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I WANTED TO LIVE
SYNOPSIS World War II began on September 1, 1939 when Adolf Hitler’s German soldiers invaded Poland. For the next five years, the Jewish people who lived in Poland faced the Nazi “final solution.” This is the true story of a 10 year-old Jewish girl, Esther Flaiszman, from the small town of Sochaczew, Poland who by her courage and wit managed to survive starvation and disease in the Warsaw Ghetto, and to escape transport to the Nazi extermination camp at Treblinka. It is the story of a witness to the horrors of the Holocaust. Staging the Play The play was created to be staged on an empty stage. The play comes with a CD which contains many photos showing life in the Warsaw Ghetto, used with permission by the U. S. Holocaust Museum. CAST LIST (6 Women, 5 men & 6 “Eithers.” Parts that can be “doubled” are indicated by asterisk (*). Esther, Reisal, German Officer, Scharma, Mirium and Scharma’s Friend should not be “doubled”) Ester Flaiszman, in her senior years. Avruch is her married name. (F) Esther Flaiszman. A 10 year old Jew living in Poland at the start of WWII Reisal Flaiszman. (F) Esther’s sister. Three years older Adolf Hitler. (M) Chancellor of Germany German Officer. (M) Unnamed Man (E).* A second bigot and Nazi Collaborator British Announcer (E)* Scharma Flaiszman. (M) A Polish Soldier. Esther’s adult brother Mirium Flaiszman. (F) Esther’s Mother Old Woman. (F)* A Polish citizen Man. (E)* A Jewish forced laborer Another man. (E)* A Polish peasant Scharma’s Friend. (M) Scharma’s Polish friend Widow (F).* An older, kind Polish woman. A Catholic Bishop. (M)* A Roman Catholic Bishop in Warsaw Esther’s Friend. (F)* A Jewish woman from Esther’s home town Narrator. (E)* Two Excerpts from "I Wanted to Live." #1 OLDER ESTHER As we begin our play, I should like to ask you just a few questions. (She pauses briefly) Have any of you ever been so hungry that you thought you would die? (A pause) I mean, really die? (A pause) Have any of you ever been so afraid - so afraid of the police - that a simple knock on the front door made you break into a cold sweat, fearing that you would be arrested and taken away? (A pause) Have any of you ever huddled in the cellar of your home as bombs, dropped from screaming airplanes, exploded all around you? (A pause) Have any of you ever had as your main goal in life - indeed your only goal -- living just one more day? (A pause) My name is Esther Flaiszman Avruch. Avruch is my married named. For five years, when I was about your age, this was the only life I knew. I never had a chance to participate in sports, or in school activities of any kind. I never went to a movie. I never went out on a date. I had but one goal in life. I wanted to live. (Lights down on Older Esther) #2 MIRIUM The worst day of all was Yom Kippur -- the Jewish day of Atonement -- the day that Jews pray that God forgives their sins. ESTHER We prayed all that day. MIRIUM As was customary, the men and women prayed in separate rooms. But that day, we prayed as we had never prayed before. We all knew the prayer we were saying might be our last. We hoped God would hear us. ESTHER I was terrified of the bombing, I did not leave my mother's side that whole day. Everybody’s nerves were raw. All day, I kept asking myself, “why did Hitler hate Jews so much?” REISAL Then, near the end of the Services, what we feared the most happened. A bomb struck our building. (21. German HE 111 Bombs Warsaw, 1939. Sound of Bomb falling close by.) Lou MIRIUM Everything got dark. And this time, we were not so lucky. REISAL Again, the dust was choking us. Ceilings and walls buckled and gave way. ESTHER In the darkness, people called - no, screamed - the names of their children, and spouses. (22. Warsaw after the Bombing. Sounds of Bomb exploding) REISAL The anguished cries and the screaming that came from inside the building were unimaginably horrible. I will never forget. ESTHER My mother was frantic. Yet, somehow, our family was spared. MIRIUM Esther, are you all right? ESTHER Yes. How about you, Reisal? REISAL I think I’m okay. But my shoulder hurts. I’m bleeding. MIRIUM Can you walk? REISAL I think so. MIRIUM Let me help. We’ve got to get out of here, before the building collapses. REISAL When we got out, mother bandaged [prop] my arm as best she could to try to stop the bleeding. But we needed to find a doctor and shelter for the night. ESTHER (Continuing her narrative) Eventually, mom, dad and the rest of us came to a bombed-out house. MIRIUM We hid in its cellar that night. It was as if we were spending the night in a cave. ESTHER Early the next morning, almost miraculously, we heard my brother, Scharma, in the street calling our names. (Lights up on Scharma ) SCHARMA Mother, (Pausing between each name) Father, Gietel, Froyum, Reisal, Esther.... ESTHER Scharma! (She greets him with a hug) Scharma, Reisal’s been hurt! REISAL It’s my shoulder. (Exhibiting her right shoulder. Scharma examines it) SCHARMA It looks like shrapnel. I passed a medical booth. I’ll take her there before it becomes infected. | ||
Don’s Other Plays
Free previews of all of Don’s plays are available at his web site: http://www.osheasplays.com/
Don’s plays with other publishers can also be previewed as well as purchased at their websites:
Theatrefolk https://www.theatrefolk.com/
Big Dog Plays http://www.bigdogplays.com/
Brooklyn Publishers https://www.brookpub.com/
Norman Maine Plays http://www.normanmaineplays.com/
Drama Source http://www.dramasource.com/
Pioneer Drama Service http://www.pioneerdrama.com
Free previews of all of Don’s plays are available at his web site: http://www.osheasplays.com/
Don’s plays with other publishers can also be previewed as well as purchased at their websites:
Theatrefolk https://www.theatrefolk.com/
Big Dog Plays http://www.bigdogplays.com/
Brooklyn Publishers https://www.brookpub.com/
Norman Maine Plays http://www.normanmaineplays.com/
Drama Source http://www.dramasource.com/
Pioneer Drama Service http://www.pioneerdrama.com
