Kazablan
Kazablan (or "Kasablan" in its first production) is an early Israeli Hebrew language play, staged first as a drama, later as a musical comedy, and still later produced as a 1974 musical comedy film. The name "Kazablan" comes from Casablanca, the birth-place of the main character.
The musical's huge success made young Jerusalem-born singer Yehoram Gaon "not only...an overnight singing star, but also a figure of solidarity and pride for people of Sephardic origin, many of whom were entering a theatre for the first time.[1] Gaon later reprised his role in the film version.[2]
Plot
The story has been called a Jewish adaptation of Romeo and Juliet, dealing with a man and woman who fall in love across different cultures: here, Kazablan is a Sephardic Jew from Morocco in love with Rachel, an Ashkenazic Jew. "While the two leaders share religion, their contrasting cultures and ethnicities fuel community scandal and a bitter family feud."[3]
Play
In the 1940s the playwrite Igal Mossinsohn wrote the first version of "Kasablan" for the stage.[1] "The melodramatic piece was highly successful when first presented, since it gave voice to the feelings of discrimination acquired during the first years of statehood by Moroccans and other new immigrants, many of whom were residents of the temporary camps called ma'abarot."[1]
The musical version, which opened in Tel Aviv in the 1960s played for 620 performances.[1]
Film
The 1973 film earned two 1984 Golden Globe nominations, one for Best Foreign Language Film and one for Best Song.[4] It was directed by [[Menahem Golan," who co-wrote the screenplay with Haim Hefer, and starred starred Yehoram Gaon as Kazablan and Efrat Lavi as Rachel.[2]