CAMP

The Premiere production of CAMP written and composed by Naomi Tessler, dramaturgy by Alysse Rich

CAMP, juxtaposes two 15 year old girls’ experiences—Lila at Jewish sleepover camp in Canada and Greta- in Auschwitz- a concentration camp. This research and me-search informed play explores themes of womanhood, intergenerational trauma, sisterhood and resilience. Though separated through time, space and absolutely different life circumstances, both girls share stories of love, shame, sexual violence, overcoming oppression and singing as a form of resistance- leaving the audience with greater appreciation for the triumphs of young women and the importance of healing intergenerational wounds.  

The play draws from playwright Naomi Tessler’s own lived experiences, along with channeled information from her ancestors, from other young women killed in the Holocaust, and the insight from memoirs of other young women who survived. Amongst all of these memoirs, there were two things that threaded them together: each author had experienced sexual violence, and held too much shame to share with their families for fear of further ostracization. Each author also used singing as a coping strategy. 

*Camp won third place in the 2021 National Jewish Playwriting Competition

This play stands as a reminder that our pain is shared. If we are to move forward in our collective healing and build a world of peace for all peoples, where we recognize each other’s humanity–it begins with looking at our own stories, like the ones shared by Lila and Greta in our play: CAMP. The stories that have been buried, the wounds that need our collective attention to move towards deeper hope, with greater capacity to love each other unconditionally.

Written and Composed by: Naomi Tessler
Directed by: Alice Fox Lundy
Starring: Jada Rifkin and Naomi Tessler

Musicians: 
Veronica Zupanic on violin
Iris Rhian on Guitar

Dramaturgy by: Alysse Rich
Arrangement by: Dash Cole

Set Builder: Rin Abedi
Technician: Victoria Watson-Sepejak
Production Team: Alice Fox Lundy, Hailey Gardiner and Lisa Scianella

Dates and Times: 

Thursday, June 11th- 7pm
Friday, June 12th-7pm
Saturday, June 13th, 7pm
Sunday, June 14th, 1pm

**Please note: This play explores sensitive subject matter pertaining to lived experiences of a girl in a concentration camp during the Holocaust including references to sexual violence.