Soul Doctor, the new musical that played Broadway’s Circle in the Square Theatre last year, will return to New York for an off-Broadway run. The tuner, which features music by Shlomo Carlebach, lyrics by David Schechter with additional lyrics by Carlebach and a book by Daniel S. Wise, will play the Actors Temple Theatre beginning December 1. Opening night is set for December 15.
The bio-musical tells the story of the beloved yet controversial father of popular Jewish music, rabbi Shlomo Carlebach, and his friendship with legendary jazz singer Nina Simone. As a “Rock Star Rabbi” of the 1960s, Carlebach struggled to harmonize his traditional beliefs with the “free love” generation.
Under the direction of Wise, Soul Doctor began performances on Broadway on July 17, 2013 and closed on October 13. The production starred Eric Anderson and Amber Iman. It originally premiered in the summer of 2012 at New York Theatre Workshop.