Jenůfa (Her Stepdaughter), written in 1890 by Gabriela Preissová and translated by Barbara Day, is a masterpiece of Czech realism. This play, which was the basis for Janáček’s famous tragic opera, was based on two contemporary news stories and deals with themes that still ring true today.
Brno, April 26 (BD) – Performances will be at Music Lab, Opletalova 1, at 7 pm on May 18, 19, 25, and 26, 2019. Tickets are available through smsticket.cz.
“This play is just fascinating to me,” said Anne Johnson, one of the theater’s founders. “I thought I understood it when I read it, but we’re uncovering so many layers in rehearsal. It was written by a 27-year-old woman over 100 years ago, but it still feels ripped from today’s headlines. The story concerns how past trauma informs our current behavior, the choices people make when they feel like they have no choice, and what we will and won’t do for someone we love.”
“It’s hard to act out the effects of domestic violence every week, seeing the consequences even years later,” continued Aaron Collier, another founder. “But we know it’s even harder to live with these effects. That’s why we’re happy to support Spondea, a Brno-based organization that works with all members of a family to reduce violence and deal with its effects. We’ll be donating from ticket proceeds for Jenůfa and helping to spread the word about the important work that Spondea does.”
This is the second play for Czech Theater, a multicultural amateur community theater presenting Czech plays in English. Its mission is to make Czech theater culture accessible to people who do not understand the Czech language and to show Czech people a different view of their culture than they are used to, thus bridging the gaps between cultures. Its Facebook page features updates about current and future performances and regular fun facts about Czech theater.
This community theater is all amateurs, each contributing their own skills. Its actors do everything from designing scenery to creating props. Check their website or contact czechtheater@gmail.com to learn more about the group and how you can be a part.
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