Arts & Entertainment

'Invasion of Skokie' to Perform at JCC

The "Invasion of Skokie," a play that deals with the Neo Nazi invasion in Skokie during the late 1970s, will be playing at Mayer Kaplan Jewish Community Center this May. See what the playwright has to say about his drama.

As a Neo-Nazi group plans a demonstration in one of the largest Holocaust survivor populations in America: Skokie, Ill.- the demonstration generates strong opinions and headlines not just in the northern suburbs, but throughout the United States resulting in a celebrated Supreme Court case about Civil
Liberties.

Morry Kaplan (Neal Grofman, following his performance in Redtwist Theatre’s production of Broken Glass), a failed businessman, is outraged by this affront to the memory of the Holocaust. At the same time, his daughter, Debbie, is falling in love with someone who is not Jewish.

This drama brings the family to realizations about the value of memory, culture and identity and its survival for generations to come.

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"It was the big event around where I grew up in the 1970s," said Highland Park native and "Invasion of Skokie" playwright Steven Peterson. "This Neo Nazi group wanted to hold a demonstration in Skokie - a town with a large Jewish population. Their free speech case went all the way up to the Supreme Court. And they won that case.

"So on June 25, 1978, we knew they were coming," Peterson added. "At the same time, there was a different kind of invasion. This one was quieter and not as noticed at the time but the consequences may have been even greater."

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The cast of "The Invasion of Skokie" includes Neal Grofman as Morry Kaplan; Sarah August Hecht as Debbie, Morry’s daughter; Justine Serino as Sylvia, his wifeJoshNordmark as Charlie, Debbie’s boyfriend; and Michael Denini as Howie, the next door neighbor.

"Nice kids. They were also coming to Skokie - for good reasons - or so we thought," Peterson said regarding his play. "Jews and gentiles,  dating and socializing and sometimes even wanting to marry. It caused pain and we knew that but that's the world we lived in and that's the world we live in now.  How to keep the next generation about all of this so we can live together, so you can honor our difference and so we can cherish memory and identity that's what my play is all about."

Receiving rave reviews during its initial run at Chicago Dramatists in 2010 including a three-star review from Chris Jones of the Chicago Tribune, “Peterson's play offers a nuanced, warm and sympathetic portrait of a postwar, newly suburban generation … Skokie - singular, complex and yet emblematic of so much in American history — stands tall."

Artistic Director of ShPIeL-Performing Identity, David Chack, saw the 2010 production and approached award-winning playwright Peterson to consider doing it in Skokie.

“I think what Steve is doing is right up ShPIeL’s alley, by creating intercultural theatre coming from the history of the Skokie community," Chack said. "The play is a drama but it is also humorous and bittersweet, telling the poignant story of the family’s desire and struggle to pass down their heritage and beliefs. In other words it is about the future. As a result of this event, the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center in Skokie was built.”

"To me the play is about how far we got to protect what's more important to us - our community our family our identity my simple character is a family man in Skokie who wants protect his town from these Neo Nazis coming to Skokie," Peterson said. "He needs to protect his family from against this gentile boy - he actually likes - who wants to marry his own daughter. How far is he going to go?"

Tickets and show times -

The "Invasion of Skokie" will be shown at the Mayer Kaplan JCC of the Jewish Community Center of  Chicago in Skokie, 5050 Church St., on  Wednesday, May 22, Thursday, May 23 and Saturday, May 25 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, May 26 at 2 p.m. 

Opening/press night is Wednesday, May 29 at 7 p.m. The regular performance schedule continues Thursdays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. through June 23.

Preview tickets are $25. Tickets to the "Invasion of Skokie" are $28 and are currently on sale online at shpieltheatre.com or by calling 1800.838.3006. 

Student tickets are $10 to all performances, based on availability.Senior tickets are $20. Half-priced tickets are available, one hour before curtain at box office, based on availability. Group Tickets for parties of 10 or more receive a discount rate and are available by calling 847.814.8206. 

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