The Seton Hill University (SHU) Theater Reeves will present �Mazel,� a play based on the life of Holocaust survivor Jack Sittsamer, for the first time in front of a public audience October 6-14, 2006.
Jack Sittsamer lived in six different camps during his five years surviving the Holocaust. He was the only survivor in his family.
By Stormy Knight,
Arts & Entertainment Editor
The Seton Hill University (SHU) Theater Reeves will present �Mazel,� a play based on the life of Holocaust survivor Jack Sittsamer, for the first time in front of a public audience October 6-14, 2006.
Jack Sittsamer lived in six different camps during his five years surviving the Holocaust. He was the only survivor in his family.
Sittsamer’s life has served as the inspiration for Amy Hartman to write �Mazel,� commissioned by the Holocaust Center of the United Jewish Federation of Pittsburgh. �Jack Sittsamer is a survivor who lives in Pittsburgh and who has been a speaker and guest at SHU in classes and at Kristallnacht remembrance services,� said Sr. Lois Sculco, National Catholic Center for Holocaust Education (NCCHE) administrator.
According to an August 2006 SHU news release, �Mazel,� directed by Jonathan Rest, �portrays a family in which Holocaust memories – kept secret – create bitter family conflict. The conflict threatens to destroy the family until an unlikely angel intervenes.�
According to Sculco, �Mazel� was chosen to have it’s debut at SHU because Edie Nevah, the director of the Holocaust Center of the United Jewish Federation of Pittsburgh, is on the advisory board of the NCCHE.
Performing �Mazel� will serve as a learning experience for SHU theater students not only on the subject of the Holocaust, but on the stage as well.
Students started working with professional actors on Saturday, October 10. �These actors are sharing their experiences in the profession with our students, and they are modeling a process for developing a character. Having them in the cast is playing a huge role in shaping the ensemble,� said Terry Brino-Dean, director of SHU’s theater department.
Professional actors, Robert Haley and Patricia Reilly, will play the lead roles of Jack Sittsamer and Pearl, in �Mazel.�
During the week, the matinee performances of �Mazel� will be presented entirely by SHU students. Freshman A.J. Lease is the understudy for Sittsamer’s character.
�This is my first experience as an understudy, but it is awesome to work hand-in-hand with Equity Actor, Bob Haley,� said Lease.
Steve Clemens, a senior, plays the character of Martin in �Mazel.� Clemens has also found the experience of working with professionals to be a learning experience.
�I think one of the biggest things that they (professional actors) bring that we can learn from is their professionalism. I think that is something that we can all work on from time to time,� said Clemens.
For Lease, this has been a challenging first role to take on at SHU, and he is always working on developing his character.
�I am daily working on the Polish dialect, movement exercises, in-depth studying on the Holocaust, and memorizing the lines for the show,� said Lease.
�The director, Jonathan Rest, is helping facilitate a number of different things to help students research their roles,� said Brino-Dean.
According to Brino-Dean, the students have had the opportunity to meet with Sittsamer, as well as other Holocaust survivors.
According to Sculco, students will gain the history of the Holocaust and how we can overcome its legacy after seeing �Mazel.�
�This is a powerful play not just about the Holocaust, but also specifically about being a son or daughter of a Holocaust survivor.
Since the play is set in Pittsburgh, many of our students will know or relate to references in the play,� said Lease.
Although �Mazel� is based on one of history’s most tragic events, the play is not entirely sad.
According to Lease, there are moments of comic relief, but the true message of �Mazel� shines through.
�I hope that students leave with an appreciation of what these people went through, how good our lives really are, and a will to preserve the history of the Holocaust,� Lease said.
The performance schedule for �Mazel� can be found on the SHU website. Tickets are $12 for general admission, and $5 for students.
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