Survivors

A traveling play about the true events of the Holocaust and survivor’s stories, performed at GISS

by Eliza Argo and Liliana Grange

In October, GISS hosted a Holocaust educational theatre performance titled “Survivors - A Vision of Tolerance and Courage” by Wendy Kaut. In the performance, six actors played real Holocaust survivors. The testimonies were about Jewish children and teens who survived the Nazi terror and WW2. In these testimonies, the audience was taken through a timeline from the 1930s rise of hatred to the horrors of hiding for your life, concentration camps and finally hope. The personal stories speak of one girl hiding in a convent, a boy escaping on a train, and families torn apart. The personal stories mixed with facts about the six million Jews who were murdered to show the human cost of prejudice. This honest and moving show invited the audience to reflect on hope, perseverance and compassion, while bringing to light to modern bullying and polarization. “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it” was an impactful quote that stuck out to many students. This play tastefully and movingly brought awareness to the next generation, so we don't forget.