Draft:Rutka (musical)
| Rutka | |
|---|---|
| Music | Jocelyn Mackenzie and Jeremy Lloyd Styles |
| Lyrics | Jocelyn Mackenzie and Jeremy Lloyd Styles |
| Book | Neena Beber |
| Setting | 1943 Poland |
| Premiere | October 13, 2024: Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park |
Rutka is an indie rock musical with a book by Neena Beber and music and lyrics by Jocelyn Mackenzie and Jeremy Lloyd Styles. It is based on the diary of Rutka Laskier.
Premise
[edit]In 1943, 14-year-old Rutka Laskier, living in the Jewish ghetto in Nazi-occupied Będzin, Poland, writes in her diary about typical teenage concerns.[1][2]
Development
[edit]This musical is based on Rutka’s Notebook: A Voice from the Holocaust, the diary by Laskier over the course of three months of 1943 while living in the Jewish ghetto in Będzin.[3] The diary remained hidden until 2006.[4]
The original book was by Sarah Gancher but later was credited to Neena Beber.[1][5] Music and lyrics are by Jocelyn Mackenzie and Jeremy Lloyd Styles of Pearl and the Beard. The musical style is indie rock.[1]
Production
[edit]The musical had two workshops, including a concert performance in January 2023 at Lincoln Center's New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.[5][3]
The musical was scheduled to preview October 13, 2024, at Cincinnati's Playhouse in the Park and open October 17, with a planned run through November 10.[3] It is directed by Wendy C. Goldberg with set design by Todd Rosenthal.[2][6][7]
Reception
[edit]Laura Collins-Hughes, writing in The New York Times in September of 2024, listed it among "15 Shows to See on Stages Around the U.S. This Fall".[8]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Gans, Andrew (4 September 2024). "See Who's Starring in World Premiere of Rutka Musical at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park". Playbill.
- ^ a b "Rutka in Cincinnati at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park 2024". Broadway World. Retrieved 2024-10-11.
- ^ a b c Lyman, David (9 October 2024). "This is why the new Playhouse was built. See 'Rutka' before it heads to Broadway". Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved 2024-10-11.
- ^ Gradstein, Linda (5 July 2007). "New Diary Offers Glimpse of Life in Nazi Grip". NPR.
- ^ a b Hall, Margaret (9 January 2023). "Judy Kaye, Julie Benko, Andrew Barth Feldman, More to Star in Rutka Concert Staging". Playbill.
- ^ Gans, Andrew (4 March 2024). "Rutka Musical to Make World Premiere at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park". Playbill.
- ^ Meckloskey, Alex (4 March 2024). "RUTKA, a world premiere indie-rock musical based on Rutka's Notebook will be presented in Fall 2024 at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park". Theatrely. Retrieved 2024-10-11.
- ^ Collins-Hughes, Laura (6 September 2024). "15 Shows to See on Stages Around the U.S. This Fall". New York Times.