דער טשװאָק

der tshvok — the spike

a series of short site-specific yiddish song performances in new york city

חשון/כסלו ה־תשפב — kheshvan/kislev 5782 — october/november 2021

inspired by the work of gene “the spike” trimbell
  • performance documentation
    “all my love” (10/17/21)
  • performance documentation
    “another martyr” (10/21/21)
  • performance documentation
    “neither wife nor maiden” (10/23/21)

click here for a complete schedule

confirmed upcoming performances below

click here for the lyrics zine (coming soon)

the performances that make up der tshvok use songs from many parts of the yiddish repertoire – folk songs & ballads, children’s rhymes & tkhines, modern compositions in several styles, and original songs i’ve made over the past few years – paired with a variety of kinds of performance with bodies, objects, and images. they’re almost all quite short: barely longer than the songs they’re built around.

in all of this, they draw inspiration from gene trimbell’s acclaimed works of “micro-theater for unique audiences” (as documented by samuel r. delany). to me, however, it takes at least two people to make an audience, so i am hoping that passers-by as well as intentional attendees will see these shows.

here are a few thoughts that may help you decide which you’d be most interested to see:

  • if you like ballads and martyr songs: nokh a korbn; gib mir dayne oygn.
  • if you’re interested in veltlekhe adaptations of traditional ritual: farvert iz vayter geyn.
  • if you’re excited about new yiddish songs: vyeyet a vintele; keyn vayb un nisht keyn bsule.
  • if you ever went to the original Mehanata: a gutinke nakht.
  • if you like classic performance art: all my love; keyn vayb un nisht keyn bsule; nokh a keyver.
  • if you’re a prison abolitionist: farvert iz vayter geyn [part 2].
  • if you enjoy cantastorias: a gutinke nakht; gib mir dayne oygn.
  • if you’re interested in new york city’s radical history: nokh a keyver; farvert iz vayter geyn.
  • if you like micro-theater: vyeyet a vintele, all my love.
  • if durational performances excite you: farvert iz vayter geyn.
  • if you’re a fan of Revolutionary Girl Utena: keyn vayb un nisht keyn bsule.

all the shows will be filmed, and will be made available online as soon as possible. i’ll announce when they’re posted, and put links on this page.

dates and locations for upcoming performances:

this project has been made possible by support from a New York Foundation for the Arts City Artist Corps grant, and is part of the Aftselakhis Spectacle Committee’s 5781/2 Purim Diaspora series (supported by the NYSCA Special Arts Services program).

ראָזעלע זושוק האַלעװי