Emerging from thousands of stories of people and objects forever lost, The Story of a Book portrays a nearly century-long history of the Strachs, a Jewish family from the city of Brno. It centers on their machzor, a prayer book assumed long lost after its confiscation in the Theresienstadt ghetto. The sacred book then undergoes a miraculous rediscovery and returns to the family.
The play details the fate of multiple generations of machzor owners, rendering tragic historical events with overwhelming simplicity. It tells the story of a book, of a family, of Europe.
The Story of a Book (2022), Czech Republic. Written and directed by: Hana Mikolaskova. Original story: Angela Strach. Cast: Miroslav Sykora, Zdislava Zacalova, Melika Yildizova, Ester Aylin Yildizova, Hana Mikolaskova, Elias Kliment. Dramaturgy: Eva Petlakova. Music: Ivan Acher. Costume design: Sylva Zimula Hanakova.
Running time: 60 min. Language: Czech, with English supertitles.
The performance is followed by a talkback.
Free and open to the public. Suggested donation $10. Seats are limited, on first-come, first-served basis. Online registration through Eventbrite is required.
The presentation in the US is supported by Centre of Jewish Culture ŠTETL, Jewish Community of Brno, Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic, Statutory City of Brno, Consulate General of the Czech Republic in New York and Czech Centre New York.
About
HANA MIKOLASKOVA received her master's and doctorate degrees at the JAMU in Brno. In addition to numerous guest directorships in Prague, Pardubice, Uherske Hradiste, Zlin, Olomouc, Sumperk and Kosice, she worked full-time as a resident director and later as artistic director at the Polarka Theatre (2005-2009), as a director at the Czech Radio (2007-2012) and then as artistic director at the Zlin City Theatre (2012-2017). In Brno, she has directed in almost all theatrical institutions and appearing in her productions also as an actress. She teaches incidental music at the JAMU Theatre Faculty, because besides theatre she is also professionally involved in music, either as a saxophonist and as a director of music videos and some projects connected with Vojtech Dyk and the B Side Band.
Cast
MIROSLAV SYKORA From my early childhood I really loved to play with airplane models, but most of all I loved to entertain my friends. And I still love to do it. I studied to be a carpenter in high school, like my father. After that I continued my studies at Mendel University. There I studied how to build wooden houses. At the same time I studied acting at the JAMU in Brno. After my studies I continued acting, performing various roles in many theaters in Brno (Gose on a String Theatre, Bolek Polívka Theater). Since 2013 I have work as a 'health clown' for kids in hospitals. My wife and I have jointly founded the JAROMÍR theatre, focusing on improvisation, street performances, fairy tales for kids and for the whole family.
ZDISLAVA ZACALOVA Born in Zlate Hory, graduated from the Jesenik Gymnasium and studied drama acting at the JAMU Theatre Faculty between 2017 to 2021. During her fourth academic year she began to appear as a guest at the Polarka Theatre in Brno in the production of Co by kdyby (What If). After getting her degree in 2021, she joined the company of the reputed Goose on a String Theatre in Brno. She received the Theatre Critics' Award in the Talent of the Year 2022 category for her roles as Princess Ateh and the keeper in Dictionary of the Khazars, or Aglaya in the production Proč se dítě vaří v kaši (Why the Child is Cooked in Porridge).
MELIKA YILDIZ is currently about to sit her finals at the Matyas Lerch Gymnasium in Brno, and wants to go on to study political science and religious studies. Since her early years, she has played at the Goose on a String Theatre, where she appeared under directors Vladimir Moravek, Ivo Krobot and Anna Davidova. She played Johanka in the film The Charlatan directed by Agnieszka Holland. She also appeared in the music video Hori i voda (ft. Katarzia), the television series Specialists and the miniseries King of Sumava directed by David Ondricek.
ESTER AYLIN YILDIZ Since her early years, she has played at the Goose on a String Theatre and filmed children's programs on Czech Television. Since the age of five she has been singing in the Kantiléna concert choir of the Brno Philharmonic and has participated in many concerts and competitions in the Czech Republic and abroad.
ABOUT THE 2023 REHEARSAL FOR TRUTH THEATER FESTIVAL
The 2023 Rehearsal for Truth Theater Festival: Anew is organized by the Vaclav Havel Library Foundation and the Bohemian Benevolent and Literary Association in partnership with the Polish Cultural Institute New York, GOH Productions, Trap Door Theatre, Centre of Jewish Culture ŠTETL, Jan Mocek, Martin E. Segal Theatre Center, Palissimo Company, and Romanian Cultural Institute.
The program 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. The festival is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, Arts and Theatre Institute in Prague, and Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic.