Libin, Z. (Zalman), 1872-1955

The collection contains play manuscripts, programs, playbills, posters, photographs, correspondence, agreements, scrapbooks, clippings, printed ephemera, and memorabilia relating to Yiddish theater primarily in the early twentieth century, especially the interwar period. Also included are items of printed ephemera related to Yiddish film, Hebrew theater, and a broad range of Jewish performers, including cantors, singers and dancers. Geographically, the materials originate predominantly in Poland and other parts of Eastern Europe, including parts of the Russian Empire and, later, the Soviet Union; and, to a lesser extent, the United States, especially New York City. Also included are materials from Western Europe, Palestine (Eretz Israel), South America, and other regions around the world. Among the theater personalities represented in the collection with significant amounts of material are Herz Grossbard, David Herman, Joseph Winogradoff, Rudolf Zaslavsky, Zygmunt Turkow, Jonas Turkow, Moyshe Lipman, Ida Kaminska, and Esther Rachel Kaminska. The theater groups best represented include the Varshever Yidisher Kunst-Teater (VYKT; Warsaw Yiddish Art Theater), founded by Zygmunt Turkow and Ida Kaminska; the Vilna Troupe; Yung Teater / Nay Teater (Warsaw; Vilna), under the direction of Michael Weichert; the Moscow State Yiddish Theater (known by its Russian acronym "GOSET"); Maurice Schwartz's Yiddish Art Theatre, of New York; and the Hebrew theater "Habimah." A wide variety of other professional as well as amateur theater groups are represented with smaller amounts of material.

- "Der bigamist" in London. Directors, J. Sherman and J. Goldsmith.

- "Der eyntsiker eydes" in Toronto, 1928. Produced by Isidore Hollander.

- "Gerekhtikeyt" in Vilna. Assistant director, M. Gurwicz.

- "Dos dorfishe meydl," 2 items. In Vilna, guest performer Berta Zaslavska, directed by J. Rakow. In Koło, 1917, directed by Julius Rakow.

- "Der iberiker mentsh," 4 items. In Lwów, with J. Guttman. In the Bronx, New York, 1932, produced by Nathan Goldberg. In Vilna, 1928, guest performer Abe Karp, directed by Sholem Brin. In Vilna, directed by Benny Adler.

- "Gebrokhene hertser." 3 items. In Riga, 1909-1910, production of the Jewish Musical-Dramatic and Literary Society "Karmel." In Nikolaev, Winter Theater Y. Y. Sheffer, farewell benefit for prima donna N. L. Krichevskaya.

The title page has a handwritten censor's note in Russian giving approval for performance, dated 8 May 1912, as well as Russian censor's stamp, St. Petersburg, 15 December 1912, and stamp for tax, 14 November 1912 (title page), and red wax seal (last page). Russian-language stationer's stamp on inside back cover. Accession no. 2/1192 (stamp). Original folder no. 4173-א.

German translation/adaptation of a Swedish-language work by August Strindberg. The title page names Libin and Strindberg as co-authors.

The title page has the date 27 March 1911 written in Russian. Russian censor's stamp, St. Petersburg, 20 August 1911, and stamp for tax, 1 August 1911 (title page), as well as red wax seal (last page). Accession no. 3/1193 (stamp). Original folder no. 4172.

German Translation by an unidentified author, of a Yiddish-language play by Libin.

Several names are signed in Russian on the last page of the play. Various notes include lists of names and, in one instance, at the back, a promotional text in English for the "Jewish Theatre Company," manager Jack Woolf, at the East London Palace. Remnants of a German-manufactured label on cover. Cover has Russian-language labeling from an unidentified theater library. Accession no. 110/2358 (stamp). Original folder no. 4173.

The title page has the date 22 April 1911 written in Russian. Russian-language stamp of N. S. Lipovski Theater, 6 February 1917. On the page with the list of characters, actors' names are penciled to the side. Notebook has Russian imprint on cover. Accession no. 362/3623 (stamp). Original folder no. 4171.

The last leaf of a manuscript, dated at the end, Yekaterinislav (Yekaterinoslav, Ukraine), 22 August 1921, signed in Cyrillic characters, by David Pokush[?]. Characters: Rokhl, Zekharia, Tsipe, Keydi, Berezin. Fragment. 1 leaf (2 pages). See also: the manuscript to which this fragment belongs, in YIVO's digitized collection RG 8000 (held in the Lithuanian Central State Archives), Shipping List 8, Folder 125. The latter manuscript, approximately 77 leaves, includes the title page, which characterizes the work as drama in 4 acts, by Z. Libin. In RG 8000, the manuscript of this play is, in part, mixed together with the leaves of another play that was copied by the same person (the other, unidentified play has characters: Manieshtke, Sankin, Muter, Poyzis, Beshinke).

Act II only. The inside covers of the notebook are printed in Russian, including a calendar for the years 1913-1914. Accession no. 84/2332 (stamp). Original folder no. 4170.