Traces in the Wind

Directed by Gail Humphries Mardirosian with music composed by Tom Andes, Traces in the Wind centers on three women—Dutch, French, and Czech—who survived the Holocaust: Rosalina Glaser, Charlotte Delbo, and Eva Kavanova. These women were betrayed, humiliated, deprived of normal living conditions, incarcerated, and experienced the depth of psychological and physical abuse, and yet survived. Each of them personified a different perspective: Rosalina Glaser resonated hope, joy and optimism; Charlotte Delbo embodied deep reflection and anger after her survival; and Eva Kavanova personified intellectual determination. Director Mardirosian said the following about the women, “It seemed as if each of these exceptional women had used their art as some form of sustenance and it gave them some renewal, at least for the soul.” Through the staged reading, Mardirosian hopes to bring their voices to life to generate reflection, connections to contemporary situations, and ultimately a call for action in current situations that challenge social justice and precipitate violence against women.

Format: Staged Reading

Original or Prominent Production:
Presented at the Embassy of the Czech Republic, Washington, D.C., on January 17, 2017 for Holocaust Remembrance.

Original Language: English

Experience(s) Chronicled: Concentration and Extermination Camps | Survivors and Subsequent Generations | Women and the Holocaust | Reactions to the Holocaust