Playwright and Actors from “Terezin: Children of the Holocaust” Visit on the Morning Show
May 16, 2023Playwright and Actors from “Terezin: Children of the Holocaust” Visit
Host Mary Jacobsen speaks with Anna Smulowitz, author of the play “Terezin: Children of the Holocaust” as well as five child actors featured in current productions of the play.
Ava Arena, Stuart Boger, Silas Robbins, Wade Turner, and Ava Valianti talk about why they wanted to act in the Holocaust themed play, and the emotional challenges and rewards of performing “Terezin.”
Among the impacts the actors describe of performing in the play are an increase in compassion and a greater likelihood of responding as “upstanders” when they witness acts of bullying or harassment.
The award-winning play, which depicts two days within a cell at Theresienstadt, or Terezin, a concentration camp outside of Prague that imprisoned hundreds of thousands of Jews from across Europe, including over 15,000 children, has been performed all over the world for more than 50 years.
In tandem with reports of an increase in incidents of antisemitism throughout the U.S. and in Massachusetts, Smulowitz reports an uptick in requests from educators for performances of the play at their schools.
“Terezin” can be used to introduce some incredibly difficult subjects to students,” says Smulowitz, “such as racism, antisemitism, intolerance, and discrimination, whether on the basis of religion, gender, age, national origin, race, or sexual orientation.”
The play has a universal message that “no child is born a racist” and calls on each generation to prevent hatred and violence in today’s world.
For information about the play or to arrange a performance, visit www.Terezin.org.
