Astoria actor lets theater fans into his living room

Folksbiene theater actor Adam B. Shapiro is bringing theatergoers into his Astoria living room for a series of streamed performances. Photo courtesy of NYTF

By Rachel Vick

Actor Adam B. Shapiro is bringing isolated theatergoers into his Astoria living room Wednesday, part of a series of streamed performances presented by the National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene.

“Live from Shapiro Hall” will air live at 7 p.m. on April 1 and features highlights from Shapiro’s time with Folksbiene, including the theater’s production of “Fiddler on the Roof” alongside icon Joel Grey. Shapiro will also reprise his role as “Gimple the Fool.”

“[Fiddler] was a surreal experience because I would never have thought a show in yiddish, even Fiddler, would get the kind of support from a mainstream audience that it did,” Shapiro told the Eagle. “And it wasn't just Jews, it was people of all faiths who had heard about this and wanted to see it for themselves." 

Shapiro moved to New York from Indianapolis 16 years ago, and came to the Folksbiene in 2008 — an unexpected union of his professional and personal life. It also reconnected him to his Jewish roots, links that many others find through the performances, Shapiro said.

“I think what we’re seeing a little more now is a generation of young Jews who want to reconnect,” Shapiro said.  “I think Yiddish Fiddler, and Yiddish theater in general, is something people are seeing and is inspiring them to investigate their Yiddish roots a little. 

Yiddish is a language traditionally spoken by central and eastern European Jews that mixes Hebrew, German, and dialects from across the region in a fusion that transcends nationalities. 

Today, phrases like “Oy” and “klutz” have made their way into day-to-day life. Although the language still exists in its traditional form among certain religious sects, historians and classrooms across the country, it has lost its prevalence among Jewish communities.

“It's my privilege, and in a certain way my duty, to keep the language visible to keep the culture visible and I'm thrilled to be part of it,” said Shapiro 

“Folksbiene Live!” continues this week at 4 p.m. on April 3 with  “An Afternoon Salon with Joe Mace: A Collection of Songs in Yiddish, English and a Few Languages in Between.” 

Performances and more information are available on their website.