(LEONIA, NJ) -- Liberty Arts Theatre, a new and emerging, non-profit, arts organization based in Bergen County, presents a stage reading of The Last Victim of the Holocaust on Wednesday, February 25, 2026 at The American Legion - Post #1. This is a new play and a discussion with the playwright will follow the performance. The event begins at 7:30pm.
As police surround his home, Jerry Keiser, a German American and former professor of literature, engineers a fatal confrontation. His lifelong friend, Charlie Dodd, a fellow professor and former Army Reserve sergeant, crosses police lines to reach him. What follows is an intense, real-time confrontation that exposes buried secrets, cultural guilt and the enduring psychological legacy of the Holocaust.
The play's writer, John Glennville says, "The piece is about identity, friendship and how the past can haunt even the most ordinary lives."
The staged reading will be directed by Michael Larson and features cast members Frank Dapuzzo (Charlie Dodd), Andrew Lionetti (Jerry Keiser) and Lori Sash-Gail(Maryann Dodd).
Tickets are $5 and available for purchase online. Refreshments are included with admission. The American Legion - Post #1 is located at 399 Broad Avenue in Leonia, New Jersey.
Alison Miller, Producer and Founder of Liberty Arts Theatre says, "Glenville's play brings to the stage a needed masculinity and speaks with truth and honesty about a subject unspoken about in Holocaust drama. The play shows Liberty Arts dedication to presenting new and original works for the residents of Bergen County, NJ."
John Glennville aka Alexander J. Kucsma earned a B. A. in English from Rider College (now university) and an M.A. in British and American Literature from Bowling Green State University in Ohio. He taught at the County College of Morris, is a former Mayor of Franklin Township, and a former sergeant in the United States Army Reserves. He is a proud member of The Dramatist Guild. His play, The Park Bench was produced by the County College of Morris and received local acclaim.
The play was written by John Glennville. The Staged Reading is directed by Michael Larson and produced by Alison Miller.
Founded in 2021 by Leonia native, Alison Miller, Liberty Arts Theatre is a community-oriented collective dedicated to the development and production of performance art in Bergen County, New Jersey. Liberty Arts seeks to foster an open forum in which differing perspectives are given the opportunity to share a seat at the table.
