[NEohioPAL] Eva Schloss Story

[John Ballantyne via NEohioPAL]

                                                Holocaust Play World Premier
                                                   at Youngstown Playhouse
The Youngstown Playhouse and J&B Production Arts Services will team up to present the world premier of a
new play about the Holocaust from August 12th to the 28th. IMAGES: Remembrances of the Holocaust - THE
EVA SCHLOSS STORY, by J.E.Ballantyne, Jr., tells the story of Anne Frank childhood friend and step-sister, Eva
Schloss.
Mrs. Schloss has visited the Youngstown area numerous times with her last visit being in 2011 at the premier of A
Light In the Darkness, another play about her experiences.
Ballantyne points out that the difference between Images and other plays about Schloss is that Images is a onewoman
show and it deals with her entire life right up to the present rather than stopping after World War II. Local
area actress Molly Galano will portray Mrs. Schloss in a retrospective format in which she talks about different
times in her life including her time spent in hiding from the Nazis, her arrest and imprisonment in Auschwitz and
how she has used her experiences during the war to educate both adults and students.
Ballantyne also said that video plays a very important part in the show as it presents images from Eva’s past and
how those images have effected her life. Included in the video are six filmed segments in which other actors portray
family members as well as other significant people in her life. Those six segments were all shot in various local
locations over the past year. “This is an up close and personal look at a very strong and amazing lady who not
only survived the Holocaust but has gone on to use the tragedy in her life as a very positive force to help people,”
Ballantyne went on to say.
The show will live on after the initial production at the Playhouse. A tri-state tour of the show will begin in early
2017. One of Eva’s primary objectives is to talk to school kids, as she does all over the world. The tour will help
to accomplish this objective in a little different way. Since it is not possible for Eva to be everywhere, Images, will
afford schools the opportunity to expose their students to her story even though she herself cannot be there. The
full length version of Images will be available as well as a special 40 minute school assembly version. Ballantyne
emphasized that besides schools, they are also looking to book the show into local theater venues, churches, synagogues
and other venues. He also added that it will also be available for in-house productions for schools and
theaters to produce themselves. Ballantyne stated that this is a very valuable resource for both schools and the community
in general. Holocaust survivors are dying at an alarming rate. Plays like this help to keep their stories alive.
Ballantyne is directing the show. Others included in video segments are: Carl Brockway, Liz Conrad, Olivia Rossi,
Vincent Dragos, Rosie Bresson, Glenn Stevens, Terri Wilkes, Megan Brockway, Miranda Canacci, Mary Rosenberg,
and Abby Witherstine.
Reservations can be made for all performances by calling 330-788-8739. For touring information call 330-799-
6176.
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