University of Miami Launches Holocaust Theatre Catalog

The University of Miami Sue and Leonard Miller Center for Contemporary Judaic Studies, the George Feldenkreis Program in Judaic Studies and The National Jewish Theater Foundation (NJTF) will launch the ground breaking digital Holocaust Theater Catalog (HTC) onOctober 7. The event will include a first time demonstration of its international on line functionality and also a screening of the acclaimed NJTF filmed play The Soap Myth from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. the evening ofOctober 7 at the Cosford Cinema on UM's Coral Gables campus.

The National Jewish Theater Foundation has designated the Miller Center at the University of Miami as the permanent home for its digital Holocaust Theater Catalog--a website project of the NJTF Holocaust Theater International Initiative (HTII). "The UM Miller Center and Feldenkreis Program are deeply honored to serve as the home of the unique Holocaust Theater Catalog (htc.miami.edu) and to make it electronically available to the world," said Dr. Haim Shaked, Director of the Sue and Leonard Miller Center for Contemporary Judaic Studies and of the George Feldenkreis Program in Judaic Studies. "It will fill a gaping void in Holocaust Remembrance projects and constitute an important building block in the educational work of the Center and Program."

"Although theater has played an extraordinary role from the 1930s to today in Holocaust awareness and education, there has not been until now a comprehensive theater initiative that has sought to make understood that body of work to Holocaust educators, officials, theatrical companies and the general public," said Arnold Mittelman, NTJF President and HTC Project Director. "Now with this comprehensive infrastructure, NJTF/HTC worldwide users and their audiences/students will more richly understand through theater the complexity of the Holocaust and its legacy."

"We are delighted to see the benefits of our support to the National Jewish Theater Foundation," said Alberto Ibargüen, president of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. "Not only did it enable the creation of the Holocaust Theater Catalog as a unique resource, but it helped connect it with the University of Miami, so the community can be better informed."

In addition to more than 550 current titles and authors, entries include synopses, prominent production(s), experiences chronicled, publisher, rights holder, authors, country of origin, language, cast breakdowns, etc. - as much information as available for each work. After its launch, the catalog will continue to be refined, updated and grow through the inclusion of new material submitted from worldwide sources in all relevant languages.

NJTF also will create unique educational programs, study guides, curricula and endeavor to inspire creation, translation and increased production of Holocaust-related theater appropriate for all ages.

The HTC was developed by an international research staff, overseen by a renowned Advisory Board and consulting scholars in Holocaust Theater and Holocaust History. Ongoing research leadership supervision was provided by Advisory Board member Dr. Alvin Goldfarb, in collaboration with Arnold Mittelman, NJTF President and HTC Project Director; Dr. Michael Berenbaum; Dr.William Shulman and Dr. Haim Shaked. Contributing Holocaust theater scholars included Dr. Robert (Bob) Skloot, Dr. Gene Plunka, Dr. Lisa Peschel , Dr. Rebecca Rovitt and David Chack . The development of this important and critically needed on-line resource was funded by grants to the NJTF by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and private donors.