John Lahr: “Shlemiel the First,” at the Skirball.
All fans of the American musical who are sick of boulevard nihilism, movie retreads, choreographic cliché, dopey lyrics, and banal librettos, your ship has come in: “Shlemiel the First,” the terrific 1994 klezmer musical, adapted by Robert Brustein from Isaac Bashevis Singer’s play, is being . . . (Subscription required.)