Vaclav Havel Center

Wednesday's Festival Performance: Out at Sea (Austria / Poland) 🇦🇹🇵🇱

📅 Wednesday, June 24, 2026
🕖 7:00 PM
📍 Bohemian National Hall, New York

A workshop production of the classic absurdist Polish play by Slawomir Mrozek about three shipwrecked men on a raft. In Russian-Austrian director Ira Süssenbach’s interpretation, the raft as an analogy for our society, which has suffered a kind of “shipwreck”: the familiar concepts no longer work in the face of major crises such as climate change, right-wing extremism, wars, natural disasters, and mass migration.

By Slawomir Mrozek
Directed by Ira Süssenbach
With Mariana Novak, Petra Staduan, Ira Süssenbach
Austrian Cultural Forum New York
Polish Cultural Institute New York

Presented in English.

🎭 Rehearsal for Truth Festival 2026
📍 Bohemian National Hall, New York City
📅 June 16-27
RSVP: https://www.rehearsalfortruth.org/program/out-at-sea

Celebrating 10 years of theater that challenges, inspires, and speaks truth to power.

Coming Tuesday to Rehearsal for Truth: A Girl on a Trampoline (Czechia) 🇨🇿

📅 Tuesday, June 23, 2026
🕖 7:00 PM
📍 Bohemian National Hall, New York

Inspired by the difficult life of Zdena Salivarová and Josef Škvorecký, two exceptional novelists and translators. The play looks at their specific work and difficult life in communist Czechoslovakia and subsequently in emigration in Toronto, Canada. In 1971, the couple founded the exile publishing house ’68 Publishers, about which their friend Milan Kundera declared that "without it, serious printed Czech literature would cease to exist".

From Švandovo divadlo Švandovo divadlo
by Pavel Jurda and Ensemble
Directed by Martin Františák

The project is supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic Ministerstvo kultury České republiky and The City of Prague

In collaboration with the Czech Center New York Czech Center New York and the Consulate General of the Czech Republic in New York Czech Consulate General in New York

Special thanks to Irena Čajková, T. G. Masaryk Czech School, and Vlad Havlik, Remodeling with Style, Inc.

Photo credit: Alena Hrbková

Presented in Czech with English subtitles.

🎭 Rehearsal for Truth Festival 2026
📍 Bohemian National Hall, New York City
📅 June 16-27
RSVP: https://www.rehearsalfortruth.org/program/a-girl-on-a-trampoline

Celebrating 10 years of theater that challenges, inspires, and speaks truth to power.

This Weekend at Rehearsal for Truth: If I Had a Gun I’d Take Them All Down (Poland / Ukraine) 🇵🇱🇺🇦

📅 Saturday, June 20, 2026
🕖 7:00 PM
📍 Bohemian National Hall, New York

A monodrama, originally created in Kiev by Ukrainian playwright Piotr Armianovski and reinterpreted by Paul Bargetto and Michael Rubenfeld. Inspired by the true story of Dmitry Bogrov, a Ukrainian-Jewish lawyer, double agent, and revolutionary who, in 1911, assassinated Russian Prime Minister Pyotr Stolypin at the Kyiv Opera House. Through innovative use of video and sound design, the production immerses audiences in both historical and contemporary Kyiv, tracing the path that led the young Bogrov to his final act, while echoing the author’s own lived experience of conflict in Ukraine today.

Written and with video by Piotr Armianovski
Director/co-creator Paul Bargetto
Performer/co-creator Michael Rubenfeld
From FestivALT FestivALT and Teatr Trans-Atlantyk Teatr Trans-Atlantyk
In partnership with The Adam Mickiewicz Institute and The Polish Cultural Institute in NY Polish Cultural Institute New York

Presented in English.

🎭 Rehearsal for Truth Festival 2026
📍 Bohemian National Hall, New York City
📅 June 16-27
RSVP: https://www.rehearsalfortruth.org/program/if-i-had-a-gun-id-take-them-all-down

Celebrating 10 years of theater that challenges, inspires, and speaks truth to power.

Next at Rehearsal for Truth: Portal (Slovakia)🇸🇰

📅 Friday, June 19, 2026
🕖 7:00 PM
📍 Bohemian National Hall, New York

Twelve scenes connected by a certain kind of extreme. Relationships, stereotypes, uncertainties, tensions. Language cut to the bone, silence that speaks. A network of intertwined happenings that lead to crossing our intimate border, to crossing our own portal, to the hope. To the future…

A workshop written and directed by Dodo Gombar
With: Signy Ackermann, Rose Kanj, Sophia Mucha, Kingsley Nwaogu, Richard Toth
Directed by the author with local student and professional actors.
In cooperation with the Slovenský generálny konzulát v New Yorku / Slovak Consulate General in NY

Presented in English.

🎭 Rehearsal for Truth Festival 2026
📍 Bohemian National Hall, New York City
📅 June 16-27
RSVP: https://www.rehearsalfortruth.org/program/portal

Celebrating 10 years of theater that challenges, inspires, and speaks truth to power.

Tomorrow at Rehearsal for Truth: KulturDocs (Poland)🇵🇱

📅 Wednesday, June 17, 2026
🕖 7:00 PM
📍 Bohemian National Hall, New York

The series features three short documentary episodes spotlighting jazz artist, Mikołaj Trzaska, burlesque performer, Betty Q and queer/trans visual artists, Marcella Poroszanka & Ezra Wojakowski.

