Etty is a touring one-woman
play based on the diaries and letters of Etty Hillesum,
adapted and performed by Susan Stein. Directed by Austin Pendleton.
Using only Etty Hillesum's words, Susan Stein's adaptation brings us to
1941 when Esther "Etty" Hillesum, a young Dutch Jewish woman, is living
in Amsterdam. Upon the recommendation of her therapist, Julius Spier,
she began a diary on 8 March 1941 to help her with her
depression. Hoping to become a writer, the diaries take on their own
literary life, presenting both Etty's growth as a writer and spiritual
transformation. As deportations begin, she prepares for the three day
journey eastward, she digs deeper into her soul to understand this piece of history
and root out any
hatred or bitterness, believing that humanity is the best and only
solution for survival. Etty's words, insights and beliefs reach out from
the Holocaust and allow us to see the power of hope and individual
thought in the most extreme circumstances. In her gentle yet forthright
way, Etty asks us not to leave her at Auschwitz but to let her have a
bit of a say
in what she hopes will be a new world.
finding-etty encompasses theatrical and educational experiences designed to challenge participants to reexamine assumptions about the Holocaust and explore issues of resistance, human rights, social justice and individual responsibility. We make available study guides to enrich an audience's experience of the play. Teaching artists work closely with educators to tailor to the needs of a given site a variety of writing and dramatic workshops. finding-etty teaching artists have also created a curriculum for teaching the Holocaust through the arts with a series of lessons that work independently or in conjunction with the play Etty.
The mission of finding-etty is to use the writings of Etty Hillesum to promote social justice, to challenge prejudice by examining the consequences of genocide and to enable participants to explore their own personal stories alongside Etty's, as they consider their role in the struggle for human rights.
Supporters
finding-etty gratefully acknowledges the following foundations, organizations and individuals who support our mission and activities throughout the year.
- The Sigal Family Foundation
- George G. & Elizabeth G. Smith Foundation, Inc.
- North Carolina Council for the Holocaust
- Off The Wall Productions
- Individuals in Memory of Nick Meglin
Reviews
Lynn Cullen, host of Lynn Cullen Live at Pittsburgh City Paper,
interviewed Susan Stein during the February
7th edition of the Lynn Cullen Live show. They discussed Etty
Hillesum, Susan's play Etty and
Susan's upcoming performances at Off The Wall Productions.
How To Book Etty
You can book Etty at your venue. We perform Etty and lead discussions and workshops at primary schools, higher education institutions, community organizations, religious organizations, festivals, and nonprofit theaters. finding-etty travels to prisons throughout the United States and United Kingdom.
Please contact us if you are interested in learning more.
Upcoming Events
| Date | Location | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 Aug 16 | Count Basie Theater, 99 Monmouth Street, Red Bank, NJ, US - map. |
As part of a three day Artist/Scholar in Residence, Susan Stein will work with the cast of Count Basie Theatre's upcoming production of Then I Stood Up. Sponsored by chhange. |
| 2019 Oct 04 | Duke University, Durham, NC, US - map |
Susan Stein leads a one day workshop for undergraduates: Etty Hillesum and Acts of Witnessing. |
|
2019 Sep 27
to
2019 Nov 11 |
In partnership with the Classroom Without Borders, Artist/Scholar in Residence Susan Stein will lead a full month residency, engaging students and teachers in workshopts and class visits working with primary source documents and narratives from the Holocaust, Japanese interment camps during WWII, slave narratives and other selected texts to further their understanding of the consequences of racism and hatred.
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| 2019 Nov 09 07:00 PM | Rodef Shalom Congregation, 4905 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, US - map. |
Performance of Etty followed by post-performance discussion in commemoration of Kristillnacht. Free and open to the public. Sponsored by The Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh in partnership with Classroom Without Borders. |
| 2019 Nov 09 07:00 PM | Carnegie Library Lecture Hall, 4400 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, US - map. |
Performance of Etty followed by post-performance discussion in commemoration of Kristillnacht. Free and open to the public. The The Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh's annual Kristillnacht program is generously sponsored by Edgar Snyder. The event is co-sponsored as part of Susan Stein's month long residency underwritten by Classroom Without Borders. |
| 2018 Nov 12 07:00PM | Wallace All Faiths Chapel, Chapman University, 1 University Drive, Orange, CA, US - map. |
Performance of Etty followed by discussion with Glenn Schultz. Free and open to the public. Sponsored by the Fish Interfaith Center and the Department of Religious Studies, Wilkinson College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences. The Joyce and Saul Brandman Foundation Lecture Series. |