New play explores emigration and family
MARQUETTE — Northern Michigan University is kicking off its theater season this year with a very special production.
It’s the world premiere of ‘Where a Certain Future,’ a play about a Jewish family dealing with the events of Kristallnacht — or the ‘Night of Broken Glass’ — a night that marked the beginnings of the Holocaust. Michael Blatt, who is visiting from New York City to direct the play, says the story’s themes still resonate today.
“It’s about emigrating into America. It’s about the idea: ‘is there a better place for them?'” said Blatt. “If they leave where they’re from, will that change their identity? Will they lose their identity if they come to America?”
“It’s a very apt play, I think, for the times,” said Joseph Carlisle, an actor who plays the role of Nathan in the play. “We’ve been talking a lot about the Syrian refugee crisis and all of that, and so I think this applies very much to that.”
“I think this is a great opportunity for people to see a family in crisis and to connect with why people want to come and why America’s so important for people to have a place to go to,” Blatt added.
‘Where a Certain Future’ opens Thursday night at the James A. Panowski Black Box Theatre. Click here to find out more about the show.