Each year partnerships with Prime Stage Theatre and the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh engage the world in education, understanding, and actions against the atrocities of genocide. This year’s production is a live and virtual performance adapted from the book Perseverance: A Holocaust Survivor’s Journey from Poland to America.
The world premiere of Perseverance brings a powerful memoir of healing and renewal to the stage. Few visitors to the G&S Jewelry Store in Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill neighborhood during the 1960s and 70s were aware that the cheerful proprietor, Melvin Goldman, had spent his teens enduring the horrors of Auschwitz before arriving a penniless refugee in postwar Pittsburgh intent on reshaping his family’s destiny.
The book, Perseverance: A Holocaust Survivor’s Journey from Poland to America provides . But it also tells the beautiful story of his daughter, Lee Goldman Kikel. Through her journey of co-writing the book, she discovered more about her father, giving her a greater understanding of who he was and what he had endured and the importance of sharing it with the world.
“My father’s incredible legacy evolved over time. For nearly four decades, he created custom jewelry. His unique talent and creativity shined through for his customers and friends. Each piece was as special and unique as the individual for which it was created. His passion and care were, indirectly, part of countless special occasions throughout Pittsburgh and extending well beyond Western Pennsylvania. Unbeknownst to his customers, the Melvin they knew came from a much darker past. A proud immigrant, he was born to a traditional Jewish family in Poland, witnessed the horrors and atrocities of the Holocaust, and endured unimaginable pain and anguish. He carried this darkness on his shoulders all his life. Melvin spent time in his office reflecting on this darkness. He reflected on his experiences by recording his story onto cassette tapes. This preserved his memories and the stories of family members that easily could have been lost forever. Chaim, Balcia, and the Goldman and Ceder families are now remembered because of my father’s foresight. L.E. McCullough’s adaptation brings my father’s character to life while weaving strands of darkness and light as the play progresses. Audiences will leave with a renewed sense of hope,” said Lee Goldman Kikel.
Adapted for the stage by L.E. McCullough, the play depicts Goldman’s irrepressible spirituality, unflagging love for humanity, and perseverance as he worked to replace darkness with light, one shop patron at a time. Playwright L.E. McCullough has written over 150 plays on historical topics but believes his adaptation of Perseverance may be his most important effort yet.
Jason Kikel describes listening to cassette tapes recorded by his grandfather, Melvin Goldman, chronicling his childhood and story of survival. He described seeing this manifest on stage as a true gift.
“My grandfather survived an incomprehensible hell on earth. He set foot in the United States with nearly nothing and gradually built his own American Dream. McCullough’s theatrical adaptation of this story follow’s Melvin’s journey, highlighting his strength and resolute faith in humanity,” said Jason Kikel, Melvin’s grandson.
“One day, over thirty years ago, I said to Melvin, ‘Melvin, you look good.’ His response was, ‘I look good on the outside, but I’m rotten on the inside.’ Later, I realized that Melvin, after all these years, was coping with the agony of his Holocaust losses, his family, and his youth. Every day he persevered, giving his life value,” said John Kikel, Melvin’s son-in-law.
As antisemitism is on the rise around the world, hate is all too soon normalized. Survivors remind us of the importance of hope. They experienced and witnessed the darkest time of humanity, and they did not give up, and after the war, they fought to create new lives for themselves. Their hope gives us a moral obligation to carry that hope forward. We celebrate their Perseverance as an example they set for us all.
“We like to think live theatre changes the world. Three decades into the process, I’m not sure if that always happens. But getting the chance to tell the story of how Melvin Goldman worked to replace Darkness with Light, one piece of handcrafted jewelry at a time, is a good place to start.” said playwright L.E. McCullough.
Perseverance | Directed by Art DeConciliis | Live Performances on Saturday, April 15, 8 pm and Sunday, April 16, 2:30 pm | Streaming available April 24 – May 7 | Purchase tickets at : AudienceView Professional (ovationtix.com)
Categories: Preview, Show Previews
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