Andy’s Summer Playhouse will put on an original workshopped production of ‘Hannah’s Dance’.
Published: 6/26/2019 11:04:52 AM
Andy’s Summer Playhouse will host in collaboration with The Jüdische Kulturbund Project, an original workshopped production of “Hannah’s Dance”.This performance, set to music, tells the story of the summer of 1939 in Berlin when the Nazi’s threatened to take nine Jewish Kulturbund dancers to the concentration camps.
The original performance was created by Hannah Kroner, and it stood as an inspiring example of how the Kulturbund community thwarted the efforts of the Nazi’s to capture several dancers, resulting in most of the dancers obtaining visas and leaving Germany for freedom. Led by choreographer and dancer, Asya Zlatina and guided by historical artifacts, stories and insights from Hannah’s daughter, Evelyn Summer, a group of Andy’s performers will be remounting the dance for the first time since its premiere in Berlin.
“After planning for so long, The Jüdische Kulturbund Project and Andy’s Summer Playhouse are embarking on a dream come true, incubating “Hannah’s Dance: The Last Dance of the Kulturbund” with kids, artists, educators, and producers. We are so excited to experience our exploration together and share the magic with everyone up in Wilton, New Hampshire,” said Gail Prensky, creator, executive producer, and project director of the Jüdische Kulturbund Project. Prensky brings to this project a deep and first-hand understanding of the Kulturbund’s spirit, recognizing that their issues of living under tyranny continue with artists around the world today. Her interviews with the Kulturbund survivors and current-day artists form the basis of her passion and vision for this project, which is rooted in the Kulturbund’s strong regard for music and the performing arts.
This workshop performance is part of a four year-old initiative at Andy’s called The Greenhouse. The Greenhouse is a metaphysical extension of the playhouse, where an invited artist or group of artists hold residency for as little or as long as possible to create a new script or performance.
This initiative encourages experimentation, dramatic script readings, workshops of movement ideas, and open work sessions with Andy’s kids so that they can be exposed to the process of brainstorming and developing ideas for the stage. The Greenhouse culminates in an one-night, public performance.
The evening will open with a devised multimedia theatre performance, Dream-Data, featuring Andy’s kids and led by innovative collaborators based out of Brooklyn, Inkyoung Bae and Chanan Ben Simon.
There will also be a choral performance by the Grand Monadnock Youth Choir’s high school a cappella girls choir, The Cecelia Ensemble.
The performance will be held Saturday, June 29 at 7:30 p.m. in The Yellow Barn near Andy’s, 605 Isaac Frye Highway, Wilton.
For more information, visit www.andyssummerplayhouse.org.