Before “God Bless America,” there was Israel Beilin.
He arrived in New York from Russia with nothing—no money, no English, no home. But what he brought was music. And that music would go on to define a nation.
“Irving Berlin: In Person” is a cinematic audio musical that reimagines Chip Deffaa’s acclaimed stage play for a new generation. Told entirely through Berlin’s voice—alongside piano, ambient sound, and over 20 timeless songs—this Showcast tells the raw, real, and riveting story of how one immigrant shaped the sound of American identity.