The play “Lost in Brooklyn” of the National Theatre of Republika Srpska (NP RS), staged at the “Petar Kočić” theatre of this institution, will be performed for the 66th time on December 11, marking a significant jubilee – 10 years since its premiere.
On this occasion, the National Theatre of Republika Srpska announced that the play “Lost in Brooklyn” had over 4,400 viewers in 65 performances.
“The play ‘Lost in Brooklyn’ premiered on December 3, 2013, at the ‘Petar Kočić’ theatre of the National Theatre of Republika Srpska. The dramatization of Joe Moler’s stories was done by Milan Gajić and Mario Ćulum. Vladimir Đorđević and Željko Erkić, who also interpret roles in the play ‘Lost in Brooklyn,’ are the authors of its adaptation. The play was directed by Vladimir Đorđević,” stated the NP RS.
The author himself noted that it was the first time something he wrote was brought to the stage.
“Milan Kneselac, a civil engineer who has lived in the USA since 1984, wrote about ten books under the pseudonym Joe Moler, depicting the lives of our people in the ‘far world.’ He is a known and popular writer among a broader circle of readers in the diaspora,” reported NP RS, adding that the play is described as a story of Serb emigrants seeking a better life in America.
“The play resonates with all generations,” added NP RS in their statement. Apart from being performed at the National Theatre of Republika Srpska, “Lost in Brooklyn” had showings in Belgrade and at the Banja Luka Student Theatre, as well as participating in two festivals, where it received awards (Best Play Award at the 15th InterDifest “Days of Small Things” in Trebinje, 2020; Best Actor Award for Željko Erkić for the role of Joe Moler at the International Festival of Small Scenes and Monodrama in Istočno Novo Sarajevo, 2022).
The play premiered in New York in 2014, and it was also showcased in several American cities.
“The play ‘Lost in Brooklyn’ emerged from the dramatization of several books by the author Joe Moler, undertaken by Mario Ćulum and Milan Gajić. Initially, the idea was to create a play performed in New York for our people living there. However, the former management of the National Theatre recognized the potential of the play and added it to the regular repertoire. After performing the play in New York, we realized that it had a similar impact on the audience there and at home. Consequently, this story became a universal theme for all places where our people live, addressing the issue of leaving the place of birth and the sacrifices it entails,” emphasized actor Vladimir Đorđević, mentioning that the play has significantly evolved and revived some layers of the story that were not initially visible.
Željko Erkić highlighted that this play holds a special place for him.
“This play means a lot to me; it is one of my favorites and certainly the most long-standing. Given that we have been performing it for so long, each new performance strengthens my bond with it. When the time comes for it to go down in history, I already know it will be difficult for me. What particularly delights me is that the auditorium is still full after ten years. Some people have seen it multiple times. Simply put, this is what an actor desires the most – to have a good and long-standing play that resonates with the audience, is relevant, beloved, and sells out,” stated Erkić.
Source: Nezavisne novine
