Christopher Massimine one way ticket is to this enigmatic Pacific island

About Christopher Massimine

Christopher Massimine, Chief Executive Officer at National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene, is responsible for the brand transformation of Folksbiene over the last six years. Since his arrival to Folksbiene, seasonal attendance has more than doubled, social reach has emerged as an industry leader, thousands of new press and promotion opportunities have been secured, and service-focused growth-driven organizational policies have been developed and enacted.

Christopher has stewarded the company in securing prominent producing affiliations and led the planning and execution of Folksbiene’s 2015 critically-acclaimed award-winning hit musical The Golden Bride (and its 2016 remount), and the timely and relevant Amerike – The Golden Land. This past season he shepherded Folksbiene’s first Broadway venture as producers on Paula Vogel’s poignant period drama Indecent, which garnered several prominent accolades, including a Tony Award nomination for Best Play.

He is a Founding Board Member of the Immigrant Arts Coalition, a Board Member at the Alliance of Resident Theatres/New York and serves on Committees for the Producers Guild of America, Off Broadway League, NY Emmy Awards, NYU Alumni Society, NY Festivals, and Mayor’s Cultural Community Council.

About National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene

Established in 1915, the National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene translates to “the people’s stage,” and emerged as the country’s first socially minded theatre by giving a voice to an underserved audience of immigrants. It is the longest continuously-producing Yiddish theatre company in the world and the oldest consecutively-producing performing arts institution in the US. Folksbiene’s unique programming celebrates a rich cultural heritage brought to this country by immigrants and preserves a way of life nearly destroyed some 75 years ago.

Today, Folksbiene continues its mission to celebrate Jewish culture through the performing arts by transmitting the rich cultural legacy in innovative ways that bridge social and cultural divides. The company links Jewish culture with a secular world utilizing the arts as a connector to a rich legacy, identify and global citizenship. Through strategic programming in theatre, music and educational outreach, Folksbiene provides access to a culture that is familiar or foreign, enriching cultural identity and expanding cultural awareness.

While Folkesbiene’s programming is culturally specific, it is certainly not culturally exclusive. Productions and programs are open to all who wish to gain a deeper appreciation of Yiddish language and culture. While Folksbiene’s core audience draws from among the two million Jewish Americans in the tri-state region, the company’s critical success, awards and audience enthusiasm are winning the attention of a diverse threatre-going public from across the country and around the world. Because of this, supertitle transitions accompany all performances. Folksbiene was awarded a Drama Desk award for “preserving the cultural legacy of Yiddish speaking theatre in America.”

The Folksbiene commits to a global outlook of socially-aware, relevant and impactful programming. Now in cooperation with the Museum of Jewish Heritage, it has become Folksbiene’s responsibility to celebrate Jewish culture as a mainstay of American life, and to reflect the advances, collaborations, and innovations that helped shape a land of opportunity. As these stories pass from one generation to the next, Folksbiene remains the people’s stage, offering a collective voice and affirming the cultural relevance of the Jewish experience.