Emil Sher is the playwright behind Hana’s Suitcase, the acclaimed play which will make its US debut at Washington University this January. CampusJ spoke to Sher about the play.

Where did the inspiration for Hana’s Suitcase come from?
As I was reading the book Hana’s Suitcase I was struck by how well it suited adaptation. Being both a parent and a playwright, I found it very compelling dramatically, but it also, it struck me as so inspiring that this entire story is fueled by these Japanese children and this Japanese curator. We’ve come to expect that people want to learn about their own history, if these were Jewish children and a Jewish teacher, it wouldn’t be as amazing of a story. What I ultimately found to be so inspiring was that it was so divorced from their own culture. Here you have a story that’s separated by time, by geography, by culture, by religion—all I see is a chasm between two worlds, and it’s compelling how that was bridged. Not only to not have to be Jewish to appreciate it, but at some level it is particularly appropriate for non-Jewish audiences.
Hana’s Suitcase is a play geared specifically towards children. In what way is the play different from others and appropriate for children?
The play ends in a very hopeful note. In the final scene of the play, a young Japanese girl is ridding on a scooter, pretending to be Hana from sixty years ago. When the play ends the children make the decision to create a play and tour schools in Japan, and ultimately that is an affirmative note. So, the story ends on a positive note, despite the fact that we see Hana walk into the gas chamber a moment before.
Given the situations in the world today and since the Holocaust—Rwanda, Darfur, Bosnia—what can this play teach us about modern life?
This play is about how the Holocaust has become a collective concern, and on that note it has contemporary resonance. We can talk about Darfur and you could say, “Well, I’m not a Black African, what does that have to do with me?” And from this play, you can make the argument that it has everything to do with this. I’m sure that you’re familiar with quote, “Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it.” I think one of the great tragedies is the fact that we remember the past and we still repeat it. In Rwanda it happened, in Darfur its happening as we speak. I would hope that the children especially would see a play like Hana’s Suitcase and ask how does it relate to today’s world and begin to explore the dynamics that are explored in the play and see how it can apply to their own lives.
What do you see as the future for this play?
The hope is that it begins to travel. I know that Metro Theater is considering touring it. The play has actually been translated into Japanese and should begin to tour there, and we’re hoping to get in touch with someone in Germany so it could have a life there. This could become a contemporary parallel to the Anne Frank story. What makes this different from Anne Frank is the contemporary twist which brings in modern-day Japan. The Anne Frank story is a story about the Holocaust. This is not just a story about the Holocaust—the second half is contemporary Japan, and that can serve as an entry point for non-Jewish audiences. If you have a non-Jewish audience seeing these Japanese children, they might say, “Wow, that could be me.”
What struck you most about the experience of being involved with this play?
It is very gratifying to be a part of a creative team that helps a story to live. And I think these types of stories can make a difference. I can write a script, but it won’t go anywhere. The fact that there are people like Carol North, the Artistic Director at Metro Theater, who will add her spin and her interpretation adds a lot. I’m just one part of this effort, and its very gratifying. On some level, it helps the story to become bigger and take in more. There comes a point where its not about the playwright, its not about the actors, its not about the set designer, its about the story.