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THE BLACKSMITH'S DAUGHTERS1,
by Peretz Hirschbein
(Yiddish: Dem shmid's tekhter)
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CAST OF "THE
BLACKSMITH'S DAUGHTERS"
The Peretz Hirschbein
Yiddish Troupe
probably 1942
Parkway Theatre, Brooklyn, New York
Photograph by Ivan Bussatt
Courtesy of the Museum of the City
of New York
Cast:
Back row, l. to r.: Yudel Dubinsky,
?, Izidor Casher, Leon Gold, ?.
Seated, l. to r.: Muriel Gruber,
playwright Peretz Hirscbein, Flora
Freiman.
This particular production was
directed by Izidore Casher,
and it was the start of a
transcontinental tour by the
company.
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Peretz
Hirschbein's "The Blacksmith's
Daughters" has been performed many
times, at least several times alone
by the Yiddish Art Theatre, i.e. on
21 February 1919; in 1929 for the
first time on the Pacific Coast; on
13 January 1948, as a benefit for
the Yiddish Theatrical Alliance.
The
play is a romantic comedy in three
acts, and it takes place in a
Russian village.
The 1929 Pacific
Coast production of "The Blacksmith's Daughters"
included the following cast: Morris Strassberg,
Izidore Casher, Bertha Gerstin, Celia Adler,
Maurice Schwartz, Anatole Winagradoff and Morris
Silberkasten.
Below is the
synopsis of Hirschbein's "The Blacksmith's
Daughters". The
name of the actor or actress who portrayed a particular
role (1929 production) is indicated in parentheses. |
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photo:
Berta Gerstin in "The Blacksmith's
Daughters", 1919 production.
Courtesy of the Museum of the City
of New York. |
SYNOPSIS
ACT ONE
In the smithy's
forge. Nisen Alter (Maurice Schwartz), the Smith's helper, is
taking eggs from the chicken's nest when Zelde
(Celia Adler),
one of the blacksmith's twin daughters enters
singing. She has come to gather eggs. In the
conversation which follows, Zelde inveighs
against her sister, Leah Dobbe (Bertha Gerstin). Though they are
twins, there is a rivalry between them as to
which should be considered the elder. Zelde was
born one hour earlier, but Leah Dobbe is bigger.
Nisen Alter and Zelde [debate] as to which of the two he
considers the better cook. Zelde seems quite
anxious to please him and tried to detract from
his interest in Leah. While they are talking,
Samuel Simcha (Morris Strassberg), Zelde's grandfather, enters
singing a Hebrew song. He seems in a happy frame
of mind, and though they try to get this opinion
of the two sisters, he is evasive and leaves.
Zelde also leaves, but steals back into the
doorway. Nisen, busy with his work, does not
notice her, and as Leah Dobbe enters by the
other door, Zelde disappears. Leah has come to
invite Nisen in to breakfast, but when she hears
that Zelde has been talking to him, she wishes to
know what has been said and attempts to mold
Nisen's opinion in favor of herself, berating
Zelde. After Leah leaves, Zelde reenters. She
has been listening to their conversation and is
angry and claims she is much stronger than Leah
Dobbe. Leah returns in time to overhear this and
they attempt to decide the question by fighting.
Zelde is thrown down and quickly runs out. When
Leah Dobbe leaves, Nisen tries to call her back,
but as there is no answer, he goes on with his
work. Nachmun Ber (Izidore Casher), the father of the girls,
enters. They discuss business matters and Nisen
Alter finally tells Nachmun Ber that he wishes
to become the latter's son-in-law. The father is
highly pleased at the prospect. They try to
decide which of the two girls is the elder,
finally agreeing on Zelde--with the hope that
she may still grow. A young man appears in the
doorway. He has tramped from the city and is
looking for work as a blacksmith. he tells them
his name is Baruch Moishe (Anatole Winagradoff) and begs for a week's
trial in the smithy, which Nachmun Ber grants
him. Leah Dobbe enters to call them to breakfast
and seems in a bad temper, when they talk of
putting the stranger up. Zelde and the
grandfather enter and greet Baruch Moishe, then
they all leave to eat.
