Theatre Emory’s ‘Labzik: Tales Of A Clever Pup’ Described As The Yiddish Version Of Lassie

Theatre Emory will offer a free video stream of a newly created puppet show. “Labzik: Tales of A Clever Pup” is based on an English translation from the original Yiddish by Emory Professor Miriam Udel. She, along with the show’s director and puppeteer, Atlanta actor Jake Krakovsky joined “City Lights” host Lois Reitzes to discuss the adaptation.

The film will be available to stream for free from May 24 to June 5.

Official synopsis from Theatre Emory: 

Adapted from a book of children’s stories by Yiddish author Chaver Paver, Labzik: Tales of a Clever Pup follows the (mis)adventures of a clever mutt named Labzik and the working-class Jewish family that adopts him. Balancing playful humor with gritty realism, the stories find Labzik and the other residents of the Bronx up against social and political forces that are no less relevant today: unemployment, political protest, racism, police brutality, even an airborne disease. The bilingual Yiddish-English short film is produced in cinematic “miniature theater” style, employing lavishly illustrated paper puppets (performed by Krakovsky and built by designer Ryan Bradburn) to evoke the ink illustrations of the 1935 original. A cast of both student and professional voice actors brings the characters and stories to life, including award-winning Yiddish actor Shane Baker. Featuring original music from Klezmer greats Michael Winograd and Jake Shulman-Ment, and singing by Lisa Fishman and Mikhl Yashinsky of off-Broadway’s Fidler afn Dakh (Yiddish Fiddler on the Roof) and Lorin Sklamberg of Grammy award-winning klezmer band The Klezmatics.

“These stories take us to very deep, emotionally-rich, human places that I think we can all travel together,” Udel said.

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