L ifestyle /C ulture
Concentration Camp-inspired Play to Hit Broadway
T H EATER
JARRAD SAFFREN | JE STAFF
STEVEN FISHER’S PLAY
about the Holocaust, “The
Last Boy,” enjoyed a successful
off-Broadway run in July, playing
to 80-person sold-out crowds.

Now, it’s going to Broadway ...

at least for one night.

On April 27, the start of Yom
HaShoah, Fisher’s show will
move from the off-Broadway
Theatre at St. Clement’s to the
Broadway Town Hall, which
seats 1,500. The Philadelphia
native and his actors are putting
on a charity show to benefit
Jewish organizations, including
the National Museum of
American Jewish History.

“The Last Boy” is a one-act
play inspired by the young
boys in the Terezin concentra-
tion camp, who created a secret
literary society and magazine,
Vedem. Fisher is not Jewish, but he
was inspired to write the show
after taking his youth choir on
an educational trip to the site
several years ago.

The Terezin survivor who
preserved the Vedem archives,
Sidney Taussig, gave Fisher his
blessing to write the historical
fiction. While Taussig couldn’t
attend the play’s off-Broadway
run, he will be present for its
Broadway debut, as he promised
he would be.

“I just want to see it on
Broadway before time does to
me what Hitler failed to do,”
The Town Hall on Broadway in New York City  Courtesy of The Town Hall
www.gofundme.com/f/ help-rebuild-our-museum
HELP US
REBUILD You can make a difference by donating today to the Philadelphia Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.

The organization was formed to recognize the sports accomplishments of Jewish men and
women in the Philadelphia area. Today, the museum needs your help.

The building was flooded as a result of Hurricane Ida, leaving 10 feet of water in the museum.

Consequently, the cabinetry and wall coverings were destroyed. Fortunately, the artifacts
appear to be salvageable and will be professionally cleaned. We are in the process of
assessing the damage and focused on rebuilding. The lower level is below grade and flood
insurance does not cover any of the damages.

Your contribution will ensure that we have a museum of which we can all be proud and
preserve Jewish legacies now and into the future. Any amount will make a difference.

WWW.GOFUNDME.COM/F/HELP-REBUILD-OUR-MUSEUM The Philadelphia Jewish Sports Hall of Fame is a 501(c)(3).

www.phillyjewishsports.org 18
SEPTEMBER 16, 2021
JEWISH EXPONENT
A scene from the play “The Last Boy”
Taussig told Fisher when he gave
his blessing.

“I’m not a particularly
religious person, but I do feel
there’s something in the universe
that keeps moving this forward,”
Fisher said.

Before it reaches Broadway,
though, “The Last Boy” will
return to its off-Broadway
location. The play’s July success
convinced the Theatre at St.

Clement’s to bring it back for
another run.

From Feb. 26 to March 13, the
same young actors will perform
their testament to the human
spirit. So far, “The Last Boy” has
impressed Broadway producers,
too, Fisher told the Exponent,
and they helped organize the
charity show on Broadway. And
if the show continues to impress,
it may end up with a real run on
the biggest stage.

Even so, the Broadway devel-
opment process can take “several
years,” he said.

Photo by Lia Chang
But one thing is for certain:
The charity performance is a
good sign.

“The folks who were moved
by it and want to see it have a
life,” Fisher said. “They feel this
is a good way to raise awareness.”
The retired choir director
is also doing his part to raise
awareness about the April show,
reaching out to synagogues
and Jewish organizations both
locally and in New York.

Congregation Beth Or in
Ambler is sponsoring the perfor-
mance and will be allocated 40
tickets to give away to congre-
gants. Fisher said any synagogue
can become a sponsor and get
tickets. The show can serve as a
Yom HaShoah event.

“I like to say remembering is
how we never forget,” he said of
the play and the Holocaust.

Visit thelastboy.info/ to buy
tickets. l
jsaffren@jewishexponent.com; 215-832-0740
JEWISHEXPONENT.COM