The theatrical play Remember This: The Lesson of Jan Karski evolved from a stage reading at Georgetown University to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Jan Karski’s birth in 2014 into a critically-acclaimed theatrical one-man show starring Academy Award-nominated actor David Strathairn (Good Night, and Good Luck, Lincoln, Nomadland, Where the Crawdads Sing) as the Polish WWII hero and Holocaust witness.
Since then, the play has had many successful performances, continuing its showings in the U.S. (Washington, D.C., Chicago, New York, and Berkeley, CA) and worldwide (including in the United Kingdom, Spain, and Poland). Strathairn’s stunning portrayal of Karski always provokes deep reactions from the audience.
In January and February 2023, the play, under the Polish title Zapamiętaj. Świadectwo Jana Karskiego, was presented by the Jan Karski Educational Foundation (U.S.) and Fundacja Edukacyjna Jana Karskiego (Poland) in four Polish cities (Click on each location to read the report.):
Watch the trailer for the play:
Critics are raving about the play – David Strathairn’s mesmerizing portrayal of Karski, Derek Goldman’s deliberate direction, and most of all, its timely message.
"Strathairn delivers an incredible performance to resonate at every emotional, mental and physical level with a direct connection to the hearts, minds, soul and spirit of the audience... an incredible and rare opportunity...transformative theatre... never-to-be-forgotten." – Philip Potempa, Chicago Tribune
Read all of the reviews.
In addition to enthusiastic professional reviews, several audience members have commented very favorably about their experience.
“I was deeply moved to witness this brilliant production, anchored by David Strathairn’s astonishing performance, which captures the soul of Jan Karski...Karski’s legacy of moral courage should always be a challenge to our conscience. We must bear witness to our history, face the truth, and act upon it.” – Former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi
“I was tremendously impressed with the way David inhabited Karski at last night’s performance. It was a simply magnificent experience to feel that I was once more in a room with the Professor. I am most grateful that I could attend.”— E. Thomas Wood, author, Karski: How One Man Tried to Stop the Holocaust.
“It’s worth seeing because so many people have no concept of what war was like. Remember This gives us a small glimpse.”— Helena Sigman, World War II refugee, 87 years old.
“One does not watch Remember This; one experiences it. There is no other way to take it in fully… I recommend that everyone who cares about the world and wonders what they can do to make it better – experience this play whenever and wherever you get a chance. Sit down low. Make eye contact. Stay for the discussion. And get the book.”— Thomas M. Sneeringer, Karski's former student.
Q&A or Talkback sessions followed some presentations to give the audience more insight into the performance and how the play came about. They included: actor David Strathairn; Derek Goldman, the co-writer and director of the play; and — at Georgetown University — several Georgetown students and Jacek Nowakowski, Senior Curator for Collections at United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Mr. Nowakowski knew Karski personally and recalled him as a wise man. “Whatever he said had a purpose; whatever he did, he did with purpose,” he said.
The Remember This feature film is based on the play and also stars David Strathairn. However, many people have stated that seeing the play in person has been especially meaningful to them because of the immediacy of the performance. Follow our Facebook posts to keep up with the schedule of both the play and movie presentations.
This production of the play, co-written by Clark Young and Derek Goldman and directed by Derek Goldman, was created by The Laboratory for Global Performance and Politics at Georgetown University and is organized with the support of the Jan Karski Educational Foundation.
The Remember This:The Lesson of Jan Karski Team:
David Strathairn | Jan Karski |
Derek Goldman | Co-Author/Director |
Clark Young | Co-Author |
Zach Blane | Lighting Design |
Emma Jaster | Movement Direction |
Misha Kachman | Scenic Design |
Roc Lee | Composition and Sound Design |
Ivania Stack | Costume Design |
Madeleine Kelley | Project Manager |
Laura Smith | Stage Manager |
For the Polish tour, the Foundation hired additional staff: | |
Wiktor Kuźma | Lighting Manager |
Piotr Delimata | Sound Manager |
Joanna Michalik | Stage Manager |
Krystyna Lewenfish | Media Manager |
Photo by Teresa Castracane