Vaclav—dissident, activist, essayist, philosopher, politician, founder and president of the Czech Republic—is known throughout the world as a hero of the human rights movement and a martyr for the ‘right to write.’ . . . But few in the West know that he is also his country’s most famous playwright. . . . His plays constitute a significant body of work spanning the period from 1959 to 2007, a crucial dramatization of human existence in a crucial era.
Carol Rocamora, Acts of Courage: Vaclav Havel’s Life in the Theater
To honor Vaclav Havel’s theatrical legacy, VHLF collects information about productions of his plays in America, awards scholarships to Czech and U.S. students of drama and performance studies, and presents an annual festival of contemporary European theater, Rehearsal for Truth.
TheaterANEW, 2023 Rehearsal for Truth Theater Festival May 2, 2023 New York, June 2-14 Experience engaging contemporary plays by Eastern European playwrights addressing political circumstances and social trends. Vaclav Havel Library Foundation and Bohemian Benevolent and Literary Association are pleased to present the 2023 Rehearsal for Truth Theater Festival honoring playwright and human rights activist Vaclav Havel. From June 2 …
News, Theater2022 Rehearsal for Truth Theater Festival: Under Pressure June 12– 25, 2022 May 18, 2022 Experience engaging contemporary plays by Eastern European playwrights addressing political circumstances and social trends. Dedicated to the people of Ukraine fighting for their independence. The Vaclav Havel Library Foundation and Bohemian Benevolent and Literary Association are pleased to present the 2022 Rehearsal for Truth Theater Festival honoring playwright and human …
Theater2021 Rehearsal for Truth Theater Festival, Embracing the Inexplicable May 31, 2021 Bohemian National Hall in New York City June 21 – 30, 2021 Vaclav Havel Library Foundation and Bohemian Benevolent and Literary Association are pleased to present the 2021 Rehearsal for Truth Theater Festival as it returns to in-person format. The festival’s fourth edition offers to audiences a program of two …
Theater2021 [Virtual] Spring Weekend: Concerning Human Identity April 6, 2021 Experience award-winning contemporary plays by Eastern European playwrights addressing current social and political issues in pursuit of truth April 16 – 25, 2021 online on Zoom The Vaclav Havel Library Foundation and Bohemian Benevolent and Literary Association in partnership with the Polish Cultural Institute New York and Consulate General of Slovakia …
TheaterCulture Watch – HAVEL’S “LARGO DESOLATO” AT CITY GARAGE February 25, 2020 Source: Santa Monica Daily Press / www.smdp.com / By Sarah A. Spitz / You’re a popular dissident, your political writings spur action against a totalitarian government, your admirers depend on you, begging you not to weaken, as you sit in your house paralyzed by fear of the knock at the …
TheaterREHEARSAL FOR TRUTH 2019: TRUTH (POLAND) August 9, 2019 Saturday, September 28, 7:30 pm Conceived and directed by: Piotr Borowski Cast: Gianna Benvenuto, Magda Czarny, Michal Lorent Presented by: Studium Teatralne, Polish Cultural Institute New York Truth exposes a lack thereof: an existence fraught with the absence of the sacred, devoid of any mystery, purpose or metaphysical worth. While …
TheaterREHEARSAL FOR TRUTH 2019: GYPSY DEVILS (SLOVAKIA) August 9, 2019 Friday, September 27, 7:30 pm Duration: 90 min Live virtuoso performance by legendary orchestra Gypsy Devils. This talented ensemble of Romani musicians from Slovakia plays original arrangements by combining classical pieces with musical genres such as jazz, ethno, flamenco and Gypsy. Together with interweaving styles, they add rhythmical and harmonic …
TheaterREHEARSAL FOR TRUTH 2019: WOMAN ALONE (ROMANIA) August 8, 2019 Tuesday, September 24, 7:30 pm Playwrights: Dario Fo, Franca Rame Directed by: Daniel Grigore-Simion Cast: Andreea Bibiri Presented by: Romanian Cultural Institute, The Art Theater in Bucharest Duration: 60 min Woman Alone unveils the story of Maria and the elements of her domestic life that entrap her. She grapples to cope …
TheaterREHEARSAL FOR TRUTH 2019: AUDIENCE (CZECH REPUBLIC) August 7, 2019 Friday, October 4, 7:30 pm Playwright: Vaclav Havel Directed by: Jakub Spalek Cast: Jan Potmesil, Tomas Karger Presented by: Kaspar Theatre in Celetna, Czech Center New York Duration: 45 minutes Audience centers on a meeting between brewery manager Sladek and employee Vanek. While the manager is clearly opening too many beers and …
TheaterREHEARSAL FOR TRUTH 2019: HUNGARIAN ACACIA (HUNGARY) August 7, 2019 Saturday, September 28, 6:00 pm presentation of performance projects, discussion Conceived and directed by: Kristof Kelemen, Bence Gyorgy Palinkas Duration: 45 min Engaging, behind-the-scenes glimpse at Hungarian Acacia and other performance projects conceived to address the public discourse in Hungary in a satirical way. Artists-directors Kelemen and Palinkas will discuss …