, some time before 1906 The United States' first Yiddish theater production was hosted in 1882 at the
New York Turn Verein, a gymnastic club at 66 East 4th Street in the
Little Germany neighborhood of Manhattan. While most of the early Yiddish theaters were located on the
Lower East Side south of
Houston Street, several theater producers were considering moving north along
Second Avenue by the first decades of the 20th century. In 1903, New York's first Yiddish theater was built, the
Grand Theatre. In addition to translated versions of classic plays, it featured vaudeville acts, musicals, and other entertainment. Second Avenue gained more prominence as a Yiddish theater destination in the 1910s with the opening of two theatres: the
Second Avenue Theatre, which opened in 1911 at 35–37 Second Avenue, and the
National Theater, which opened in 1912 at 111–117 East Houston Street. built this theatre for actor
Maurice Schwartz ("Mr. Second Avenue") and his
Yiddish Art Theatre. After four seasons it became the Yiddish Folks Theatre, It was designated a
New York City landmark in 1993. In addition to Yiddish theaters, the District had related music stores, photography studios, flower shops, restaurants, and cafes (including Cafe Royal, on East 12th Street and Second Avenue). Metro Music, on Second Avenue in the District, published most of the Yiddish and Hebrew
sheet music for the American market until they went out of business in the 1970s. The building at 31 East 7th Street in the District is owned by the
Hebrew Actors Union, the first theatrical union in the US. , c. late 1920s or early 1930s The childhood home of composer and pianist
George Gershwin (born Jacob Gershvin) and his brother lyricist
Ira Gershwin (born Israel Gershowitz) was in the center of the Yiddish Theatre District, on the second floor at 91 Second Avenue, between East 5th and 6th Streets. They frequented the local Yiddish theaters. Composer and lyricist
Irving Berlin (born Israel Baline) also grew up in the District, in a Yiddish-speaking home. Actor
John Garfield (born Jacob Garfinkle) grew up in the heart of the Yiddish Theatre District.
Walter Matthau had a brief career as a Yiddish Theatre District concessions stand cashier. The Yiddish Walk of Fame is on the sidewalk outside of its original location, honoring stars of the Yiddish era such as Molly Picon, actor
Menasha Skulnik, singer and actor
Boris Thomashevsky (grandfather of conductor, pianist, and composer
Michael Tilson-Thomas), and
Fyvush Finkel (born Philip Finkel). ==See also==