the cell theatre company, ltd.

The Final Veil, a movement opera based on the true story of Franceska Mann, is a reaction to the state of America following the 2016 election, as well as the rise in antisemitism which continues to grow at an alarming rate. We believe it is vital that Holocaust stories continue to be retold, now more than ever, and that the courage of Franceska Mann deserves to be documented.

Referred to as the "Nazi-Slaying Ballerina", Franceska Mann demonstrated resistance and strength amid the horrors of the Holocaust. When told to undress in the gas chambers of Auschwitz, Franceska performed a distracting striptease, after which she managed to grab a gun, shoot, and fatally wound one SS Guard and injure a second, which started a riot with the other prisoners before her own subsequent death.

 

The Final Veil will premiere at the cell theatre in NYC for three weekends in July 2022. Run by two Jewish women, Founder Nancy Manocherian and Artistic Director Kira Simring, the cell is the perfect fit to develop and present the first iteration of this show.

We are halfway to our goal, thanks to the support of the Germeshausen Foundation and private donors, having already raised $30,000. Now we are turning to our community to help bring this show to the stage and provide jobs for 30+ artists.

 

Thank you so much for letting me share this with you, The Final Veil is truly a project created from our hearts.