In the series, the artists speak with director Michael Rubenfeld, delving into their creative practices, Jewish identities, and personal journeys. The result is a powerful, intimate look at what it means to be Jewish and an artist in today’s Poland. KulturDocs sheds light on contemporary Jewish art in Poland, challenges old stereotypes, and sparks crucial conversations about Jewish identity and cultural expression.

Directed by Michael Rubenfeld
Produced by Festivalt
Executive Producer: Magda Rubenfeld Koralewska
Cinematography: Daniel Le Hai
Editor: Dorota Roś

Presented in Polish with English subtitles.

🎭 Rehearsal for Truth Festival 2026
📍 Bohemian National Hall, New York City
📅 June 16-27
RSVP: https://www.rehearsalfortruth.org/program/kulturdocs

Celebrating 10 years of theater that challenges, inspires, and speaks truth to power.

The wait is over.💛 Tomorrow, the 10th edition of the Rehearsal for Truth International Theater Festival begins with Enemies of the People from Hungary!🇭🇺

📅 Tuesday, June 16, 2026
🕖 7:00 PM
📍 Bohemian National Hall, New York

A moving solo performance driven by Kati Martons’s journey through family history and self-discovery as she uncovers the truth about her family’s past in post-war Hungary. It is a story of resilience and reflection, told with emotional honesty and artistic purpose. Accompanied by a live score that gives the production a haunting rhythm, both historical and timeless. Enemies of the People reminds us how history shapes identity and how reclaiming our stories can be both painful and empowering.

Directed by János Mohácsi
Performed by Erika Marozsán
Composed by Márton Kovács and Ádám Móser
Based on the memoir of Kati Marton, adapted by Istvan Mohacsi.
Sponsored by Action for Democracy
This production was also made possible in part by the generous support of the Tulipán Foundation

Presented in English

🎭 Rehearsal for Truth Festival 2026
📍 Bohemian National Hall, New York City
📅 June 16-27
RSVP via the link in our bio or 🔗 rehearsalfortruth.org

Celebrating 10 years of theater that challenges, inspires, and speaks truth to power.

Save the Date!

🎉 Annual Gala
📅 September 30, 2026
📍 Bohemian National Hall, New York

Please save the date for a special evening celebrating the legacy of Václav Havel on the occasion of what would have been his 90th birthday, while also honoring the enduring contributions of the Czech and Slovak communities in New York and across the United States.

The evening will feature the presentation of distinguished awards recognizing courage, leadership, and service, as well as a reception, dinner, auction, and a program of inspiring conversations and tributes reflecting on Havel’s lasting impact on democracy, human rights, civic engagement, and culture.

Additional details to follow.
—

Join us for a special milestone as we celebrate the 10th edition of the Rehearsal for Truth International Theater Festival💛

For a decade, Rehearsal for Truth has brought contemporary voices from Central and Eastern Europe to New York, honoring the legacy of Václav Havel through theater that engages with politics, human rights, freedom, and some of the most urgent questions of our time.

This anniversary edition continues that tradition with bold new plays, staged readings, discussions, and artists whose work reflects the region’s evolving social and political landscape.

🎭 Rehearsal for Truth Festival 2026
📍 Bohemian National Hall, New York City
📅 June 16-27
RSVP: https://www.rehearsalfortruth.org/program

Celebrating 10 years of theater that challenges, inspires, and speaks truth to power.📢

Join us in celebrating what would have been Václav Havel’s 90th birthday—not only this October, but throughout the whole year…

We are proud to launch Havel 90, a new platform bringing together events, live podcasts, performances, theater productions, discussions, and community gatherings inspired by Václav Havel’s legacy across the United States.

Whether you are organizing a public event, hosting a discussion, screening a film, staging a play, or creating any initiative connected to Havel’s ideas of democracy, human rights, civic responsibility, and freedom, we invite you to be part of this nationwide celebration.

Submit your event and help us create a living map of Havel-inspired activities taking place throughout the country.

Explore upcoming events and add your own at:
🌐 www.havel90.com

Together, let us honor Havel’s message that each of us has both the power—and the responsibility—to make a difference.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the staged reading of Hi**er’s President 🇸🇰 last week.

It was a powerful evening of theater, reflection, and conversation centered on one of the most difficult chapters of Slovak history. The play examines former Slovak President Jozef Tiso and his complicity with Hi**er during World War II through real letters written by Jews during the Holocaust, pleading for exemption from deportation to concentration camps.

We are especially grateful to historian Madeline Vadkerty, whose research uncovered these extraordinary documents and whose discussion following the reading brought invaluable historical context to the evening.

A special thank you to playwright Luba Lesná, director Alexander Harrington, the cast and creative team, and our partners at the Society for the History of Czechoslovak Jews for helping bring this important story to New York audiences.

And if you missed this reading, join us tonight for Vaněk 2026 — a contemporary reimagining of Václav Havel’s iconic dissident character Ferdinand Vaněk, and the final staged reading of our Spring Series.

🎭 Rehearsal for Truth Festival 2026
�RSVP via the link: www.rehearsalfortruth.org