Brundibar

See the Brundibar exhibit at the Ritz Library, Hudson Hall, 3rd Floor

Do you know Brundibar?

It is one of the most important (I think the most important) children’s musicals of the 20th Century. It had its first production in 1943 in the concentration camp at Terezin. After the final performance most of the young performers in that original cast and the composer, Hans Krasa, were murdered! The paragraph below tells more of the story but even more has developed over the last couple of days. Two years ago, while doing my research for the production, I visited Terezin outside of Prague in the Czech Republic. Recently I have been e-mailing with people there. They sent me some material for a small exhibit I have created in the DCC library. In one of the e-mails I found out that one of the children, Ela Weissberger, lives in Tappan Hill! I spoke with her a couple of days ago. What an amazing woman! She is the author of a book about her experiences, “The Cat with the Yellow Star, Coming of Age in Terezin.” We are trying to arrange her coming to one of our performances! And yesterday I spoke with Maurice Sendak’s secretary – Mr. Sendak (Where the Wild Things Are, etc.) is the co-author with Tony Kushner of the new and special translation I am using. Brundibar is one of the most unique of all theatre stories. DCC is one of the first theatres in America to get the rights to produce it. Google reveals over 100,000 sites about Brundibar! Even Wikipedia tells the story. You Tube has pictures from around the world.

Brundibar is one of the most joyous, charming & funny children’s musicals ever written! Is it just for children? No! Definitely no! It is for the happy “forever-after” child in all of us! It is for any child/adult from 5 to 105. In the 1940s Brundibar’s happy story and delightful music tried to illuminate a world of terrible darkness – one of the darkest moments in world history. Google Brundibar for its history but come to the James & Betty Hall Theatre at Dutchess Community College on November 14 at 7:00 pm, November 15 at 2:00 & 7:00 pm and Sunday, November 16 at 2:00 pm. Come for its joy & laughter but never forget its history. This production uses the new translation by famed children’s book author Maurice Sendak and noted playwright Tony Kushner. It is directed by Steve Press who held the Greenspan Trust Handel Family Foundation Endowed Chair in Holocaust & Genocide Studies at Dutchess Community College. The musical director is Dr. Christopher Brellochs. The choreographers are two former DCC students, Susie Riefenhauser & Samantha Dahowski. The production is produced by the college Department of Performing Arts & the Masquers Guild. As a free bonus the college will present a brief curtain raiser before Brundibar: In celebration of the 40th anniversary of Steve Press’s delightful comedy, The Spider and the Bee, five talented actors directed by Will Szigethy will perform the story of The Spider and the Bee. Go to the college’s web site for directions to the Theatre and telephone 845 431-8696 for additional information. Children and seniors $5.00. DCC students and staff are free. General admissions is $10.00. No advance reservations – all tickets sold at the door at the time of the performance.

I’m proud that DCC is producing Brundibar for our community. I hope you will inform others about this important college project.

Steve Press