Commonly, Jewish Broadway plays are described in superficial readings as kitsch. However, this thesis claims that the theatre had a crucial role for the Jewish community between 1880 and 1930. By...Show moreCommonly, Jewish Broadway plays are described in superficial readings as kitsch. However, this thesis claims that the theatre had a crucial role for the Jewish community between 1880 and 1930. By engaging in the academic debate of memory studies, this thesis argues that memory had three main functions in Jewish Broadway plays: (1) the healing of traumatic memory through the interaction in performance,(2) the creation of a community bond and identity as well as (3) the facilitation of transcultural and intergenerational understanding. Therefore, this thesis illustrates how an artistic environment can facilitate the integration process of immigrants by connecting the old with the new homeland.Show less
