“Freedom” Premiere to Benefit Jewish Endowment Foundation

This month marks the world premiere of “Freedom,” a new production by Sean Patterson, Joyce Pulitzer, David Seelig and Kitty Greenberg.
Directed by Mark Routhier, Southern Rep’s production runs from July 11 to 28 at the Contemporary Arts Center.

The first night, July 11, ticket sales benefit the Jewish Endowment Foundation of Louisiana. The evening will include a meet and greet cocktail reception with the playwrights and actors after the show. Tickets are $50 and are available at JEF or from the Southern Rep website.

The show tells the story of a Holocaust survivor and an Irish immigrant who meet by chance in the hours before their American naturalization ceremony. Bearing deep wounds from the past, and carrying secrets too painful to tell, they forge a connection and learn they have more similarities than differences.

Based in part on survivor testimony, this new American play looks at the many ways people yearn for freedom — not just “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” but also the freedom to face the truth about themselves with grace, acceptance and forgiveness.

“What drew me to this project is the underlying spirit of hope in these characters. Their suffering is at once unimaginable and all too real, and yet they persevere,” Patterson said. “There’s also the idea of salvation. One person may not be able to save the world, but you may be able to save one other person, and maybe that’s enough.”

The July 12 production benefits the Ancient Order of the Hibernians. Opening night is July 13.