The Forward Vacation Follies, 1931

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The Forward Vacation Follies

The First Follies

August 18, 1931

THIS EVENING THE GREAT PRODUCTION OF THE "VACATION FOLLIES" IN THE SECOND AVENUE THEATRE
The production will begin a quarter after eight. -- All of the stars from the Yiddish stage, prominent writers,
stars of Broadway, dancers and musicians will participate in the rare laugh-productions. -- Tickets will be snapped up.

The great "Vacation Follies" production will take place this evening at the Second Avenue Theatre on Second Avenue and Second Street. The hottest stars of the Yiddish theatre, prominent writers and famous actors from Broadway, will participate in the production.

Listing everything that will happen at the performance is impossible. Their program is too big and diverse. In short, one can only tell about the contents of the production in a general way.

Number one -- Balalaika orchestra from the "Russian Art" restaurant.

Two -- B. Vladeck, "Master-of-Ceremonies," explained. in a plain mother tongue [mamaloshn], that he imagines that the public will be amused with the first two numbers.

Three -- "In the Kibetsarnye," a conversation with the stars. In this scene the following personnel will participate: Pesach'ke Burstein, Helen Bley, Charlotte Goldstein, Judel Dubinsky, Isidore Hollander, Sidney Hart, Reuben Wendorf, Israel Mandel, Abe Sincoff, Chaim Ehrenreich, Misha Fiszon, Max Friedlander, Benjamin Fishbein, Michael Rosenberg and Moshe Strassberg.

Four -- Sigmund Weintraub in a scene, "They Book Stars."

Five -- Abraham Reisen will read his humoresque.

Six -- Ola Lilith and Willy Godik, stars of the Second Avenue Theatre.

Seven -- "Forget Your Common Sense" by B. Botwinik. Participants taking part: Zena Goldstein, Sam Gertler and Izidor Casher.

Eight -- Elihu Tenenholtz in "Secrets of Hollywood."

Nine -- Samuel Goldinburg, star of the Lansdale Theatre in Chicago.

Ten -- Harry Green, the famous movie comic, star of "The Kibitzer" and other talkies.

Eleven -- "Sara Must Be a Star," by Ch. Ehrenreich. Participants: Mark Schweid, Anna Hollander, and "Milton Milton."

Twelve -- "Yo Picon" -- Not Picon, but Menasha Skulnik's daughter, Anna Skulnik.

Thirteen -- Belle Didjah in one of her artistic dances.

Fourteen -- George Jessel, the famous Broadway star.

"Interview with Kessler in Paradise," by M. Osherowitch. Participants: Leon Blank, Izidor Casher, and M. Osherowitch. Leon Blank will play David Kessler.

This is the first part of the "Follies." Before we talk about the contents of the second part, we want to assure those who have asked, that George Jessel will definitely come. We print today the letter he sent, in which he assures us, despite the fact that he has promised his manager that he will no longer perform at concerts this year, with the exception of the undertaking for his own children's camp. However, he feels that this evening's undertaking is for an important purpose, and that he will therefore come and do his best.

You should be assured that all those who are announced will participate. The arrangements committee, however, has made one change due to the tragic case of Boris Thomashefsky's son. Lucy Finkel, who was going to perform as Berta Gerstin, will not perform. Dr. Thomashefsky is her cousin, and she is in such a condition that she cannot attend.

Rose Goldberg is coming to help. She will take Miss Finkel's place. Mrs. Goldberg comes with a lovely thank you. Also, the role of Boris Thomashefsky was excluded from the kibetsarnye scene. Instead, Max Friedlander will perform as Max Gabel.

The second part of the production will be the thirty-year jubilee banquet, in honor of Gavriel Gorlov, with B. Vladeck as toastmaster.

The role of Gavriel Gorlov will be played by Ludwig Satz, as Satz can play a comic-tragic role.

In the concert that will be performed at the banquet, the following actors will participate: Aaron Lebedeff, Michal Michalesko, Bella Meisel, Betty Simonoff, Muni Serebroff, and William Schwartz. Alexander Olshanetsky, Mitia Viznoff, Sholom Secunda, Leo Polanski, and Joseph Rumshinsky will accompany the artists on the piano.

Before this, the following will give speeches at the banquet: Reuben Guskin, the manager of the Actors' Union, Maurice Schwartz, Ludwig Satz, Aaron Lebedeff, Paul Baratov, Joseph Buloff, Berta Gerstin, Max Rosenthal, Joseph Barondess, and children from the Yiddish schools. They will speak in this order: Mark Schweid, Michael Rosenberg, Benjamin Fishbein, Rose Goldberg, Sam Gertler, Izidor Casher, and (for the children) Benny Adler and Helen Bley.

Also, L. Krishtol will also speak, in the name of the Yiddish newspapers, and M. Osherowitch will speak for the writers in general. Hillel Rogoff will be at the banquet but will not participate with any speech. At the end they will read telegrams, and Gorlov will answer everything.

Due to the length of the program, the production will begin exactly at 8:15. Come to the production on time.

The tickets are going like snow. It is no wonder -- it is a production that will be given once in a decade.

VACATION FOLLIES A HUGE SUCCESS
-- The large Second Avenue Theatre was overfilled up to the doors at the production by the "Forward," to help send poor children to the country.
-- The program was performed exactly as it was announced. The box-office took in $2600, despite the low prices that the "Forward" had placed on tickets.
-- The artists received a great thank-you.

The day after the production. August 19, 1931.

An extraordinary production, extraordinary both in its programming, as well as the audience that came to the theatre. This was the nighttime "Vacation Follies" in the Second Avenue Theatre.

The large theatre, which seats just under 1900 people, was packed to the rafters. They simply stood from head to toe. And despite the summer heat, the audience in the theatre stayed until the very end.

And the end of this marvelous production came at a quarter past one in the morning, when Ludwig Satz, who played the role of Gavriel Gorlov, responded to all the welcome speeches. This was one of Satz's master roles, that is, the role of Gavriel Gorlov. And the large audience applauded him for a long time after the curtain had fallen.

The program of the "Follies" was staged just as it was advertised in the "Forward"; it was not changed in the least. With the exception of Samuel Goldinburg, all of the artists came and participated -- those who were the participants in the conference, those who played a role, those who only sat in as an extra in one of these scenes. The love and seriousness with which the actors participated in the production were transferred across from the stage lamps to the audience, and the large audience with proper gratitude appreciated the achievements of all of the actors, writers, dancers, musicians and stage workers who with their combined forces created the "Vacation Follies."

The production will remain weeklong in the memories of the couple of thousand people who lived through it.

The musicians and companions, Joseph Rumshinsky, Alexander Olshanetsky, Sholom Secunda, accompanied the artists on the piano.

The dressers, ushers and doormen's unions worked for free. Also the dressers, the costumers, did not charge anything for the costumes, which they had given the participants for the evening.

The clean profit from the event is still not known. The box-office took in about 2600 dollars.