Photo of Michael Raver as Jan Karski in the Sarasota production of Remember This: The Lesson of Jan Karski
The Jewish Repertory Theater in Sarasota is producing a new rendition of Remember This: The Lesson of Jan Karski, starring Michael Raver as the Polish Underground courier, truth-teller and professor. It is being presented through Feb. 15 at the Sarasota Players, 3501 S. Tamiami Trail, in Sarasota, Florida.
This play started the company’s sixth season. It was written by Clark Young and Derek Goldman, and this production was directed by Gus Kaikkonen.
Michael Raver has extensive acting experience, including at regional theaters and in film and television. This includes The Picture of Dorian Gray and The Seagull. His versatility allows him to portray 31 different people in the play.
Unique to this production, videos and photos of the real-life Karski are displayed on a screen behind a desk on the set. Another special feature is the use of the song "Kurier Prawdy" by a Polish hip hop artist, Vibroslaw.
According to a review in Sarasota Magazine, the play is a "powerful performance and story.” It contemplates the questions that Karski asks: “Why were leaders complacent when faced with details about the Holocaust? Why did they not act more quickly? And what can we, as individuals, do in the future to avoid such atrocities?” Karski’s questions about morality are meant to haunt us and ask us to examine behaviors in our world.
Some of reviews praising the production and underlining the play’s universal message:
For more information on times and dates, and to purchase tickets, view the Theatre's website.
Remember This: The Lesson of Jan Karski 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.
Photo poster courtesy of the theater.
