I Never Saw Another Butterfly

This new musical version of Celeste Raspanti's widely produced play brings an added dimension to the story of the children of Terezin, a ghetto under Nazi rule during World War II. Though few of the children survived, their lives were given meaning and hope through the tireless efforts of an inspirational teacher, Irena, who challenged their creativity and artistry in a makeshift classroom using scavenged materials which she kept hidden from the authorities. More than 5,000 drawings, poems and prose pieces were produced by the children in the concentration camp during its three- year existence, thus providing a legacy that continues to be honored and celebrated today. As narrated by one of the survivors - and close friend of Irena - Raja takes the audience on a never-to-be-forgotten adventure that moves seamlessly back-and-forth between past and present. The musical is rich in its variety of songs including "Terezin," "We'll Stick Together," "When I Go Home," "You Don't Know the First Thing About Anything," and "I Loved You Before I Met You." The final words of the song "I Leave You These" best summarize the theme of the musical. As Irena is leaving Terezin to meet her fate, she secretly passes the writings and drawings to Raja and sings: "These poems and pictures will live on after us all/And on the memory of the children who made them/Night shall never fall."