A fusion of concert and drama inspired by the true stories of Jewish Romanian refugees coming to Canada in 1908

Ben Caplan and Ensemble; Photo by Fadi Acra

Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story

By Hannah Moscovitch

SONGS BY BEN CAPLAN & CHRISTIAN BARRY

Wild, witty and wonderfully inventive, this fusion of concert and drama tells the true tale of Chaim and Chaya, Jewish refugees from the pogroms of Romania. They meet in 1908, while awaiting medical inspection in Halifax’s Pier 21 immigration centre; the story moves forward to their lives as a couple in Montreal and backward to the horrors of the Continent. Narrated by The Wanderer – part showman, part rabbi – this Klezmer rock concert/theatre hybrid is inspired by the real-life story of playwright Hannah Moscovitch’s great-grandparents.

Production Highlights

Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story is 2b’s biggest-ever touring hit, having been performed more than 400 times in 37 cities around the world, winning critical acclaim and awards the world-over. The show's development was supported in part by the National Arts Centre. Old Stock’s 2020/21 touring activity is supported in part by The Azrieli Foundation

Production History

  • May 2017 - World Premiere, Waiting Room, Halifax NS

  • Jul 2017 -  Canada Scene, NAC, Ottawa ON

  • Aug 2017 - CanadaHub, Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Edinburgh UK

  • Mar 2018 - Off-Broadway Premiere at 59E59 Theaters, New York City USA

  • May 2018 - Citadel Theatre, Edmonton AB / Mayfest, Old Vic, Bristol UK

  • Oct 2018 - Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry UK / Arts Depot, London UK / Hertford Theatre, Hertford UK / Gulbenkian, Canterbury UK / The Old Market, Brighton UK / The Lowry, Salford UK / Oxford Playhouse, Oxford UK

  • Nov 2018 - Cast, Doncaster UK / Parkstad Limburg Theatre, Heerlen Netherlands / De Lawei, Drachten Netherlands/ Groningen De Oosterpoort, Groningen Netherlands / Stadsschouwburg Utrecht, Utrecht Netherlands

  • Dec 2018 - Segal Centre, Montreal QC

  • Jan 2019 - Sydney Festival, Sydney Australia

  • Feb 2019 - Melbourne Arts Centre, Melbourne Australia / Adelaide Fringe Festival, Adelaide Australia

  • Mar 2019 - Stanford Live, Stanford CA, USA / Belfry Theatre, Victoria BC

  • Apr – May 2019 - Tarragon Theatre, Toronto ON

  • Sep 2019 - Wilton’s Music Hall, London UK

  • Oct 2019 - National Arts Centre, Ottawa ON

  • Oct – Nov 2019 -  Neptune Theatre, Halifax NS

  • Jan 2020 - PuSH Festival, Vancouver BC

  • Feb 2020 - Alberta Theatre Projects, Calgary AB

  • Aug 2021 - Confederation Centre, Charlottetown PEI

  • Aug 2022 - Theatre Aquarius, Hamilton ON

  • Sep 2022 - Theater J, Washington DC, USA

  • Oct 2022 - Saskatchewan Jewish Arts Festival, Saskatoon SK / Winnipeg Jewish Theatre, Winnipeg MB

  • Nov 2022 - Harold Green Jewish Theatre, Toronto ON

  • Dec 2022 - SFU Woodward’s, Vancouver BC

  • Mar 2023 - Fredericton Playhouse, Fredericton NB / Imperial Theatre, Saint John NB / Capitol Theatre, Moncton NB

  • Apr-May 2023 - Belfry Theatre, Victoria BC

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