Alverno College fall production marks the first time "I Never Saw Another Butterfly" has been performed here since its world debut at Alverno 50 years ago

November 2, 2018

Alverno College continues its long tradition of fall plays with this year's production of I Never Saw Another Butterfly. The play was written by Alverno alumna Celeste Raspanti, who is also a former English professor at Alverno and a School Sister of Saint Francis. The play debuted at Alverno 50 years ago and has been performed around the world. This production marks the first time since its debut that it will be performed at Alverno.

The production is a moving one-act play based on the poetry created by Jewish children in the Terezin concentration camp. More than 15,000 Jewish children passed through Terezin, but fewer than 150 of them were still alive when Terezin was liberated at the end of the war. One of the survivors, Raja, spent her time teaching the children when there were no books, giving them hope when there was little, and creating a world of laughter, flowers and butterflies behind barbed wire. Of course there were no butterflies in Terezin, but they became a symbol of defiance for the children, making it possible for them to live on and play while waiting to be transported to extermination camps.

There will be six performances starting this weekend. Shows are at 7:30 p.m. on November 1-3 and November 8-10 in the Pitman Theatre. Tickets are $10 for general admission and $5 for Alverno students, faculty and staff.