International Holocaust Remembrance Day
The United Nations General Assembly designated January 27—the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau—as International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
As Metro Theater Company honors this day of commemoration, we look back at our 2007 production of Hana’s Suitcase, by playwright Emil Sher. Based on the book by Karen Levine, Hana’s Suitcase is an extraordinary true story that brings the history of the Holocaust to life for young people. Director Carol North said, “Emil Sher’s script weaves past and present in a seamless theatrical journey that takes us through the darkness of the Holocaust and into the light of hope.”
John Wolbers performed the role of young George Brady and recently reflected on his experience when he met the real George Brady:
George was Hana’s brother and a Holocaust survivor. Hana, tragically, was not so fortunate. After the show he came up to me and punched my arm. He said, “Thank you for playing me the way I actually was. Loving, but a little rowdy. You didn’t treat Hana like she was precious, you rough housed with her, played with her, got annoyed by her. She was my baby sister. That’s how we really were. I’ve seen other actors treat her like she’s made of glass. Let me tell you she wasn’t. She hit back. That’s why I loved her, and why I miss her every day. None of us knew what was going to happen. If we did, maybe I would have treated her like the precious girl she was. But I didn’t. And I love my memories of her even more for that. So thank you.”
George Brady passed away in January 2019 at the age of 90.