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Barbara Lebow's

A Shayna Maidel

Edith Cove Fine Arts Center

Produced by: Eastern Nazarene College Dept. of Comm. Arts

Directed by: Professor Michael Ballard

Scenic Design by: Professor Michael Ballard

Click on the links below to view sketches, swatches and larger images. 

Mama	Papa
Anne Reilly	Joseph Claudel

Duvid Pechenik	Hanna
Preston Graveline	Marie Castro

Set entirely in March 1946, in a small apartment on the West Side in New York City, A Shayna Maidel is the story of a Jewish family originally from a small village in Poland.  Rose and Papa have lived in Brooklyn with distant relatives for nearly 20 years, while sister Lusia and Mama remained behind and endured Jewish oppression and Nazi horrors.  Through Lusia's memories and fantasies, the audience meets Mama, Hanna (her best friend), and Duvid (her husband).

Now the War is over, but Americans have only heard rumors of the conditions behind Nazi lines.  Rose and Papa have anxiously awaited any news of Mama and Lusia.  When Lusia alone finally arrives in America, Rose struggles with feelings of guilt and anger and pangs of jealousy toward her sister.  Lusia suffered terribly, but Rose envies her for the relationship with their mother that she can never have.  As Rose tries to reach out to her sister and care for her, she tries to get Lusia to talk about the War and what happened to Mama.  Lusia refuses to talk about it for the most part and instead focuses all her energies on finding her husband, keeping faith and hope that he has survived against all odds.    

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