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All Through the Night (Lauro)

  • Shirley Lauro
  • Full Length Play, Docudrama/Historic, Drama
  • 5F
  • ISBN: 9780573698026

Events...elevated to artistic dramatization. Most interesting is character transformations as the stories unfold.

Backstage

We may know history but this play is electrifying!

Chicago Free Press

More information

Description

  • Full Length Play
  • Docudrama/Historic, Drama

  • Set Requirements: Bare Stage/Simple Set

  • Accolades:
  • Nominee! 2006 Joseph Jefferson nomination as Best New Chicago Play of the Year
All Through the Night speaks directly with a warning for today. Set during and after the Third Reich, a stylistic, surrealistic play inspired by interviews with German Gentile women. 

The play sweeps from their teen years through adulthood during the Holocaust and beyond. The Nazi Regime impacts the women's lives as they struggle over work, religion, marriage and motherhood. Making overwhelmingly hard choices, they survive or succumb to Hitler's Reign and are changed forever.

A stylistic, surrealistic play. Minimal set and minimal props. An unconventional time frame that jumps a chronological order.
REVIEWS:

Events...elevated to artistic dramatization. Most interesting is character transformations as the stories unfold.

Backstage

We may know history but this play is electrifying!

Chicago Free Press

Intensely moving...a compelling play...smart yet strikingly sympathetic...significant!

Chris Jones Chicago Tribune

No story less told than what happened to the German Christian women (in WWII)...such relevance to what is happening now...fascinating...the emotional side of war ...

TimeOut
Premiere Production: All Through the Night received its World Premiere at the Chicago Jewish Theatre in 2006, where it received a Joseph Jefferson Nomination for "Best New Chicago Play of the Year." In 2009, it premiered in New York City at the Marjorie Dean Little Theatre produced by the Red Fern Theatre.

Characters

  • Casting: 5F
  • Casting Notes: All the characters' stories are true although all the characters are fictional. Their stories have been inspired by actual interviews and oral histories.

  • LUDMILLA - She moves in and out of play from age nineteen to adulthood, but since she is the storyteller, she is somewhat ageless, moving through time and in and out of all time frames as she tells her tale. A heartland, rural woman. Fair, plump, good-natured. Funny, likeable, down to earth peasant, great Mother Wit. Has an intimate relationship both with audience and characters. Slight German accent; speaks English as a modern Mrs. Malaprop.

  • GRETCHEN - From 14-16 to adulthood. Fair. Very poor, clever, ambitious. Grows tough as steel. Desperate needs to be counted, important, recognized, drive her to do anything to better herself. Becomes a 200% Patriot. But loses her soul. No accent.

  • ANGELIKA - 14-16 to adulthood as a nurse. Fair. Naive, innocent adolescent who sees like with cup half-full. Giggly, happy, grows to be religious, ethical adult. Fragile mentally and shaken in faith briefly but gains strength to feel God is with her as she goes against the regime. No accent.

  • FRIEDERIKE - 17-18 to adulthood. Fair. An aristocratic background. High-spirited teenager; spunky, slightly haughty with dare-devilish quality. As she matures, she leaves her aristocratic class and heritage, dissenting to take high risks against the regime. A survivor. No accent.

  • NOTE: It is suggested the above actresses be cast somewhere in their mid-twenties in order to stretch back and forth in time. They are somewhat aged at beginning and end of play, but should rely on inner feelings of age, rather than any attempts to physically age or use make-up, etc. to denote age.



  • THE FOLLOWING CHARACTERS ARE PORTRAYED BY ONE ACTRESS:

  • FRAU LEHRERIN - Headmistress/Teacher. Old maid. Nervous. Eccentric, but under control, in command of herself. She has embraced Fascism all the way. It has given her great opportunity to become a Head Mistress in The New Order. She how has power. When this is threatened, she becomes enraged and outraged, but usually keeps this contained. She maintains strict discipline, the mode of education of The New Order. She now can mold her student's destinies, as she sees fit. German accent.

  • FRAU DIREKTORIN - Director at clinic for mentally/physically handicapped German children. Her father founded the clinic, and she inherited it. As new regime takes hold, Nazis take over the clinic, but she's allowed to stay -- at least for the present -- if she adheres to the new medical and scientific philosophy of the Reich. She is making great effort to accept their New Direction of Science and Medicine, carrying out all orders of Nazis at the clinic. But slightly conflicted with moral and ethical problems as she does this. Gentle, somewhat sympathetic in manner -- to a point. German accent.

  • FRAU FUHRERIN - High ranking administrator for Frauenwerk -- the National Party Organization to train and support the country's women in carrying out the ideology of The New Order, in their homes, churches, schools, hospitals. One of select group of women in party. Has power psychologically, ideologically to carry out harsh punitive actions against any women resisters. Haughty, vain, demanding. A sexual aura to her. She is consciously aware she can manipulate her position to satisfy her own needs of power, control, sexuality. Government's given her licence to let these needs be satisfied and she does. Attractive, sexually alluring. German accent.

  • FRAU OBERAUFSEHERIN - Head Concentration Camp Guard. Overwhelming lust for power and control, accommodated by the Regime's legitimization of all sadistic impulses. She is sanctioned and rewarded by her government for acting out on any prisoner, her unbridled, full-blown savageness, but torture and/or annihilation of her helpless victims. A cruel tyrant. Sophisticated in her cruelty. Knows exactly what she's doing. German accent.

  • NOTE: The age of the actress playing these roles can be anywhere from forties to late fifties. Must have energy, power, vigor. In no way a "Grandma" type.

    • Available Material

    Name Price
    All Through the Night (Lauro) Script Order Now

    All Through the Night speaks directly with a warning for today. Set during and after the Third Reich, a stylistic, surrealistic play inspired by interviews with German Gentile women. The play sweeps from their teen years through adulthood during the Holocaust and beyond. The Nazi Regime impacts the women's lives as they struggle over work, religion, marriage and motherhood. Making overwhelmingly hard choices, they survive or succumb to Hitler's Reign and are changed forever.A sylistic, surrealistic play. Minimal set and minimal props. An unconventional timeframe that jumps a chronological order.

    		$24.95

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