Avenue of the Righteous: The Honor of Humanity Project

AVENUE OF THE RIGHTEOUS840 Vernon AvenueGlencoe, Illinois 60020

:: The Honor of Humanity Project

The Marisia Szul Story

In 1942 in a village near Zborov, Poland, a young Polish girl named Marisia Szul made a heroic decision. At the age of fourteen years, she risked death for herself and her village by hiding Jews in her family's barn. Among those she hid in a shallow bunker were a Jewish woman, her infant son, and two young girls. For two years, Marisia was their sole protector and provider.

By 1944, the Germans suspected Marisia of hiding Jews and arrested her. She was brutally beaten and tortured, yet she never revealed anything, repeating that she knew nothing. Through the help of one of the guards, she escaped and returned to her village, running barefoot for seventy miles to find that her wards were safe. When asked how she found the courage to save others, Marisia simply replied: "I do what I could."

The Vision

The compelling story of Marisia Szul's courage has inspired a vision of a drama for young audiences which will communicate the idea that each of us has the ability to unconditionally love and care for our fellow logo of play project human beings. The play will engage the audience in an examination of universal values: courage, fear, heroism, sacrifice, moral dilemmas.

Through this play and the immediacy of live theater, young audiences will experience the challenges faced by people during the war years and the Holocaust. In addition, a specifically designed educational component of this project will encourage students to relate the issues addressed in the play to the difficult choices they face today. The play provides an excellent opportunity for all individuals to reflect and rekindle the light of hope that lies within. To order the play, visit Dramatic Publishing Co.

Goals for the Project

Commission and produce an original play inspired by the true story of Marisia Szul.
Sponsor a Touring Company to stage the play through Illinois, the United States, and abroad.
Provide educational study materials and teach support for classroom learning experiences before and after the play (including creative drama, music, history, creative writing, poetry, etc.)
Create and produce a sixty minute broadcast-quality documentary of the Marisia Szul story and the Honor of Humanity Project to include footage of: A return trip to Poland for Marisia, those she saved, and the playwright; the writing and staging of the original play; and the play production.

About the Play

The play will be inspired by righteous acts of Marisia Szul, as she protected Jews during the Holocaust. The play will portray the courage of Marisia, the plight of her Jewish charges, their determination to live, and their hopes for the future. While the play is intended for young audiences, adults will find it equally compelling.

The play, approximately 90 minutes in length, will be performed by university students from National-Louis Children's Theater Company. National-Louis will serve as the executive producer and originating theater for the play under the direction of Rene Alexander Roy. Award-winning playwright Joanna Kraus has been commissioned to write the play. National-Louis University has agreed to commission and produce the play in affiliation with the Avenue of the Righteous.

Advisory Board

Honorable Joan Barr, Mayor of Evanston, Illinois, Dr. James W. Compton, President and Chief Executive Officer, Chicago Urban League, Bishop R. Sheldon Duecker, Northern Illinois Conference, United Methodist Church, Monsignor John Egan, Assistant to the President for Community Affairs at DePaul University, Sister Anna Marie Erst, S.H.C.J., Eugene J. Fisher, Catholic-Jewish Relations, National Conference of Catholic Bishops, Wilbur H. Gantz, President, Baxter International Inc., Justice Arthur J. Goldberg (1908-1990), Dr. Neil Harris, Professor of History, University of Chicago, Wayne E. Hedien, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Allstate Insurance Company, Dr. Orley Herron, President, National-Louis University, Rabbi Harold Kudan, Founding Member of the Avenue of the Righteous, Am Shalom Congregation, Dr. Andre La Cocque, Director, Center for Jewish-Christian Studies, Dr. Robert Leininger, State Superintendent of Education, State Board of Education, Rabbi Sholomo Levine, President, Board of Rabbis, Ezra Habonim Congregation, William A. Lofquist, Director, Associates for Youth Development, Inc. Bruce Osborne, Senior Vice President, Harris Trust & Savings Bank, Father John Pawlikowski, O.S.M., Ph.D., Catholic Theological Union, Honorable Dan Pierce, Mayor of Highland Park, Illinois, Senator Paul Simon, State of Illinois, Studs Turkel, WFMT Fine Arts, Reverend Dr. David Tracy, Founding Member of the Avenue of the Righteous, North Shore United Methodist Church, Sister Margaret Ellen Traxler, Director, Institute of Women Today, Reverend David M. Whitermore, Executive Director, Church Federation of Greater Chicago

Artistic Director

Artistic Director Rene Roy is the Director of the Theater Arts Program at National-Louis University. A graduate of Northwestern's M.F.A. Directing Program, Rene has also served on the Executive Board of the Illinois Theater Association. He has directed dozens of production ranging from Shakespeare to theater for young audiences. His professional directing credits include: Theatrical Director for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra "Pied Piper Fantasy" with flautist James Galaway; and Creative Consultant for NBC's Emmy nominated children's program "Flying Whales and Peacock Tales."

Playwright

Joanna Halpert Kraus, Ed.D., is best known for her literary work which encompasses stories, articles, and plays. Her full-length plays for young audiences have been widely produced and include The Ice World, Mean to be Free, The Last Baron of Arizona, and Circus Home. In 1971, the Children's Theatre Association awarded Joanna Kraus the Charlotte Chorpenning Award for achievement in play wrighting, and in 1976 she received a CAPS (Creative Artists Public Service) Fellowship in Playwrighting from New York State Council on the Arts. Her play Kimchi Kid was a finalist in the Second IUPUI Children's Theatre Playwrighting Competition and Symposium. Her most recent play, Remember My Name, won first place in the same competition in 1998 and is published by Samuel French. Dr. Kraus serves as professor of Theater at State University of New York, Brockport.