Restoration
The Play
What happens when the descendant of a Nazi meets the descendant of a Holocaust survivor at the Anne Frank House?
In a café across the canal, two strangers confront history, identity, and the fragile space between fear and connection.
About The Play
Restoration is a two-act play exploring generational trauma, identity, and the courage it takes to face “the other.”
Bertha arrives in Amsterdam hoping to sit in Anne Frank’s room—only to discover it is closed for restoration. In a nearby café, she meets Hans, a German waiter carrying his own inheritance of history and shame.
What begins as fear unfolds into unexpected humor, attraction, and the possibility of transformation.
At quiet moments, Anne Frank appears—not as history, but as a living voice guiding the present.
Themes:
● Fear of the other
● Generational trauma
● Healing through dialogue
● Human connection across divides
Why it Matters
Now
We are living in a time of division. Across cultures, countries, and communities, fear of “the other” continues to shape our world.
Restoration creates a space to:
● Witness difficult truths
● Feel what history still carries
● Open conversations that lead to healing
This is not just a play.
It is an invitation.
The Restoration Project
Anne Frank House-Prinsengracht-Westerker-Amsterdam by Yair Haklai. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike 3.0 Unported License. Altered to grey tones.
The Restoration Theater Project combines:
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theatrical performances
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facilitated discussions
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workshops
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educational programming
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community dialogue
The project is designed for:
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theaters
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schools and universities
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Jewish organizations
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interfaith groups
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social justice organizations
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healing and reconciliation programs
Through story and conversation, Restoration creates space for empathy, reflection, and transformation.
SUPPORT THE PROJECT
Restoration is ready for its next stage.
Your support helps fund:
● Play development and production
● Staged readings and performances
● Workshops for communities and organizations
● Travel and outreach
We are raising $10,000 for the next stage of Restoration—continued script development and preparation for a workshop production.
Your contribution of $500, $1,000, or any amount helps move the play from development toward the stage.
Restoration is fiscally sponsored by Fractured Atlas.
OUR NEXT GOAL: $10,000
Be part of bringing this work into the world.
About
Karla Freeman
Karla Freeman, MSW, MFA is a playwright, storyteller, novelist, trauma therapist, and reinvention consultant. Her work explores transformation, healing, and the human longing to belong.
She has studied storytelling internationally, including in Ireland, England, Greece, Argentina, and India, and currently lives in Ecuador.
Restoration emerges from her lifelong interest in memory, trauma, reconciliation, and the healing possibilities of art.
Restoration: where history, humanity, and healing meet.
MEDIA
Karla Freeman joins podcast hosts, writers, and fellow creatives for conversations about storytelling, creativity, reinvention, and the experiences that shape her life and work.
Conversations with Karla Freeman
International Writers Network
Say YES to Yourself!
Creative Writing Can Help Heal Trauma
In this conversation with the International Writers Network, Karla talks about writing, creativity, storytelling, and the power of creative expression to help us explore and make meaning from our experiences.
Reinvention as a Way of Life: Following the Call Across Countries and Careers
Karla joins host Wendy Harrop for a winde-ranging conversation about a life shaped by change, curiosity, and creativity. She shares stories from her journey across countries and careers, her work as a writer and playwrite, and what she has learned about continuing to reinvent ourselves as life unfolds.
POETRY Reading: We Are All Immigrants, by Karla Freeman