Vilna: A Resistance Story

A musical about the heroic Jewish resistance fighters from the Vilna ghetto. This musical features characters based on the young artists of the bohemian city of Vilna, who form a secret brigade in the ghetto and find creative ways to resist. Led by a rebellious teenage girl and a young poet, the partisans narrowly escape the Nazis and flee to the forest, where they take up arms and eventually reclaim their beloved city. Through the power of music, their revolutionary spirit lives on. The performance consists of a selection of 16 songs with the actors accompanied by piano.
Format: Musical
Running Time: 60 minutes
Notes:

Vibrant klezmer-influenced pop score by composer/lyricist Kevin Cloud and book by Lisa Kenner Grissom.
Additional story: Allison Cloud
Additional music and lyrics: Greg LaFollette

Snapshot

Original or Prominent Production:
The Ebell of Los Angeles, February 2024.
Original Source Material: Inspired by real-life Jewish heroes Vitka Kempner, Abba Kovner, Hirsh Glick, Avram Sutzkever and others.
Nationality of Author: U.S.
Original Language: English
Production Rights Holder:

Contact the creative team via the website of the musical: vilnamusical.com

Experience(s) Chronicled: Escape | The Ghettos | Resistance

Browse the Plays

Play Index

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

HTC Insights

Views, reference and research of interest.

A Personal Welcome to the Holocaust Theater Catalog

A Message from Arnold Mittelman After a career in not-for-profit and commercial theater spanning more than 40 years I was honored in 2007 to found the National Jewish Theater / Foundation and in 2010 to assume leadership of its Holocaust Theater International...

Lifetime Achievement Award

The National Jewish Theater Foundation presented its 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award to Alfred Uhry. The presentation took place as part of the Lincoln Center Library event on January 27th 2025 in commemoration of International Holocaust Remembrance Day on the 80th Anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz

Lifetime Achievement Award

On September 30, 2024, French playwright, Mr. Jean Claude Grumberg received the Lifetime Achievement Award. It was presented by NJTF HTII President, Arnold Mittelman with Dominique Trimbur, PhD-Manager for the History of Anti-Semitism and the Holocaust, Teaching of the Holocaust of Fondation Pour La Memoir de la Shoah Project.