Breakthrough Workshop Theatre presents
THE TEREZIN PROMISE
Written by Celeste Raspanti
Directed by Casey Purlia Johnson
The liberation of Terezin concentration camp is at hand, and the Nazis are in retreat, desperate to destroy evidence of their crimes. While some prisoners escape hidden in the confusion of the retreat, Raja Englanderova remains to keep a promise she made to their teacher, Irena: she will not leave without the drawings and poems of the Terezin children. She convinces her friends and Hanus, the leader of the boys' group, that they must find the buried bundles and hidden suitcases before the Nazis destroy the camp and them with it. Their search is ended by a wounded Nazi soldier who finds them in the attic and threatens them with his weapon. Across the room the Hitler youth and the youth of Terezin challenge each other for survival—the soldier wants to save his honor and go home; Hanus wants to revenge years of hunger, slavery and humiliation. Raja wants to keep the promise—save the drawings and poems and take them to Prague. In the end, strengthened by Irena's lessons of healing hope, they leave revenge and anger in the past. With the survival of the Terezin children safe in two large battered suitcases, they walk out through the gates of Terezin toward Prague, free—and hopeful.
The stunning sequel and conclusion to "I Never Saw Another Butterfly" (which BWT presented in 2015), it fits into Breakthrough Workshop Theatre's Season 8 theme of “Grief / Empathy / Hope” and will be presented in commemoration and celebration of the 75th Anniversary of the liberation of the concentration camps, just two days before Holocaust Remembrance Day on April 21st. The reading will be directed by Casey Purlia Johnson, who will be making her BWT directorial debut after performing with BWT 7 times previously. Coming full circle, Casey made her BWT debut as the lead in 2015's "I Never Saw Another Butterfly."
This workshop is being presented free of charge for one performance only at the beautiful La Jolla Riford Library.