General Works
| Digital Yiddish Theatre Project | A research consortium and website applying digital humanities tools and methods to the study of Yiddish theatre and drama. |
| Sandrow, Nahma. Vagabond Stars: A World History of Yiddish Theater. | A classic, highly readable and informative overview of Yiddish theater. |
| Sandrow, Nahma. Yiddish Theater in the United States (Encyclopedia of Jewish Women) | Overview of Yiddish theater in the United States with an emphasis on women’s participation. |
| YIVO Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe | A concise yet comprehensive overview of Yiddish theater in Eastern Europe |
| Zylbercweig, Zalmen. Leksikon fun Yidishn Teater Index by Faith Jones (NYPL) | Comprehensive reference work on Yiddish theater. Use the index to find entries on individuals, theatrical companies, movements, and unions. |
Plays
Biography
| American Jewish Committee Oral History Collection Dorot Jewish Division, New York Public Library | 2,500 oral history interviews, including with Yiddish actors Online: Theodore Bikel, Lillian Lux Burstein, Joseph Buloff, Luba Kadison, Molly Picon and Jacob Kalich, Josepj Mlotek, Zero Mostel, Isaac Bashevis Singer, Michael Tilson Thomas, Richard Tucker Audio and print: Celia Adler, Sholem Asch, Moses Asch, Jacob Ben-Ami, Minna Bern, Ben Bonus, Mike Burstyn, Herschel Bernardi, Jacob Jacobs, Miriam Kressyn, Baruch Lumet, Mascha Benya Matz, Jack Rechtzeit, Seymour Rexsite, Lulla Adler Rosenfeld, Nahma Sandrow |
| Landis, Joseph. Memoirs of the Yiddish Stage | Reminiscenses of the Yiddish theatre / David Kessler Celia Adler recalls / Celia Adler From the Melody remains / Sholem Secunda From Around the world with Yiddish theatre / Herman Yablokoff From What a life! / Pesakh'ke Burstein First Yiddish theatre ventures in New York City / Marvin L. Seiger |
| NYPL Catalog | Keyword search: “Yiddish theater biography”: “Yiddish actors biography”: “Jewish actors biography” |
| Wexler Oral History Project, Yiddish Book Center | Keyword search: “Yiddish Theater” Category: Musicians, Actors, and Artists |
| Zylbercweig, Zalmen. Leksikon fun Yidishn Teater. Index by Faith Jones (NYPL) | A comprehensive source for Yiddish theater research, including biographies of individual actors, directors, composers and playwrights. |
Images
| Albom fun Idishn teater | Album of the Yiddish theater, by Zalmen Zylbercweig, with captions in Yiddish and English. |
| Center for Jewish History: Yiddish Theater Collection | Link to collection finding aids, online images, and catalog records for hundreds of Yiddish theater items. Includes 300 online images. |
| Digital Europeana | Use keywords “Jidisz” and “Yiddish Theater” to find digitized posters and other items |
| Esther Rokhl Kaminska Theater Museum - YIVO Institute for Jewish Research | Large collection including posters and photographs of Jewish theater in Poland and other countries before World War II. |
| Museum of the City of New York - Digital Gallery | Images and photographs from the Yiddish theater in New York. |
| Oysfarkoyft = Sold out! ed. Silvia Hansman, Susana Skura, Gabriela Kogan ; [translation Jane Brodie]. | Collection of Yiddish theater posters from Argentina. |
| Yiddish Poster Collection (University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee) - | Digitized Yiddish theater posters from Eastern Europe, especially Latvia. |
| Yiddish Theater in London | An illustrated overview of Yiddish theater in London, from the Jewish Museum of London. |
| Yiddish Theater Placards NYPL Digital Collections | Yiddish theater posters from New York and Buenos Aires. Use keywords “Yiddish theater” and actors’ names to find photographs and more. |
Archives
| Archive Grid | Use keywords “Yiddish theater” and names of actors to find archival collections. |
| American Jewish Archives | Use keyword search for “Yiddish theater” |
| Center for Jewish History: Electronic Finding Aids | Search finding aids for archival collections. |
| Museum of the City of New York | Finding aid for the Yiddish theater collection at the Museum of the City of New York. |
| National Library of Israel | Use keyword search for “Yiddish Theater Archives” |
| YIVO - Sidney Krum Jewish Music and Yiddish Theater Memorial Collections Guide to the YIVO Archives | Search by keyword or actors’ names. |
Need more?
- For Yiddish theater music, see “Finding Yiddish Music: A Quick Online Guide”
- For periodicals, see “A Quick Guide to Jewish Periodicals”