579:
206:
186:) suddenly appear and implore him to join them: "Don't you hear our guns David? We battle the English, the sly and powerful English. We speak to them in a new Jewish language, the language of guns. We fling no more prayers or tears at the world. We fling bullets. We fling barrages ... We promise to wrest our homeland out of the British claws."
307:
in the context of post WW2: "It was an oversimplification of the Jewish resistance in
Palestine, but what is important is that the audience, constituting the jury, indicated by its applause its vindication of all and any means Jews may use to obtain their ends – freedom in Palestine,
235:
was produced by the pro-Zionist
American League for a Free Palestine (ALFP) to raise financial and political support for Zionist causes, including the transport of Jews from Europe. The AFLP was entirely open about its political motivations—publicity materials read:
366:
cooperated to use the occasion to force the management of the
Maryland Theater to abrogate its segregation policy (blacks restricted to the balcony) for the duration of the play's run which, in the context of the times, was considered a victory for civil rights.
285:, but that play was not a commercial success and Brando was still young, relatively unknown and impecunious. Brando contended that the survivors of the Holocaust deserved to have their own land where they could live freely; he accepted only the
244:
was written to make money—to make money to provide ships to get
Hebrews to Palestine ... and arouse American public opinion to support the fight for freedom and independence now being waged by the resistance in Palestine."
144:
on a broken tombstone. After reciting the
Sabbath prayers, Tevye dreams of the town where he was born, as it was before the Nazis destroyed it. A dream sequence follows in which Tevye has visions of the biblical kings
264:, and one with a Zionist flag—superimposed over three American Revolutionary figures. Advertisements used the slogan "It's 1776 in Palestine!", portrayed members of the Irgun as "modern-day
272:'s phrase, "Resistance to tyranny is obedience to God." When Tevye dreams about addressing the United Nations, he compares Palestine in the 1940s with the American colonies in the 1770s.
358:, Americans who opposed racial discrimination began a boycott to oppose the practice of barring blacks from attending Washington theaters, and the committee moved the play to the
311:
After the play proved extremely popular, the
Broadway run was extended and a tour was arranged. The sponsoring committee included many prominent people, including composer
22:
1173:
403:
496:
189:
In the play's finale, David delivers a fiery pro-Zionist speech, moves across a bridge into
Palestine, and with the mixed sounds of "
174:, who has come for him too. He bids David farewell. As David considers committing suicide, three Jewish soldiers (representing the
1057:
362:
in
Baltimore. A special train brought members of Congress to the performance. The American League for a Free Palestine and the
276:
played in six North
American cities and raised more than $ 400,000 for the ALFP, the largest block of funds it ever attained.
1228:
857:
549:
1218:
606:
351:
745:
638:
154:
1065:
1041:
977:
158:
43:
969:
841:
253:
359:
1140:
993:
753:
520:
303:
279:
Brando had already been voted "Broadway's Most
Promising Actor" for his role as an anguished veteran in
761:
574:
445:
945:
646:
1124:
961:
937:
793:
769:
171:
1223:
1213:
1208:
849:
599:
411:
101:
has three principal characters, with other actors playing bit roles. Tevye and Zelda (played on
913:
897:
785:
697:
1081:
985:
929:
921:
817:
801:
630:
539:
355:
183:
90:(known in America by the anglicized name Peter Bergson), to raise money for Zionist causes.
1073:
809:
737:
662:
8:
1203:
1089:
1025:
1009:
953:
865:
825:
670:
578:
491:
257:
214:
210:
118:
51:
26:
1097:
1049:
1033:
1017:
678:
592:
320:
905:
729:
545:
324:
316:
312:
286:
30:
86:
was produced by the American League for a Free Palestine, an organization headed by
833:
721:
713:
269:
102:
67:
1132:
873:
705:
410:. Washington D.C.: David S. Wyman Institute for Holocaust Studies. Archived from
301:
Commenting on the play, opened on September 5, 1946, Bernard Lerner wrote in the
141:
433:
1116:
281:
122:
47:
260:. The cover of the program showed three Zionists—one with a rifle, one with a
1197:
654:
399:
249:
130:
126:
63:
1180:
1001:
889:
535:
343:
75:
568:
1166:
777:
268:," alluded to "taxation without representation" in Palestine, and quoted
265:
110:
87:
59:
261:
79:
881:
615:
218:
114:
106:
71:
55:
252:
attempted to equate the Zionist organizations in Palestine with the
458:
190:
164:
Tevye awakens to find that Zelda has died in the night. He recites
339:
335:
240:
is not ordinary theatre. It was not written to amuse or beguile.
