Page 9 - The Jewish Voice - December '21

The Jewish Voice, Page 9

Local Happenings on page 8 through initiatives including Drama(in the)works and the businesses — plundering and killing hundreds. As mobs
annual New Year/New Plays Festival. PBD is a member unleashed vandalism and violence across Germany, police
These protocols are subject to change. As the situation of Theatre Communications Group, Florida Professional and firefighters were ordered to stand down.
evolves, PBD will re-evaluate and share any updates on Theatres Association, and the Cultural Council of Palm On Shabbat, November 6, 2021, Hans Homburger’s life
its website at palmbeachdramaworks.org and via email. Beach County. www.palmbeachdramaworks.org. saved by true miracle and intervention of G-d, came full
The People Downstairs is the first of two world Evening performances are Wednesday and Thursday circle. On the bimah of Chabad of Palm Beach Gardens,
premieres to be produced by PBD during the 2021-2022 at 7:30PM, Friday and Saturday at 8PM, and select on the anniversary of Kristallnacht, 88-year-old Hans
season; Bruce Graham’s The Duration will debut on Sundays at 7PM. Matinee performances are on Wednesday, planned to have an aliyah to the Torah and say a special
February 18. Developing new work is now an essential Saturday, and Sunday at 2PM. Post-performance prayer of thanksgiving. Unfortunately, Hans had a fall
part of the company’s profile, and this will be PBD’s fifth discussions follow Wednesday matinee and Sunday evening that precluded him from attending services; nevertheless
consecutive season featuring at least one world premiere. performances. Individual tickets are $79, with specially he insisted that the ceremony must take place as planned
The People Downstairs was commissioned by PBD, and priced preview tickets at $59 and opening night tickets at with his proxies. Hans was very well represented by his
both plays were nurtured in The Dramaworkshop, the $94. Student tickets are available for $15, and Pay Your son-in-law and daughter, Wayne and Linda Posner.
company’s lab for developing new plays. The People Age tickets are available for those 18-40. Tickets for Wayne’s heartfelt address left many in tears, as did
Downstairs received its first public reading in the 2020 educators are half price with proper ID (other restrictions Linda’s emotional toast to her parents after services at
New Year/New Plays Festival, and a revised script was apply). Group rates for 20 or more and subscription the seudas hodaah — feast of thanksgiving to G-d — that
given a virtual reading in June of that year following two, packages for four or five plays are also available. Tickets Hans hosted.
three-day workshops. can be purchased through the box office, in person or by “I am truly fortunate to have been able to continue to
Michael McKeever has written 33 full-length plays that phone (561.514.4042, ext. 2), and online 24 hours a day live and have lived a full and extraordinary life of building
have been produced at theatres around the world, including at palmbeachdramaworks.org. a Jewish family, children and grandchildren, along with
Comödie Dresden (Dresden), Och-Teatr (Warsaw), and The Don & Ann Brown Theatre is located in the heart my wife, Myna. My entire family would not be here if it
Theater in der Josefstadt, Kammerspiele (Vienna). His of downtown West Palm Beach, at 201 Clematis Street. For was not for the miracle of my survival. I am a firm believer
play Daniel’s Husband enjoyed a sold-out, extended ticket information contact the box office at (561) 514-4042, in and supporter of the transmission of the glory of our
three-month run in Los Angeles at the Fountain Theatre, or visit www.palmbeachdramaworks.org. religion and tradition. Saying thank you to G-d is the best
and ran Off-Broadway at the Westside Theatre following way for me to remember my maternal grandmother, my
successful runs at Penguin Rep and Primary Stages, where Thanksgiving Feast for Bubbe Bertha, forever,” said Hans.
it was nominated for an Off-Broadway Alliance Award for Hans paid tribute to the millions of Jews who were
Best New Work. McKeever has won numerous Carbonell Surviving Kristallnacht slaughtered, and the many survivors who are not here to
and Silver Palm Awards, and is the proud recipient of the speak for themselves. They embodied strength and love
prestigious George Abbott Award for outstanding artistic By Batya Lisker, Director of Development at Chabad of and pride in their Judaism.
achievement. His work has been nominated four times Palm Beach Gardens “For a survivor of the Holocaust to thank G-d publicly
for the Steinberg/American Theatre Critics Association Eighty-three years for the miracles G-d has done for him then and now is a true
New Play Award. He is also an award-winning actor and ago, during the hours celebration not just for Hans Homburger and his family
designer. McKeever and his husband, Stuart Meltzer, between November but for the entire Jewish nation,” said Rabbi Dovid Vigler.
are co-founders of Zoetic Stage, a Miami-based theatre 9 and 10, 1938, Hans What an incredible inspiration Hans is to us all. He
company dedicated to developing new work. He is a Homburger survived leads by example of the manner in which to exact the
member of Actors’ Equity and the Dramatists Guild. Kristallnacht. He was ultimate revenge against the Nazis who tried to eradicate
michaelmckeeverplays.com five years old. Jews and Judaism.
Palm Beach Dramaworks is a professional, nonprofit Kristallnacht
theatre company founded in 2000 and located in the marked the start of
C CC
C
heart of downtown West Palm Beach. Each season, the the Holocaust, when
award-winning company produces five mainstage shows the Nazis unleashed during
and offers a wide variety of programs for students at the anti-Jewish pogroms
theatre, in schools, and online. Committed to fostering the and torched Jewish
future of theatre, PBD has become a hub for playwrights synagogues, schools, crisis
in Florida and around the country to nurture their work institutions, and

Because of you,
Together, generous people in our community
our partner
donated an astounding $1.3 million
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helped the healing process
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Coping With

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assistance for of meals to offer mental education
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