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The Unstoppable Pepi Litman: Ukraine’s Pioneering Male Impersonator
Born in (then part of the Russian Empire) in the late 19th century, Litman was a gender-defying force of nature who took the Yiddish theater world by storm.
Before there was Marlene Dietrich in a tuxedo, there was Pepi Litman. đź‘”
Though few recordings of her voice exist, her impact is preserved in playbills, memoirs, and the DNA of Yiddish cabaret. She reminds us that Ukraine has always been home to fierce, groundbreaking Jewish artists, and that “male impersonation” was never just a comedy bit—it was a radical act of identity.