Re: p.s. Oliver/Jewish content overall

[Kfarcenter]

Interesting background on Bart, Eve.  Good stuff, and looking forward to hearing the pieces.

Having once played a role in the show, I was surprised to see a production wheere his Jewish ness was not addresses.  It was considered, I believe, not p.c., though clearly Fagin was a Jew.

Bart's sympathetic approach gave the charachter added depth and dimension, but it just showed he wasn't a completely bad guy, which I suppose was enough.  It is interesting to bring up Fiddler in the context of the conversation.  "Reviewing" is a neat diametric to "Rich Man."  Both see wealth as a means to an end-  Tevye's end is simple piety, but Fagin's is just getting past his past- respectibility.  There's nothing noble in it, so Bart doesn't go too far.

Still, his treatment beats the "Dickens" out of the original, less flattering approach.  The Chazzones background is similar in both scores, and I wonder if soemwhere in the process of arrangement (during the dog and pony show for backers) some nice Jewish pit musician didn't add some personal touches of flair here and there which found their way into the score... 

Since we're sort of on the topic of Jewish musicals, anyone have interesting thoughts/tidbits/source info on some of the other lesser (known) B'way shows with explicit Jewish content and charachters:

The Rothschilds
Milk and Honey
Parade
Falsettos
Catskills/Ukraine
Ragtime
others???.....



Regards,

Adam Davis, Director
Kfar Jewish Arts Center
773.550.1543

Kfar Jewish Arts Center is an inclusive arts incubator that serves to stimulate, promote and produce the next generation of Jewish expression.  Hebrew for village, Kfar is an artistic community of local actors, musicians and artists.  Visit our Kfar at  www.kfarcenter.com.