An after-school arts program in Sooke is leaping into more dramatic performances by telling a Holocaust survivorB次元官网网址檚 story.

This year, the Amber Academy has taken on a new challenge to teach young performers how to challenge their performance skills with a play based on a concentration campB次元官网网址檚 actual events during the Second World War.

Kids between nine and 15 have been working since September to present, I Never Saw Another Butterfly, written by American playwright Celeste Raspanti.

The story focuses on Terezin, a town occupied by Nazi Germany and used as a concentration camp. The plot follows a young woman, Raja, as she navigates the difficulties living under Nazi control.

B次元官网网址淭his story needs to be told because we still have anti-Semitic hate during this time,B次元官网网址� said director Drew Kemp. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not something that goes away, and we need to be reminded that this sort of hatred is not OK. It still exists out there.B次元官网网址�

During the Second World War, the International Red Cross would drop by to inspect the towns. The soldiers were able to trick inspectors into believing the Jewish people were being treated properly, as inmates were told to take up creative activities, such as art shows and musical performances.

After the Red Cross left, most inmates were sent to Auschwitz and killed.

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When Allied troops liberated the camp, a box of drawings was found. The box revealed hand-drawn butterflies, alongside first-hand accounts of what happened at Terezin.

Due to the pandemic, the Amber Academy students worked with a film crew to capture their performance.

Kemp said it wasnB次元官网网址檛 easy teaching the gravity of the story to the students. Two kids who signed up ended up opting out as they felt it was too sad. In both the play and reality, many kids ended up being sent to Auschwitz. Raja is the only main character that survives at the end.

B次元官网网址淚f you asked a kid if they want to do something like Rebel Without A Cause as opposed to the Wizard of Oz, you know what theyB次元官网网址檇 end up saying. This is the chance for youth to big into more dramatic roles,B次元官网网址� Kemp said.

The project was made possible through funding from the Capital Regional DistrictB次元官网网址檚 IDEA Grant, which supports arts and culture projects and events.

Donations to watch the film will support the Sooke Food Bank, which sponsors Amber AcademyB次元官网网址檚 healthy snack program.

The recorded production will be released online to coincide with International Holocaust Remembrance Day, which was observed on Jan. 27.

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