- NAZI HUNTER - SIMON WIESENTHAL
- Reuben Cordova Theatre
- by Carol Kaufman Segal
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Simon Wiesenthal was an Austrian
Jew who survived four-and-half years in German Concentration camps in
World War II. Following his liberation by the United States Army, he
dedicated his life to hunting Nazis in order that they be brought to
justice for war crimes and crimes against humanity. He died in Vienna at
age 96 in 2005. Because of the importance of this man in history, actor,
playwright and director Tom Dugan has brought Wiesenthal back to life in
his one-man show, Nazi Hunter - Simon Wiesenthal presented by Theatre 40
in Beverly Hills. |
- Tom Dugan
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Though Dugan is a younger man, his
transformation into Wiesenthal is remarkable. When the production
opens, we see a near-image of the man including his perfect make-up,
his mannerisms, movements and accent. Dugan wrote the play and is
directed by Jenny Sullivan. We meet Wiesenthal in his late years as he
is closing his office to retire at the behest of his wife. Retiring is
a difficult decision for him to accept. As he says, he has uncovered
1100 Nazi war criminals which is a small percentage of the many
murderers still among us.
Some of his successful finds include
Eichmann, Franz Stangl, Dr. Josef Mengele and Karl Silberbauer, the SS
officer who imprisoned the famous Anne Frank. No wonder he was called
"The Jewish James Bond." "Wiesenthal" relates his story about his
internment, his liberation, the miracle of meeting his wife, all of
his accolades and all that has happened to him in his lifetime.
This is a gripping one-man show, one that
brings an important man back to life. I highly recommend this
production that plays Sunday, Monday and Tuesday only through Tuesday,
April 26. However, if you miss this run, it will open again Sunday,
May 22, and play Sunday, Monday and Tuesday for 15 performances
through June 21. Theatre 40 is located in the Reuben Cordova Theatre,
241 Moreno Drive on the Beverly Hills High School Campus in Beverly
Hills. For reservations, call (310) 364-3606. For further information
go online at
www.theatre40.org.
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