Two Shows Observe The Holocaust

Innocents are persecuted all over the planet all the time. Defenseless people are killed in great numbers. It's disgusting. As human beings, we really need to stop this sort of thing. And as tragically common as ethnic cleanings and things like that are even to this day, the one historic period that rings out more prominently in human history than any other at the moment is The Holocaust in Europe in the early 20th century. Millions were killed. These next few weeks there are a couple of different productions that reflect on The Holocaust. 

The Milwaukee Rep opens its production of The Diary of Anne Frank  on the 23rd. The story of a little girl trying to make sense of things in the presence of such oppressive stupidity is one that has resonated with people throughout the years. The Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett stage adaptation makes it to the Milwaukee Rep's Quadracci Powerhouse Theatre October 23rd through December 2nd. The cast is an interesting blend of artistic interns, Rep newcomers and longtime Rep actors including Laura Gordon, Deborah Staplees, James pickering and Lee Ernst. For ticket reservations, call 414-224-9490.  

Just three weeks after Anne Frank opens, Acacia Theatre Company opens its own show set during the Holocaust--Dan Gordon's Irena's Vow. Kind of an interesting story based on a true story it tells the tale of a Polish Catholic woman who worked as head housekeeper for a German military officer. Over a period of two years, Irena secretly cared for an protected a number of Jewish refugees. She was 19 years old when she first started working as a housekeeper. It's a tale of a young woman's courage that is marred by a little bit of controversy. . . evidently a few details of the true story were changed a bit . . . and the play as written has kind of a strong pro-life, pro-faith thing going on with it that has been seen by some critics as being kind of promoting a contemporary political agenda. (Timothy Dolan evidently kind of liked the whole pro-faith thing...) Doesn't change the fact that it's an interesting story, though . . . and it's a story that Acacia Theatre will be visiting November 9th - 18th.  For ticket reservations, call 414-744-5995.