Rehearsal for Truth 2025: Reading Series

We are pleased to invite you to a series of staged readings as part of the Rehearsal for Truth. This season’s selection features powerful contemporary works that explore themes of war, identity, resistance, and justice—offering a thought-provoking reflection on the challenges of our time.

Join us for these compelling performances, followed by discussions with playwrights, directors, and experts, fostering dialogue on the pressing issues addressed in each work. We look forward to welcoming you.

Schedule of Readings:

Monday, APRIL 14, 7pm

Once Upon a Time There Was a Rooster (UKRAINE)
By Anna Halas
Directed by Eva Burgess
A contemporary play dealing with the current war, about a Ukranian family on a farm and a Russian soldier who stumbles into their farm. 
90 minutes, discussion follows (facilitated by the Ukranian consulate)
3^rd Floor

Friday, APRIL 18, 7pm

Blood Brothers (LITHUANIA)
By Gabrielė Labanauskaite 
A contemporary tragicomedy, a paraphrase of the biblical brothers Cain and Abel, which tells a story of love, friendship and the hatred of otherness (particularly queerness and Jewishness) fueled by the far-right National Socialists.  The Lithuanian consulate is bringing in Gabrielė.
Directed by Patrice Miller
90 minutes, discussion follows
3^rd Floor

Tuesday, APRIL 22, 7pm

Dissident Power in Havel’s Vanek (CZECH)
Presented by Carol Strong
Excerpts from Czech plays that use Havel’s character, Vaněk, originally created as a stand-in for himself (a dissident playwright) during the Communist era in Czechoslovakia.  The character was then adapted by numerous other Czech dissident playwright such as Pavel Landovsky and Pavel Kohout.  The excerpts will be accompanied by a discussion with Carol Strong, who recently wrote a book about the character and its enduring significance.
Directed by Edward Einhorn
90 minutes including discussion
3^rd Floor

Sunday, MAY 4, 7pm

Business as Usual (ESTONIA)
By Mehis Pihla
An accounting of the recent Estonian banking scandal, where Russian oligarchs used Estonian banks to launder their money into the EU.  The Estonian Consulate is bringing Mehis in and a post-show reception is planned.Directed by Alexander Harrington
2.5 hours, followed by reception
Ballroom