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UNREACHABLE EDEN
Eve Adams in France 1930-1943
Written by Barbara Kahn
Music by Arthur Abrams
Directed by Barbara Kahn and Robert Gonzales, Jr.
Musical Direction and Choreography by Robert Gonzales, Jr.
Theater for the New City presents a tale of 1920’s Greenwich Village, 1930’s Paris and 1940’s occupied France in the premiere of Unreachable Eden by award-winning playwright Barbara Kahn
Theater for the New City, Crystal Field, Executive Artistic Director, proudly announces the world premiere production of Unreachable Eden, a historical musical drama written by Barbara Kahn, music by Arthur Abrams, directed by Barbara Kahn and Robert Gonzales, Jr. Featuring Zina Anaplioti, Christopher Comeaux, Ben Davis, Claire Epstein, Robert Gonzales, Jr., Gusta Johnson, Franco Pedicini and Steph Van Vlack as Eve Adams. Set design by Mark Marcante. Costume design by Carla Gant. Sound design by Joy Linscheid. Stage manager Bill Bradford.
Polish Jewish lesbian Eve Adams (born Chava Zloczower) was deported from the U.S. as an “undesirable” and spent the 1930’s in Paris, selling banned books to English-speaking tourists. Eve and her friends Henry and June Miller and Anais Nin enjoyed both café and nightlife in France, while in Germany the Nazi government was banning and burning books and implementing its war against Jews, homosexuals and others deemed “undesirable.” These parallel worlds collided during World War II, once again putting Eve in triple jeopardy as a Jew, a lesbian and an immigrant. Composer Arthur Abrams has mined the rich musical genres of 1930’s Europe to write a score that ranges fro the popular tango to waltz to ethnic melodies.
Unreachable Eden is based on Eve Adams’ deportation file from the U.S. government as well as correspondence and photographs courtesy of her relatives.
“…if I wanted to write my experiences of my wanderings and people and adventures, which still continue with every blessed day, it would take me years to write and I could fill volumes…”
Eve’s first deportation in 1927 led ultimately to her second deportation, this time from France to Auschwitz in her native Poland. This courageous woman led a life far richer than the record of her death and deserves to be rescued from forgotten history.
Historical Inspiration
By Barbara Kahn
Historical plays can give us insight into the present by holding a mirror to the past. Unreachable Eden is a stand alone sequel to The Spring and Fall of Eve Adams, my play about the real life Polish Jewish lesbian named Eve Adams (born Chava Zloczower), who ran a tearoom on Macdougal Street in Greenwich Village in 1926, where she promoted the early work of local writers, both male and female. At the tearoom, Eve held weekly poetry readings, musical performances and salons where sexual topics were openly discussed. Caught in an atmosphere of anti-immigration, homophobia and anti-Semitism, Eve was entrapped by an undercover policewoman who charged that Eve made unwelcome advances (“disturbing the peace”) and offered her a book of short stories she had written called Lesbian Love (“disseminating obscene literature”). Eve was convicted and imprisoned for a year and a half and deported back to Europe as an “undesirable alien.” Throughout the 1930’s she tried unsuccessfully to return to the U.S.
Since the production of the first play, I have been given access to the complete deportation file from the Federal government as well as correspondence and photographs courtesy of Eve’s relatives. This incredible documentation inspired me to write Unreachable Eden, which begins with the deportation hearings and then shifts to Eve’s life in France prior to the outbreak of World War II.
Eve Adams spent the 1930’s as a bookseller in Paris, promoting the early careers of prominent 20th century authors including Henry Miller, D. H. Lawrence and James Joyce. While Eve was selling their banned books to English-speaking tourists visiting Paris in the 1930’s, the Nazi government was banning and burning books in Germany and slowly implementing their war against Jews, homosexuals and others they deemed “undesirable.” These parallel worlds collided during World War II, once again putting Eve in triple jeopardy as a Jew, a lesbian and an immigrant. This extraordinary woman deserves to be rescued from forgotten history.
Arthur Abrams will create a score that reflects the music influences of 1930’s Europe, the events of the play and emotions of the characters. Mark Marcante will once again design a set that provides historical accuracy and dramatic ambience to the production.
Funding made possible by the Puffin Foundation.
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CINO THEATER
Thursday - Sunday, February 9 - 26
Thursday - Saturday
at 8pm, Sunday at 3pm
All Seats $12/TDF
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