Thursday, May 10, 2012

#130 The Witches of Lublin (Sue Zizza)


The Witches of Lublin is a historic tale of a musically gifted family of Jewish women in 1790's Poland. Presented with a request they dare not refuse Rivke and her daughters are invited to play for the local nobility. The result of sharing their wonderful gift in public could be quite profitable or it could lead to their ultimate demise. This true to life tale is well researched and written by Ellen Kushner, Elizabeth Schwartz, and Yale Strom and features superb acting and excellent audio design -all of which are trademarks of a Sue Zizza production. Well worth listening to! Very nicely put together story and production.


From SueMedia:
An original audio drama set in 1797 written by Ellen Kushner, Elizabeth Schwartz & Yale Strom, with music composed by Yale Strom and performed by Hot Pstromi.    

The Witches of Lublin is based on true and little known history of klezmer musicians in Eastern Europe.

Co-writer Yale Strom's research uncovered the facts that there were women klezmer musicians, and that when klezmers would play for gentile nobility, their reward could sometimes be beatings, death or even kidnappings. This history formed the springboard for this work of fiction by Strom, Schwartz and Kushner based on Jewish women's lives in 18th Century Europe, klezmer music and feminist history, with a healthy dose of magical realism thrown in.

The Witches of Lublin tells the story of Rivke and her daughters, women klezmer musicians in the town of Lublin, Poland in the year 1797. It is a celebration of music and family, of lost women’s history, with gorgeous performances by Tova Feldshuh as Rivke, Simon Jones as Count Sobieski, Barbara Rosenblat, and a host of acting and musical talent (including Neil Gaiman as the Count’s lovestruck son!).

The Witches of Lublin has received 3 Audie nominations, a Gracie Award for Best Director and a Wilbur Award from the RCC. It was also the winner of the New Radio Theater's Top 10 Radio Plays contest.

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