The 2024 Pulitzer Prize nominated play, Here There Are Blueberries, opened at the Wallis in Beverly Hills. Conceived and directed by Moisés Kaufman and co-written by Amanda Gronich, the 90-minute play is a haunting meditation on memory and trauma. The narrative involves discovery of a photo album depicting Nazis at Auschwitz enjoying their everyday lives. Historians at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum grapple with the moral dilemma as whether to display these images.
Here There Are Blueberries
Courtesy of the Wallis
The actors, with authenticity and also nuance, voice the emotional ruminations of the historians and living relatives of the Nazis. The disconcerting photos are projected as the stage and lighting design shift amplifying the characters’ inner lives. The script lyrically weaves these personal experiences into universal themes exposing the fragmented nature of the human condition. The play reveals the mystery of what the photos depict throughout the performance, therefore captivating the audience. This includes discovering what the blueberries in the title refer to.
We discover what may be most disturbing — how those working at the camp in administrative roles deflected and denied their responsibility. Hannah Arendt, historian and philosopher, wrote of “the banality of evil” explaining how ordinary people participate in totalitarian systems.
There are some who contend that now-a-days that all theater is political. We leave the comfort of home and engage in a community experience hoping to be personally affected. The question then is, what do we do afterwards?
Courtesy of the Wallis
Additional Performances, the Cast and Producers
There are several post-performance discussions upcoming. See the Here There Are Blueberries Feature for a full list of events and to find out more about the production.
The cast includes Scott Barrow, Nemuna Ceesay, Delia Cunningham, Luke Forbes, Barbara Pitts, Jeanne Sakata, Marrick Smith, Grant James Varjas, Anna Shafer and Sam Reeder.
The Creative Team includes Scenic Design Derek Mclane; Lighting Design David Lander: Costume Design Dede Ayite; Sound Design Bobby Mcelver; Projection Design David Bengali.
Tectonic Theater Project in partnership with Brian and Dayna Lee and Sonia Friedman Productions produces Here There Are Blueberries. Visit the website for show times as well as additional upcoming shows at the Wallis – http://thewallis.org
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