I write in fervent support of the efforts of the Jewish Theatre of Austria to reopen in the theater in the Nestroyhof, a cultural gem of both the city of Vienna and the Austrian nation. As the events of the past few years have incontrovertibly established, we currently live in a global multi-cultural society. Great nations are so precisely because they celebrate rather than deny the diverse cultural threads that comprise their national fabrics.The Nestroyhof is one of a handful of architectural landmarks that remains of a vibrant culture that thrived during some of Vienna´s most glorious days. It would be shameful to let a legacy of darker days prevail by allowing its significance and history as an Austrian institution to be erased. I urge you to do all that you can to preserve this symbol of a time when Austria was revered for its cultural richness. The Jewish Theatre of Austria performing at the Nestroyhof would demonstrate that Austria again values its diverse cultural heritage which during the most evil of times it sought to deny.
Sincerely,
Rod Umlas, Ph.D., Chair, Department of Theatre Arts Beloit College, Beloit, WI
