Excerpts from Czech plays that use Vaclav Havel's character, Vanek, originally created as a stand-in for himself (a dissident playwright) during the Communist era in the former Czechoslovakia. The character was then adapted by numerous other Czech dissident playwrights, such as Pavel Landovsky and Pavel Kohout.

The excerpts will be accompanied by a discussion with Carol Strong, who recently wrote a book about the character and its enduring significance.

Excerpts directed by Edward Einhorn. Running time: 90 min incl. discussion.

Presented in cooperation with Untitled Theater Company No. 61.

Free and open to the public. Suggested donation: $15. Seats are limited, on first-come first-served basis. Online registration required.

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About

The Spring Staged Readings is part of the 2025 Rehearsal for Truth Theater Festival organized by the Vaclav Havel Center (VHC) and Bohemian Benevolent and Literary Association (BBLA).

The 2025 Rehearsal for Truth International Theater Festival’s Spring Staged Readings takes place from April 14 – May 4. It includes staged readings and contemporary plays by award-winning European playwrights from Estonia, Lithuania, and Ukraine.  It also examines Vaclav Havel’s Vanek character, with excerpts of Vanek plays from Havel and others in conjunction with a new book on the subject. 

The program is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature. The festival is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.