Powerful New Drama NOT TOO FAR DISTANT Brings History to Life at the Lied

“It's almost unbelievable that anyone could be hardened to the point of doing the brutal things they did. ...”

A young man from Nebraska is sent to war, carrying with him the hopes of the free world. What Staff Sergeant Clarence Williams encounters there challenges and changes humanity forever. History touches the present when a new generation takes a journey through time to experience World War II alongside Clarence himself. Centered around his personal letters home, we learn that sometimes what seems so far away is much closer than we think. Filled with hope and heart, Not Too Far Distant honors the experience of the American soldier and reminds us that we all have the power — and the responsibility —  to help create a brighter future.

Not Too Far Distant runs November 7-8, 2023 in the Lied Center's Carson Theater. Both evening performances are currently sold out, but tickets are available for the performance on Wednesday, November 8 at 1:00pm. There are also live webcast tickets available for the performance on Wednesday, November 8 at 7:30pm. Tickets can be purchased at liedcenter.org.

About the Production

In the fall of 2022, Not Too Far Distant, commissioned by History Nebraska, premiered at the Jewish Community Center in Omaha, Nebraska, followed by subsequent performances at History Nebraska and special Veterans' Day performances for students and the public at The Golden Husk in Ord, Nebraska. In June 2023, BLIXT received a National Endowment for the Arts Creative Forces grant to support Not Too Far Distant and collaborative engagement activities for veterans, their families, and communities. The revised and updated production features a cast of five actors and will premiere at the Lied Center for Performing Arts in November 2023 and throughout Greater Nebraska for 20 performances and collaborative engagement over the course of the next two years.

Not Too Far Distant is inspired by the real letters of Nebraskan Staff Sergeant Clarence Williams, a member of the 42nd Infantry during WWII who helped liberate the Dachau concentration camp. Sgt. Williams wrote a letter almost daily to his wife Gretchen, and through the extraordinary work of Dr. Beth Dotan in collaboration with History Nebraska, the Center for Digital Research in the Humanities and the Harris Center for Judaic Studies at University of Nebraska – Lincoln, those letters and other assets have been preserved and are available through an online educational portal: Nebraska Stories of Humanity: Holocaust Survivors & WWII Veterans, Network Portal & Educational Website. 

Not Too Far Distant playwright Becky Boesen has penned several award-winning and commissioned works, including Puddin' and the Grumble and What The Wind Taught Me, both of which debuted at the Lied Center for Performing Arts and continue to be produced across the United States. 

Not Too Far Distant is a recipient of a Creative Forces Community Engagement Grant. Creative Forces Community Engagement Grants are part of the National Endowment for the Arts' Creative Forces initiative, in partnership with Mid-America Arts Alliance.

This performance is made possible by Mid-America Arts Alliance, the National Endowment for the Arts, History Nebraska Foundation, Nebraska Arts Council, Nebraska Cultural Endowment, Deepak and Jenny Keshwani, and Art and Chris Zygielbaum.

BLIXT ARTS LAB is a Lincoln-based arts nonprofit committed to "arts innovation beyond expectation!" They co-create meaningful arts experiences through bold theater, education and community initiatives. 

The Lied Center is Nebraska's Home for the Arts. Located at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the Lied presents the world's most iconic artists and major regional, national and international performances that entertain and inspire audiences. We offer something for everyone, including the best of Broadway, symphony orchestras, dance, music, theater and family programs. Artists at the Lied have ranged from Itzhak Perlman and Wynton Marsalis to the American Ballet Theatre and St. Louis Symphony. The Lied also is committed to educational outreach: Nearly 100% of visiting artists work with students in the days leading up to their performance. Visit us at liedcenter.org

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