The mythical comic town of Chelm is a beloved staple of Yiddish literature. Once upon a time, an angel carrying a sackful of foolish souls back to heaven for repair snagged his sack on a tree growing on top a tall mountain top. The sack tore, and the poor foolish souls rolled down the mountainside into the town of Chelm.

“The Wise Men of Chelm”, adapted by Sandra Fenichel Asher, will be performed by a core of Circle Theatre artists. An opening act of “When Shlemiel Went to Warsaw”, adapted by Jenni Castello, will be read by residents from Quality Living Inc. Shtetl, a form of Jewish dance, will be choreographed into both productions. Prior to each performance, scholar Barry Berko will talk about his research on Yiddish fiction writer Isaac Bashevis Singer.

Tickets for each of the two performances, Nov 18 at 7:00pm and Nov 19 at 2:00pm, are $20 and may be purchased at https://circletheatreomaha.org/mainstage-season/.