Blood Brothers (LITHUANIA)
By Gabrielė Labanauskaite
A contemporary tragicomedy, a paraphrase of the biblical brothers Cain and Abel, which tells a story of love, friendship and the hatred of otherness fueled by the far-right National Socialists.
Directed by Patrice Miller
90 minutes, a discussion with the playwright follows.
Presented with the support of the Consulate General of Lithuania in New York
About
Gabriele Labanauskaite is a poetess and playwright, writing for theatre and opera. At the moment she teaches creative writing and playwriting at National Music and Theatre Academy in Vilnius, Lithuania. Gabriele was also a performer and an organizer of various festivals, creating a platform for interdisciplinary artists – locally and globally. Gabriele believes, that we can change the world into a better place for everyone, even if each of us make a small step towards it. Gabriele‘s plays and librettos for operas where staged in Lithuania and worldwide. From 2003 Gabrielė has written mostly about Queer + topics, freedom of speech and behavior, and equal rights for everyone. Books include Dramatica (2017); Collection of Plays (Lithuanian and English, 2022); Lear/s (2024). Poetry albums include Nėra okeano‚ (There‘s no Ocean, CD/DVD, 2009; Niagara (CD, 2010); Kraujuojantis okeanas (Ocean Is Bleeding, CD, 2013)
Patrice Miller (director) is a director-choreographer and performance artist best known for their interdisciplinary performance making that is rooted in using social science research and methodologies coded for performance making. She directed and co-created the premieres of This Joint is Jumpin featuring Lillias White (The Other Palace, London), Brian Boone’s The Testament of Josh: A Flesh and Blood Musical, James Judd’s Funny Stories (Crown & Anchor, Provincetown), In the Pines (AUSTRAL Buenos Aires, Argentina). Their acclaimed NYC productions as a director include: Mad Jenny’s Love und Greed, Sarah Jane Johnson’s Devil in the Box, Maggie Cino's Decompression, Marion Fayolle’s In Pieces, Evelyn Piper’s Bunny Lake is Missing. Patrice is the artistic Associate of Untitled Theater Company #61 and with them has choreographed and collaborated on: Paul Auster’s City of Glass, Vaclav Havel’s The Pig … , Money Lab, amongst others. Their installation/performance art work includes appearing in Steve Valk & Michael Klein’s Excavation: Martha Graham Company (COIL), Public Movement (Performa11), Jody Oberfeld Projects (NYLA), and creating work for The Brooklyn Museum, Prelude/CUNY Grad Center, SUNY Stonybrook, Grace Exhibition Space, Postmasters Gallery, NYCFashionweek. They are also a death doula and enthusiastic cat lady.
Part of Rehearsal for Truth International Theater Festival honoring Václav Havel, produced by the Vaclav Havel Center and the Bohemian Benevolent and Literary Association.
ABOUT THE 2025 REHEARSAL FOR TRUTH INTERNATIONAL THEATER FESTIVAL
Rehearsal for Truth International Theater Festival, honoring Václav Havel, is a showcase of contemporary European theater organized each year in New York City. Conceived in 2017 as a shared endeavor of the Václav Havel Center (VHC) and Bohemian Benevolent and Literary Association (BBLA), the festival honors the legacy of Czech playwright, dissident and political thinker Vaclav Havel.
Each edition of Rehearsal for Truth Theater Festival addresses current sociopolitical trends in Central and Eastern Europe, offering New York audiences a unique opportunity to witness the region’s theatrical zeitgeist.
The program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council. The festival is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.