The Hassidic Kopple

A divine Musical by Udi Gottshalk
Directed by Gilad Kimchi / Udi Gootshalk

Yehuda and Haim are a pair of 23-year-old twins from Kfar Chabad. The first is a Torah prodigy, and the second – not a prodigy and certainly not a Torah prodigy. They must find a match, since in their “ripe old age” it simply will not do to be bachelors. The community rabbi holds a large Farbrengen for the two, during which they meet their intended brides. Yehuda the prodigy is successfully betrothed to the pious rabbi’s daughter, Rina, with the wedding set a week from now. Haim’s match is unsuccessful, and he’s expelled from Kfar Chabad until he’ll find a suitable match.

Yehuda cannot picture his wedding without his beloved twin, and the two embark on a “matchmaking mission” to find Haim a bride in just seven days! They enlist the help of a reputable matchmaker in a dubious neighborhood on the outskirts of Tel Aviv, and mix with Menashe, the head of a crime family, who terrorizes the residents of the neighborhood. What begins as a journey to find a mate, turns into such a big mess, that not even God can untangle

Play Udi Gottshalk
Directors Gilad Kimchi / Udi Gottshalk
Music Elad Peret
Musical direction Elad Peretz / Amir Lekner
Choreography Avichai Hacham
Set Eran Atzmon
Costumes Orna Smorgonski
Lighting Avi Yona Bueno (Bambi)
Dramaturgy Gur Koren and Gilad Kimchi
Director assist. Dovrat Asulin

Sound design Nirel Sharon
Vocal coaching Inbal Paz
Second Director assist Ido Bastiker
Corepetition Roy Cohen

Cast Talli Oren/ Shani Shauli, Ofri Biterman, Refael Abas, Shlomi Koriat/ Yaniv Swisa, Orel Tsabari, Daniel Styopin, Elad Atrakchi, Maya Livni, Matan Onyameh, Yifat Zohar Cohen, Dor Ohayon, Or Moshe, Gilad Merhavi, Alona Tenenbaum-Naftaly, Bar Klein, Ofek Zarko, Topaz Abadang, Anatoly Shenfeld, Roy Niv, Adi Meyouhas, Shay Shetrit/ Rephael Binyamin, Shahaf Boaron, Adir Bublil, Yael Dover

Orchestra The Revolution Orchestra: 

Omer Lackner Reichental Orchestra manger
Dr. Roy Oppenheim Conductor

“The Cameri Theatre’s new musical bears the potential to become addictive… The Revolution Orchestra led by Maestro Roy Oppenhem, present on stage most of the time, is dressed with shtreimels and is a show in its all merit, and the orchestra alone is a reason to attend the show. Choreography by Avihai Hacham  performed by the orchestra generates impressive numbers with spectacle qualities, and vast investment in props, costumes and light – and of this literally shines.” (YNET)

With hilarious and heartfelt music by Elad Peret, you’ll be asking yourself when the soundtrack is coming out. The dancing takes out as much of a Broadway quality as is possible on the smaller Israeli stage. Dances are choreographed to advance the plot and character and match the upbeat music. The play deals with serious issues such as homosexuality, especially in Hassidic communities, immigrant workers and a questionable shidduch system. Everything is with a light-hearted and fun approach 

(RACHEL GOLDA BERNSTEIN, Jerusalem Post)