175:
166:
137:
117:
death camp who are attempting to travel to British-administered
347:
194:
21:
363:
179:
150:
584:
205:
146:
140:
on a Friday night somewhere on their journey. Zelda lights
463:
Divided City: Coming of Age Between the Arabs and Israelis
541:
Staging the Holocaust: The Shoah in Drama and Performance
1174:
Willys Theatre Presenting Ben Hecht's Tales of the City
354:
in Washington, D.C. However, in an early action of the
54:, under British administration. With a cast including
394:
392:
390:
388:
386:
384:
382:
380:
136:
The play opens with Tevye and Zelda ushering in the
377:
1195:
533:
478:Staging the War: American Drama and World War II
193:" and gunfire in the background, raises Tevye's
113:, major stars at the time) are survivors of the
42:is a 1946 play that advocated the creation of a
170:, a Jewish memorial prayer, then welcomes the
600:
289:minimum payment so more of the proceeds from
197:as a makeshift flag and marches off to war.
153:, then imagines himself standing before the
607:
593:
577:
472:
470:
497:The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles
204:
70:on September 4, 1946. It was written by
20:
467:
350:. It was also scheduled to play at the
296:
1196:
398:
228:was produced to support such migrants.
588:
489:
50:—at the time of the play's release
13:
25:Program cover. Comparisons to the
14:
1240:
562:
293:could go towards Zionist causes.
200:
157:pleading for the formation of a
490:Kemp, Louie (October 7, 2004).
155:United Nations Security Council
544:. Cambridge University Press.
527:
512:
483:
452:
426:
408:: A Play That Changed History"
44:homeland for the Jewish people
1:
614:
370:
161:in Palestine; he is ignored.
1229:Zionism in the United States
570:A Flag Is Born
330:Following the Broadway run,
7:
1058:The Hunchback of Notre Dame
521:Atlantic City Jewish Record
304:Atlantic City Jewish Record
248:In promoting the play, the
93:
10:
1245:
1219:Compositions by Kurt Weill
623:Films written and directed
575:Internet Broadway Database
500:. Los Angeles: Tribe Media
446:Internet Broadway Database
1159:
1108:
689:
622:
962:The Miracle of the Bells
308:freedom from DP camps."
978:Where the Sidewalk Ends
858:It's a Wonderful World
492:"My Seder With Brando"
319:, New York City Mayor
229:
34:
938:Her Husband's Affairs
802:The Florentine Dagger
746:Hallelujah, I'm a Bum
631:Crime Without Passion
356:civil rights movement
208:
24:
1141:Ladies and Gentlemen
1074:Queen of Outer Space
663:Angels Over Broadway
534:Schumacher, Claude;
297:Reception and impact
129:) is an angry young
1026:Miracle in the Rain
954:Ride the Pink Horse
866:Lady of the Tropics
826:The Goldwyn Follies
762:Turn Back the Clock
671:Specter of the Rose
639:Once in a Blue Moon
524:, 25 September 1946
258:American Revolution
211:Holocaust survivors
52:Mandatory Palestine
27:American Revolution
1098:7 Faces of Dr. Lao
1082:Billy Rose's Jumbo
1066:The Sun Also Rises
1050:Legend of the Lost
1042:A Farewell to Arms
1034:The Iron Petticoat
1018:The Indian Fighter
690:Films written only
476:Wertheim, Albert:
230:
35:
1191:
1190:
1125:Twentieth Century
970:Perfect Strangers
842:Wuthering Heights
794:Twentieth Century
770:Design for Living
730:The Unholy Garden
551:978-0-521-62415-2
414:on March 25, 2015
325:Eleanor Roosevelt
317:Lion Feuchtwanger
313:Leonard Bernstein
1236:
850:Let Freedom Ring
722:Roadhouse Nights
714:The Unholy Night
609:
602:
595:
586:
585:
581:
556:
555:
531:
525:
518:Bernard Lerner,
516:
510:
509:
507:
505:
487:
481:
474:
465:
456:
450:
449:
430:
424:
423:
421:
419:
396:
360:Maryland Theater
352:National Theater
270:Thomas Jefferson
78:, with music by
74:and directed by
1244:
1243:
1239:
1238:
1237:
1235:
1234:
1233:
1194:
1193:
1192:
1187:
1155:
1104:
994:Monkey Business
874:His Girl Friday
786:Shoot the Works
706:The Great Gabbo
685:
679:Actor's and Sin
618:
613:
565:
560:
559:
552:
532:
528:
517:
513:
503:
501:
488:
484:
475:
468:
457:
453:
432:
431:
427:
417:
415:
397:
378:
373:
321:William O'Dwyer
299:
203:
159:Jewish homeland
96:
66:, it opened on
46:in the ancient
17:
12:
11:
5:
1242:
1232:
1231:
1226:
1224:Jewish theatre
1221:
1216:
1214:Broadway plays
1211:
1209:American plays
1206:
1189:
1188:
1186:
1185:
1177:
1170:
1163:
1161:
1157:
1156:
1154:
1153:
1149:A Flag Is Born
1145:
1137:
1129:
1121:
1117:The Front Page
1112:
1110:
1106:
1105:
1103:
1102:
1094:
1086:
1078:
1070:
1062:
1054:
1046:
1038:
1030:
1022:
1014:
1006:
998:
990:
982:
974:
966:
958:
950:
942:
934:
926:
922:The Black Swan
918:
910:
902:
894:
886:
878:
870:
862:
854:
846:
838:
830:
822:
818:Nothing Sacred
814:
806:
798:
790:
782:
774:
766:
758:
750:
742:
734:
726:
718:
710:
702:
693:
691:
687:
686:
684:
683:
675:
667:
659:
651:
643:
635:
626:
624:
620:
619:
612:
611:
604:
597:
589:
583:
582:
564:
563:External links
561:
558:
557:
550:
538:(1998-09-24).