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SCENE FROM "THE
BLACKSMITH'S DAUGHTERS"
1935-1948
Photograph by Ivan Bussatt
Courtesy of the Museum of the City
of New York |
ACT TWO
The two girls are
doing the housework. It seems that Leah Dobbe
always has the work to do and is, at this time,
in a morose mood, while Zelde seems quite
light-hearted. They quarrel over Nisen Alter and
though Leah persists in being grouchy, Zelde is
quite flippant. Zelde starts to wash the floor,
and Leah Dobbe, failing to stop her, runs out
presumably to tell her father. Zelde finds her
crying outside and brings her back. Zelde begins
to feel sorry for her sister and tries to
comfort her. Leah Dobbe begs her to keep Nisen
Alter and not stand in her way with Baruch
Moishe with whom she has fallen in love. Zelde
promises her and gives Leah a love potion to put
in Baruch's food. Zelde swears that though she
has given some to Nisen, she has never tried in
on Baruch. Baruch enters and is surprised to see
that Zelde is doing such heavy housework and
helps her with it as Leah prepares the meal. He
tells them that he has quarreled with Nisen
Alter. When Samuel Simcha enters he Is also
surprised to see that Zelde has taken to
housework. Nisen Alter enters and taunts Baruch,
who throws a wet rag at Nisen. The latter
attempts to strike Baruch, but Leah Dobbe throws
him out. This amuses Zelde highly, and Baruch
laughingly dares Leah to throw him out too,
which Leah succeeds in doing. Zelde tells her
sister that she can have her choice of either of
the young men for a sweetheart. After Leah
leaves, Samuel Simcha enters and Zelde tells him
of her preference for Baruch. Nachmun Ber
enters in a rage, declaring that Zelde must be
married soon. When Leah enters he scolds her for
having spoiled Zelde whom he threatens to beat.
Leah tells them that she fears Baruch is going
to leave them. To prevent this, Zelde hides
Baruch's belongings. The men come in to eat,
Baruch bringing up the rear. Leah serves them
and puts the potion in Baruch's plate. As she is
about to take it to him, Zelde rushes by,
purposely knocking the plate from Leah's hand.
ACT THREE
Zelde has remained
in the city, presumably until after the High
Holidays. It is very early in the morning when
Nisen and Simcha enter the forge. Baruch is
still fast asleep in the house. Leah enters
later and Nisen tells her he did not know how
nice she really was. He wishes to tell her
something, but she, feigning to be busy, runs
out. When Nachmun Ber enters Nisen tells him he
has changed his mind and wishes to marry Leah
Dobbe instead. Zelde returns unexpectedly,
having been driven in by a strange Jew from the
city. Nisen also tells her of his desire to
marry Leah Dobbe, and she runs off to break the
news to her sister. Baruch enters and tells
Nisen that he wishes to leave. He says that he
will no longer stand in Nisen's way with Zelde,
but that he now wants Leah Dobbe. Nisen tells
Baruch that he is going to marry Leah himself.
Baruch leaves, saying that he is going to talk
to Leah. Zelde enters crying, followed by Leah
who has come to take her sister in to breakfast.
Nisen learns that Baruch has told Leah nothing,
and that Baruch intends leaving with the man who
brought Zelde home. Nisen, wishing to talk to
Baruch, runs out to find him. Zelde accuses Leah
Dobbe of trying to come between her and Nisen
Alter. The father, grandfather and the strange
Jew (Morris Silberkasten) enter. The latter attempts to sell them
prayer books and offers his services as a
matchmaker for the blacksmith's daughters, but
the blacksmith will give no dowry. Nisen and
Baruch enter. The latter is impatient to leave,
but Nisen will not let him. The stranger,
anxious to earn his fee as a matchmaker, tries
to find out how things stand, but the affairs of
the two girls and the two young men are so
complicated that no one can figure it all out.
When Leah Dobbe comes in, her father tells her
of Nisen's proposal for her hand, and as Nisen
and the two girls argue things become even more
tangled. Baruch is attempting to find out who
hid his belongings, and Leah tells him that it
was she. Baruch declares his love for Leah, and
this time it is Nisen who says he is going away.
But as everything begins to straighten itself
out Nisen finally declares himself for Zelde.
With everything settled, everyone is put in a
happy frame of mind.
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