FEATURES OF THE MONTH
2008 PRODUCTION
The Butterfly
January 28-February 15, 2008
There are many terrible stories from the time of the Nazi occupation of France. In my research in preparation for writing the adaptation of THE BUTTERFLY, I discovered that Jews were driven from their homes and sent to concentration camps while the populace looked on, and in some cases, even encouraged Nazi outrages. But I also read stories of compassion and heroism, and one of the reasons I chose to adapt THE BUTTERFLY, is it is one of those stories.
Patricia Polacco's great aunt Marcelle Solliliage and her aunt Monique, who was eleven at the time, are the mother and daughter at the center of her book. One night, Monique accidentally meets Sevrine, a Jewish girl in hiding in Monique's attic, and discovers that her own mother is a member of the French underground. As Monique becomes aware of just how insidious bigotry is, so do we.
A Nazi officer, and head of the Hitler Youth movement in France, convinces Henri, Monique's gullible teenage neighbor, that Jews are to blame for all of society's ills, and enlists him to spy on the villagers.
Monique's friend, Monsieur Marks is taken away before her eyes, to await a transport to Germany. Monique and Sevrine, with the help of Sevrine's father, hatch a daring plan to save him. The danger mounts as Henri becomes more and more suspicious. Against this backdrop, the girls begin a loving friendship that lasts throughout their lives as they discover more and more about each other.
It is my hope that by telling the story of THE BUTTERFLY in conjunction with its related educational and family programs, one of the darkest moments in human history will be illuminated. In a world that is once again witnessing genocide, I believe we must insure that people do not forget the past.
Barbara Zinn Krieger
Artistic Director
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