Review: THE BOOK OF JOSEPH at Everyman Theatre - An Emotional and Poignant Portrayal of a Family from Krakow Poland to Baltimore

On October 22, 1986, Richard Hollander was a well-known television reporter for Baltimore's WBAL-TV with his wife Ellen (an attorney and currently a U.S. District Court Judge) and three children, Craig, Hillary, and Brett (currently a sport reporter for WBAL).

On that date, his life would be forever changed for that is when the phone rang. Hollander was informed his mother and father had been killed in an auto accident in Westchester County, New York. Soon thereafter, as Hollander was going through their belongings, he found a brief case hidden in a closet that contained over 200 letters that had been sent from Europe to the United States with the Nazi swastika stamped on them.

It was not until over a dozen years later that Hollander finally decided to get these letters translated and he learned the letters were from his grandmother and his aunts who remained in Krakow, Poland from 1939 to 1941 written to his father Joseph Hollander who successfully fled Poland and arrived in the United States with his wife Felicia.

Hollander knew these letters should not remain in the brief case and he worked with historians and writers to produce "Every Day Last A Year: A Jewish Family's Correspondence from Poland" a compilation of the letters. The book was published in 2007. Artistic Director of Chicago Shakespeare Theater called playwright Karen Hartman in 2011 describing the story of Joseph and the letters and commissioned the work. In January, 2017, the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre premiered the play. It was well-received in Chicago and Everyman Theatre Artistic Director Vince Lancisi leaped at the opportunity to bring this story of the Hollander family to Baltimore and what a splendid job Everyman has done with this thought-provoking and historical piece of theater.

Everyman's Associate Artistic Director Noah Himmelstein was given the helm to direct the play and made some significant changes to THE BOOK OF JOESPH including the use of a turn-table for the set and an ending that will linger in your memory for years to come.

Hartman cleverly starts the play with a bit of humor. Hollander is giving a lecture about his book in 2008 and with some self-promotion trying to sell his book for sale in the back of the auditorium. This leads into a flash back to his family's home in Krakow, Poland. Rich's father, Joseph, warns the family about the fast-approaching Nazi invasion, obtains tickets for the family to immediately flee Poland but is rebuffed. He then begins the arduous journey through Europe to eventually land in Ellis Island. That story alone has enough power to be a play.

Act I concerns the letters and you will hear verbatim what the Hollander family is writing about their lives in Krakow, their unsuccessful attempt to flee to Russia and their return to Krakow where they are allowed at first to continue to live comfortably in their home until they are removed to the Krakow ghetto. Joseph continues to write to his family and they respond to his story of his attempts at survival in the U.S. Joseph never stops in his attempts at getting his family out of Poland but without success.

It is in Act II where Hartman shines as a playwright as she writes about the confrontation Hollander faces with his son Craig who questions why his father took so long to open the letters. The play analyzes this situation via more flashbacks including an emotional scene in which Rich Hollander retraces the facts surrounding the death of his parents in the car crash. It is stirring.

Joseph Hollander would join the Army (to become a citizen) and due to his knowledge of German, is sent to Germany.

It's quite an amazing story and thankfully Everyman Theatre has a superb cast of actors, many of them part of the Everyman Resident Company Members (Wil Love, Beth Hylton, Danny Gavigan, Megan Anderson, and Bruce Randolph Nelson.

Many actors play more than one role. I highly recommend the wonderful play guide by the Everyman Education Department which helps tremendously outlining the cast of characters. It is available for free at http://everymantheatre.org/book-joseph.

Here is the list of characters in the play:

Mania Nachtigall, Richard's aunt (Bari Hochwald);

Salo Nachtigall, Richard's uncle (Wil Love);

Klara, Richard's aunt (Beth Hylton);

Genka,Richard's cousin (Hannah Kelly);

Berta Hollander, Joseph's mother, Richard's grandmother (Helen Hedman);

Joseph Hollander, Richard's father (Danny Gavigan);

Felicja Hollander, Joseph's first wife (Beth Hylton);

Vita Hollander, Joseph's second wife (Megan Anderson);

Dola Blaustein, Richard's aunt (Megan Anderson);

Richard Hollander, (Bruce Randolph Nelson);

Craig Hollander, Richard's son (Elliott Kashner);

Arnold Spitzman, a ward traveling with Joseph (Hannah Kelly).

The cast is uniformly outstanding. Nelson, as Richard Hollander, rides a roller-coaster of emotions and is superb. Gavigan nails a complex role as Joseph. Megan Anderson handles her many various roles incredibly. Helen Hedman excels as Berta Hollander. Beth Hylton once again establishes herself as a consummate performer. Wil Love once again establishes himself as one of the greats in his various roles. Kasher, Kelly, and Hochwald contribute greatly.

But there is no question the success of this play is due to the incredible direction of Himmelstein. This is a tough story to tell and he pulls it off wonderfully.

Once again Daniel Ettinger has produced an amazing set, Cory Pattak does impressive and moving lighting, David Burdick the great costumes, Elisheba Ittoop did the Sound (you hear it all), and Caite Hevner did the clever Projection Design.

Richard Hollander sums up his feelings this way. "Through the play, whether it is produced next in New York, or a community playhouse in Peoria, I know that my family members - whose lives had been cut too terribly short - will live to tell their stories forever."

Hollander's book is available at the theater for purchase.

THE BOOK OF JOSEPH runs until June 10, 2018. For tickets, call 410-752-2208.

There is a BOOK OF JOSEPH exhibit at the Jewish Museum of Maryland until June 3, 2018 which features original Hollander family letters and artifacts. Visit www.jewishmuseummd.org.

Everyman's next season has been announced:

SWEAT, DINNER WITH FRIENDS, DANCING AT LUGHNASA, THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST, EVERYTHING IS WONDERFUL, and the Repertory World Premiere of QUEENS GIRL IN THE WORLD, and QUEENS GIRL IN AFRICA.

cgshubow@broadwayworld.com

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