526:
511:
482:
466:
451:
436:A Flag Is Born
425:
406:A Flag Is Born
402:(April 2004).
400:Medoff, Rafael
375:
374:
372:
369:
332:A Flag Is Born
298:
295:
291:A Flag Is Born
287:Actor's Equity
282:Truckline Cafe
274:A Flag Is Born
242:A Flag Is Born
238:A Flag Is Born
233:A Flag Is Born
226:A Flag Is Born
213:, sailing for
209:Jews, largely
202:
201:Zionist causes
199:
172:Angel of Death
138:Jewish Sabbath
123:Land of Israel
121:, the ancient
99:A Flag Is Born
95:
92:
84:A Flag Is Born
48:Land of Israel
39:A Flag Is Born
31:Yehudah Magnes
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1241:
1230:
1227:
1225:
1222:
1220:
1217:
1215:
1212:
1210:
1207:
1205:
1202:
1201:
1199:
1183:
1182:
1178:
1176:
1175:
1171:
1168:
1165:
1164:
1162:
1158:
1151:
1150:
1146:
1143:
1142:
1138:
1135:
1134:
1130:
1127:
1126:
1122:
1119:
1118:
1114:
1113:
1111:
1109:Plays written
1107:
1100:
1099:
1095:
1092:
1091:
1087:
1084:
1083:
1079:
1076:
1075:
1071:
1068:
1067:
1063:
1060:
1059:
1055:
1052:
1051:
1047:
1044:
1043:
1039:
1036:
1035:
1031:
1028:
1027:
1023:
1020:
1019:
1015:
1012:
1011:
1007:
1004:
1003:
999:
996:
995:
991:
988:
987:
983:
980:
979:
975:
972:
971:
967:
964:
963:
959:
956:
955:
951:
948:
947:
946:Kiss of Death
943:
940:
939:
935:
932:
931:
927:
924:
923:
919:
916:
915:
911:
908:
907:
903:
900:
899:
895:
892:
891:
887:
884:
883:
879:
876:
875:
871:
868:
867:
863:
860:
859:
855:
852:
851:
847:
844:
843:
839:
836:
835:
831:
828:
827:
823:
820:
819:
815:
812:
811:
810:Barbary Coast
807:
804:
803:
799:
796:
795:
791:
788:
787:
783:
780:
779:
775:
772:
771:
767:
764:
763:
759:
756:
755:
751:
748:
747:
743:
740:
739:
735:
732:
731:
727:
724:
723:
719:
716:
715:
711:
708:
707:
703:
700:
699:
695:
694:
692:
688:
681:
680:
676:
673:
672:
668:
665:
664:
660:
657:
656:
655:Soak the Rich
652:
649:
648:
647:The Scoundrel
644:
641:
640:
636:
633:
632:
628:
627:
625:
621:
617:
610:
605:
603:
598:
596:
591:
590:
587:
580:
576:
572:
571:
567:
566:
553:
547:
543:
542:
537:
536:Bradby, David
530:
523:
522:
515:
499:
498:
493:
486:
479:
473:
471:
464:
460:
455:
447:
443:
439:
437:
429:
413:
409:
407:
404:"Ben Hecht's
401:
395:
393:
391:
389:
387:
385:
383:
381:
376:
368:
365:
361:
357:
353:
349:
345:
341:
337:
333:
328:
326:
322:
318:
314:
309:
306:
305:
294:
292:
288:
284:
283:
277:
275:
271:
267:
263:
259:
255:
251:
250:Bergson Group
246:
243:
239:
234:
227:
223:
222:
216:
212:
207:
198:
196:
192:
187:
185:
181:
177:
173:
169:
168:
162:
160:
156:
152:
148:
143:
139:
134:
132:
128:
127:Marlon Brando
124:
120:
116:
112:
108:
104:
100:
91:
89:
85:
81:
77:
73:
69:
65:
64:Marlon Brando
61:
57:
53:
49:
45:
41:
40:
32:
28:
23:
19:
1181:Gaily, Gaily
1179:
1172:
1148:
1147:
1139:
1131:
1123:
1115:
1096:
1090:Circus World
1088:
1080:
1072:
1064:
1056:
1048:
1040:
1032:
1024:
1016:
1008:
1002:Living It Up
1000:
992:
984:
976:
968:
960:
952:
944:
936:
928:
920:
912:
904:
896:
888:
880:
872:
864:
856:
848:
840:
832:
824:
816:
808:
800:
792:
784:
776:
768:
760:
752:
744:
736:
728:
720:
712:
704:
696:
677:
669:
661:
653:
645:
637:
629:
569:
540:
529:
519:
514:
502:. Retrieved
495:
485:
477:
462:
454:
441:
435:
428:
416:. Retrieved
412:the original
405:
344:Philadelphia
334:traveled to
331:
329:
310:
302:
300:
290:
280:
278:
273:
266:Nathan Hales
247:
241:
237:
232:
231:
225:
220:
195:prayer shawl
188:
165:
163:
135:
98:
97:
83:
76:Luther Adler
38:
37:
36:
33:opposed it).
18:
1184:(1969 film)
1167:Rose Caylor
778:Viva Villa!
315:, novelist
217:aboard the
111:Celia Adler
88:Hillel Kook
60:Celia Adler
1204:1946 plays
1198:Categories
914:Spellbound
906:Roxie Hart
898:China Girl
698:Underworld
371:References
133:survivor.
80:Kurt Weill
986:Whirlpool
930:Notorious
882:Comrade X
834:Gunga Din
616:Ben Hecht
459:Bird, Kai
418:April 17,
224:in 1947.
215:Palestine
131:Holocaust
125:. David (
119:Palestine
115:Treblinka
107:Paul Muni
72:Ben Hecht
56:Paul Muni
738:Scarface
504:17 April
480:, p. 279
442:IBDB.com
254:Patriots
191:Hatikvah
103:Broadway
94:Synopsis
68:Broadway
1160:Related
1010:Ulysses
573:at the
340:Detroit
336:Chicago
256:of the
176:Haganah
167:kaddish
142:candles
1169:(wife)
1152:(1946)
1144:(1939)
1136:(1935)
1128:(1932)
1120:(1928)
1101:(1964)
1093:(1964)
1085:(1962)
1077:(1958)
1069:(1957)
1061:(1957)
1053:(1957)
1045:(1957)
1037:(1956)
1029:(1956)
1021:(1955)
1013:(1954)
1005:(1954)
997:(1952)
989:(1950)
981:(1950)
973:(1950)
965:(1948)
957:(1947)
949:(1947)
941:(1947)
933:(1946)
925:(1945)
917:(1945)
909:(1942)
901:(1942)
893:(1941)
885:(1940)
877:(1940)
869:(1939)
861:(1939)
853:(1939)
845:(1939)
837:(1939)
829:(1938)
821:(1937)
813:(1935)
805:(1935)
797:(1934)
789:(1934)
781:(1934)
773:(1933)
765:(1933)
757:(1933)
754:Topaze
749:(1933)
741:(1932)
733:(1931)
725:(1930)
717:(1929)
709:(1929)
701:(1927)
682:(1952)
674:(1946)
666:(1940)
658:(1936)
650:(1935)
642:(1935)
634:(1934)
548:
348:Boston
346:, and
323:, and
221:Exodus
182:, and
1133:Jumbo
890:Lydia
364:NAACP
180:Irgun
151:David
546:ISBN
506:2015
420:2015
184:Lehi
149:and
147:Saul
109:and
62:and
16:Play
262:hoe
219:SS
105:by
29:. (
1200::
494:.
469:^
461::
444:.
440:.
379:^
342:,
338:,
327:.
178:,
82:.
58:,
608:e
601:t
594:v
554:.
508:.
448:.
438:"
434:"
422:.
236:"
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
