jews in Popular Culture, Jewish Entertainers - New York (State) - New York - History - 20th Century, Musicals - New York (State) - New York - History - 20th Century, Musicals, Broadway (New York; N.Y.), Jews in the Performing Arts, Jews in the Performing Arts - New York (State) - New York - History - 20th Century
significance of Abie’s Irish Rose , however, moved beyond the obvious ethnic controversy. It was, in fact, among the first plays to shift the ethnic tone and portrayals of characters away from the “caricatures”
and very pronounced stereotypes found in vaudeville and toward a more realistic portrayal of how Jewish and Irish families acted in the real world.
There was also a message associated with the play, which, in a post war era, was that of tolerance and acceptance. This was presented in a light, whimsical manner.
Despite the play’s inherently positive message, Nichols could not get the play produced, as she was met with constant resistance over the subject matter. So, she mortgaged her home for $5,000 and produced the show herself. The initial reviews were anything but encouraging, and, in fact, some critics were even offended at the idea of such an ill-con ceived marriage. Nonetheless, audiences showed up to see it. They were intrigued, entertained and even educated about acceptance and tolerance. And, they kept on coming to see the unlikely hit show.
Abie’s Irish Rose , which opened in May of 1922, would close 2,327
performances later in October of 1927, having become the longest running Broadway show to date, a record it would hold for more than a decade. Two movies were later made based on the play and a television 45
Jews on Broadway
show in the 1970s, Brigit Loves Bernie , was also inspired by Abie’s Irish Rose . Ironically, some 50 years after the opening of the play, the lighthearted sitcom would once again raise the same issues of interfaith marriage and once again spark controversy. Apparently, some things never change. As it turned out, unlike the play, CBS would cave under a mountain of protest letters and cancel the show after just one controversial season.
Kosher Kitty Kelly (1925) and The Cohens and the Kellys (1926) were among several “copycat” shows that followed Abie’s Irish Rose , focusing on the Jewish-Irish theme. Along with Partners Again (1922) and several other mildly successful shows of the 1920s, the image of the Jewish character on stage matured to illustrate a more well-rounded individual, able to make an audience laugh at his or her foibles without resorting to
“shtick.” The second- and third-generation Jewish performers were no longer “unkempt” on stage or portraying ghetto life. Instead they were now seen as successful American Jews. They had businesses, fought as U.S. soldiers in a major war, were now part of the American culture and able to appeal to the wider range of theatergoers, while still being seen as “Jewish” on stage. They had succeeded in softening the Jewish stereotype and creating introspective, yet entertaining, characters that would remain an integral part of the Broadway theater for years to come.
To define the Jewish impact, and transformation, in the vaudeville era, one has to look only as far as The Jazz Singer , circa 1925, starring George Jessel on Broadway, and later Al Jolson in the classic film. The Jazz Singer was symbolic of what had been transpiring throughout the first quarter of the 20th century. In the play, the young Jessel does not wish to follow in the steps of his Orthodox family and become a cantor like his father. Instead he wishes to become a jazz singer, which was exactly the saga played out by many of the second generation of Jewish immigrants as they entered show business instead of family business, or, in many cases, opted to be vaudeville performers (as opposed to jazz singers) rather than cantors.
In the next chapter, we’ll take a look at some of the musical giants of this same era, many of whom had careers that spanned decades, including the legendary Irving Berlin. These composers and lyricists had an unparalleled impact on musical theater.
46
3
The Music of Broadway:
Classic Composers,
Legendary Lyricists
While vaudeville flourished during the first three decades of the 20th century, so did the
and very pronounced stereotypes found in vaudeville and toward a more realistic portrayal of how Jewish and Irish families acted in the real world.
There was also a message associated with the play, which, in a post war era, was that of tolerance and acceptance. This was presented in a light, whimsical manner.
Despite the play’s inherently positive message, Nichols could not get the play produced, as she was met with constant resistance over the subject matter. So, she mortgaged her home for $5,000 and produced the show herself. The initial reviews were anything but encouraging, and, in fact, some critics were even offended at the idea of such an ill-con ceived marriage. Nonetheless, audiences showed up to see it. They were intrigued, entertained and even educated about acceptance and tolerance. And, they kept on coming to see the unlikely hit show.
Abie’s Irish Rose , which opened in May of 1922, would close 2,327
performances later in October of 1927, having become the longest running Broadway show to date, a record it would hold for more than a decade. Two movies were later made based on the play and a television 45
Jews on Broadway
show in the 1970s, Brigit Loves Bernie , was also inspired by Abie’s Irish Rose . Ironically, some 50 years after the opening of the play, the lighthearted sitcom would once again raise the same issues of interfaith marriage and once again spark controversy. Apparently, some things never change. As it turned out, unlike the play, CBS would cave under a mountain of protest letters and cancel the show after just one controversial season.
Kosher Kitty Kelly (1925) and The Cohens and the Kellys (1926) were among several “copycat” shows that followed Abie’s Irish Rose , focusing on the Jewish-Irish theme. Along with Partners Again (1922) and several other mildly successful shows of the 1920s, the image of the Jewish character on stage matured to illustrate a more well-rounded individual, able to make an audience laugh at his or her foibles without resorting to
“shtick.” The second- and third-generation Jewish performers were no longer “unkempt” on stage or portraying ghetto life. Instead they were now seen as successful American Jews. They had businesses, fought as U.S. soldiers in a major war, were now part of the American culture and able to appeal to the wider range of theatergoers, while still being seen as “Jewish” on stage. They had succeeded in softening the Jewish stereotype and creating introspective, yet entertaining, characters that would remain an integral part of the Broadway theater for years to come.
To define the Jewish impact, and transformation, in the vaudeville era, one has to look only as far as The Jazz Singer , circa 1925, starring George Jessel on Broadway, and later Al Jolson in the classic film. The Jazz Singer was symbolic of what had been transpiring throughout the first quarter of the 20th century. In the play, the young Jessel does not wish to follow in the steps of his Orthodox family and become a cantor like his father. Instead he wishes to become a jazz singer, which was exactly the saga played out by many of the second generation of Jewish immigrants as they entered show business instead of family business, or, in many cases, opted to be vaudeville performers (as opposed to jazz singers) rather than cantors.
In the next chapter, we’ll take a look at some of the musical giants of this same era, many of whom had careers that spanned decades, including the legendary Irving Berlin. These composers and lyricists had an unparalleled impact on musical theater.
46
3
The Music of Broadway:
Classic Composers,
Legendary Lyricists
While vaudeville flourished during the first three decades of the 20th century, so did the
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