New York Estonian Theater

The New York Estonian Theater (Estonian: New Yorgi Eesti Teater, NYET) was an Estonian theater abroad that operated in New York from 1950 to 1992.^[1] It is considered to have been the most prominent Estonian theater abroad.^[1]

History

The theater was established by Henrik Visnapuu and Kadi Taniloo.^[2][3] On November 18, 1949, Visnapuu gave a speech at the New York Estonian House, and he was elected the chairman of the "theater department" of the New York Estonian Educational Society.^[4] The theater gave its first performance on April 8, 1950, with a production of August Mälk's 1932 play Vaese mehe ututall (The Poor Man's Ewe Lamb).^[4]

The theater had about 50 members, and it primarily performed works by Estonians from home and abroad.^[1] The records of the theater are held by the University of Minnesota Libraries.^[5]