News Release
Coming to Terms with One’s Past in Theatre’s Emotional Performance of “Kindertransport”
Delving into the consequences of sending Jewish children away to safety before World War II and the dynamics of hiding or accepting one’s past, the university’s theatre program performed Diane Samuels’ “Kindertransport,” on April 18-19 and 24-26 in the Performing Arts Center.
“Kindertransport” tells the story of a Jewish girl, Eva, later known as Evelyn, who is sent from Nazi-occupied Germany to England as part of a rescue mission for children during World War II. Spanning several decades, the play explores Eva’s life as she grows up in England, her struggle with the trauma of her past, and the emotional conflict she faces when confronted with her memories.
“I was a resident scenic designer for the Jewish Repertory Theater in Western New York, and this is a play that they produced last year, and I just loved the play,” said David Dwyer, who served as the director. “I love the message of it having a connection to our roots, to our family, and what pulling somebody out of that does to them, and how traumas in life affect not just the person, but generations.”
To reflect the flashbacks and the different versions of Eva as she grew up in both Germany and England, the character was played by both Savannah Wight (‘28), who portrayed the Jewish child Eva, and Ainsley Knight (‘28), who portrayed the now English woman Eva, known as Evelyn.
“With this story, it’s all about family,” said Knight. “It’s about mothers and daughters, and Evelyn finally opening up to her daughter at the end and sharing her life was the way that she could come to terms with it, but then also give her daughter the facts so that she could learn about her mother and her heritage, which is very important.”
“It’s really been special for me to be a part of this play because I live in Belgium, and a lot of the history of Belgium is World War II,” said Wight. “If you just walk around the forest there, you can see all the trenches, and it’s just all around you all the time. While Eva isn’t a real person, she represents a bunch of real people who went through this really hard time, and it’s been incredible to play that.”
Professor of Theatre David Dwyer served as the director and set designer, with students Martha Zimmerman as assistant director and Anna Dryden as stage manager, with Leigh Stoddard and Professor of Theatre Amaree Cluff as the costume designers.
The cast of student actors is as follows:
Evelyn: Ainsley Knight (‘28)
Faith: Tess McGill (‘27)
Eva: Savannah Wight (‘28)
Helga: Brea Moore (‘25)
Lil: Adell Wilson (‘26)
The Ratcatcher: Harrison Walker (‘27)