Soul to Soul Concert

National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene (NYTF) presents Soul to Soul at the historic Kaufmann Center

In honor of African-American History Month, Soul To Soul follows the experience of the African American and Jewish communities and their paths to America’s promise of freedom in a dazzling multi-media program.  It melds the musical traditions of the two communities, celebrating their respective cultures and commonality with poignancy and passion.

Celebrating their 109th season the National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene (NYTF), under the direction of Zalman Mlotek is visiting Pittsburgh for the first time to stage Soul To Soul. Sung by brilliant performers with careers spanning from Broadway to the pulpit, these stirring songs range from spirituals, jazz, civil rights era anthems to Yiddish traditional and theatre songs from the Great American Songbook, culminating in a high-energy collection of enthralling music, highlighting the historic partnership between Blacks and Jews.

The recently restored Kaufmann Center’s state-of-the-art Elsie H. Hillman auditorium in the city’s historic Hill District is the perfect venue for this concert. The Hill District embodies the shared history of these two communities in Pittsburgh: It was the center of Jewish life from the late 1880s into the early 1930s and, "the Hill" was the cultural center of Black life and a major center of jazz since before World War I. The venue is run by ACH Clear Pathways and serves as a vibrant artistic hub of the neighborhood and repository of this cultural legacy.

The concert features the talents of Lisa Fishman (NYTF's Yiddish Fiddler on the Roof), Elmore James (Broadway’s Beauty and the Beast), Tony Perry (Five Guys Named Moe), and Daniella Rabbani (NTF's Amid Falling Walls.) Soul to Soul was conceived in 2010 by NYTF Artistic Director Zalmen Mlotek. It is accompanied by multimedia imagery and video curated by Motl Didner that reflects the ongoing need for unity and healing in today’s socio-economic climate. The musical ensemble includes Brian Glassman, Dmitri Zisl Slepovitch, and Matt Temkin, with music direction by Mlotek.

Immediately following the concert will be a talkback with the cast on the genesis and creation of the show as well as a presentation by a respected academic from the University of Pittsburgh's History Department about jazz and the collaboration between Black and Jewish musicians in the Hill.

Soul to Soul will be staged on Saturday, Feb., 17 at the historic Kaufmann Center in the Hill District.

Tickets start at $25 and can be purchased here.