In an exclusive 5-week engagement beginning November 23, the Drama Desk Award-winning National Yiddish Theatre – Folksbiene is presenting the U.S. premiere of “Gimpel Tam,” a new Yiddish musical based on Isaac Bashevis Singer’s short story about an innocent’s victimization by a cruel world.

As always Folksbiene is full of surprises: Based on the Nobel laureate’s most widely read work, this production, which uses the Yiddish title “Gimpel Tam,” as opposed to the title of Saul Bellow’s highly regarded English translation “Gimpel the Fool,” addresses the implicit bias of Bellow’s choice of the word “fool” to describe our hero. The issue goes well-beyond political correctness as the show challenges to analyse our feelings about victimhood, trust and innocence.

With its highly praised supertitles “Gimpel Tam,” like all Folksbiene offerings, will be accessible to non-Yiddish speakers.

The Off-Broadway production is notable for several other reasons: not only does it restore the story to its original language (the language in which it was conceived by Singer), but it is also directed by Moshe Yassur, who wrote and directed the show’s world premiere at the Jewish State Theatre in Bucharest, Romania in 2007. Yassur, who worked closely with his countryman Eugene Ionesco on several world premieres in Paris, has recast the production with New York-based actors, and is working with New York-based designers.

“Gimpel Tam” tells the morally complex story of Gimpel – often referred to as the quintessential schlemiel – an unlucky man who is beset by one misfortune after another. Gullible in the extreme, he believes even the most outlandish lies by his fellow townspeople in the shtetl of Frampol. But when given a chance to exact revenge on those who have exploited him, Gimpel says no. Is he a fool?

Folksbiene’s bold, contemporary production of “Gimpel Tam” tries to reach beyond the folksy mysticism normally associated with Singer. This is a witty, freewheeling staging that will help cast the story of Gimpel in a new light, and reveal its very modern relevance.

“Gimpel Tam” performs 36 times at the JCC in Manhattan, 334 Amsterdam Avenue, from Sunday November 23 at 2pm through Sunday December 28 at 6pm. Opens Thursday December 4 at 8pm. Schedule as follows: Wednesdays and Thursdays at 2pm & 8pm, Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 2pm & 6pm. Additional shows Tuesday November 25 at 2pm and 8pm. No shows on Thanksgiving. PRESS ARE WELCOME as of Tuesday November 25. Tickets are $55 and $45, and can be purchased by phone at (800) 595-4849, or online at www.folksbiene.org. This is Folkbiene’s sixth straight season in residence at the state-of-the-art JCC in Manhattan.