Our Class

Catholics and Jews playing together

The Wilma Theater, located at Broad and Spruce Streets, is producing Our Class through November 13, 2011. This masterpiece is based on a here-to-fore- little known atrocity in which the residents of a small Polish town totally annihilated their Jewish neighbors and consequently laid the blame on the Germans. Director Blanka Zizka traveled to Poland to research the play and has brought a touch of Poland back with her. The audience is introduced to 10 very young characters who enter the stage and take seats in a classroom, and later laugh and enjoy each other as they play childish circle games. Each of the 14 scenes is demarked by the 10 characters standing in a freeze-frame and singing a Capella for 6-10 lines. Within a matter of minutes we are taken to a new year and subtle changes take place; a push here, a shove there, and Jewish students are asked to sit in the back of the classroom while the Catholics pray.. As the behavior of the classmates towards each other borders on incredulity, this fine ensemble cast brings the audience along for a heady if painful ride. No matter how many years pass, no one can escape his troublesome past and you won’t be able to ignore it either. Only Abram, who manages to emigrate to the United Stated shortly after his Bar Mitzvah, remains unchanged. But his litany when he learns of the death of his entire family is heart wrenching.  You’ll be glued to your seat by this breathtaking and mesmerizing production. It’s insufficient to say you must see this piece. WOW!  Call 215-546-7824 or visit wilmatheater.org for tickets.