Stage presentation to recall Eko and Safroniv-Levitsky (11/15/98)

Stage presentation to recall Eko and Safroniv-Levitsky

by Marta Baczynsky

NEW YORK - "In a Crooked Mirror - Humorous Anecdotes," a stage presentation of the humorous and satirical writings of Edward Kozak and the humorous play of Wasyl Safroniv-Levitsky will be presented by the Ukrainian Stage Ensemble, under the direction of Lydia Krushelnytsky, on Sunday, November 22. Sponsored by The Ukrainian Museum, the event will be held at the Ukrainian National Home, 140 Second Ave., at 2 p.m. Proceeds from the event will benefit the museum.

Edward Kozak (1902-1992) was born in Ukraine and was widely known under his pseudonym EKO. He was a writer/satirist, an artist/illustrator and an editor. Mr. Kozak founded the quintessential magazine of humor, Lys Mykyta, in 1948, in which with his inimitable drawing style and caustic narrative he continued to comment for many years on the Ukrainian community's political and social life. (The Ukrainian Museum is very fortunate to have in its archival collection the complete series of the magazine for the years 1951-1991, donated in 1997 by Nadia and Stepan Kostyk.)

Mr. Kozak was also the creator of the imaginary peasant philosopher Hryts Zozulia, a character whose common sense, truisms and piquant and well-turned phrases are forever preserved in two collections of humorous sketches by Mr. Kozak: "Hryts Zozulia" (1973) and "Na Khlopskyj Rozum Hrytsia Zozuli" (According to the Common Sense of Hryts Zozulia), 1982. Excerpts from these collections will be offered in the stage presentation.

The literary work of Ukrainian-born Wasyl Safroniv-Levitsky (1899-1975) encompasses a rich legacy of plays for children, young people and adults, as well as many years of journalistic enterprise, but it is his novels that are the core of his creative output. Levitsky was influenced by the French writers of the 19th century, many of whose works he translated. He infused his plots with poignant situations with deep psychological overtones, his characters with traits of spiritual strength and aspirations for the sublime. He, too, was an observer and chronicler of the life and mores of the Ukrainian community (he lived in Canada since 1950) and often, with humor, he expressed his point of view on paper. One example of such humorous observations will be presented at the event.

The Ukrainian Stage Ensemble has delighted audiences since 1965 with a rich variety of theater productions, at first children's plays progressing with time to the dramatic works of noted Ukrainian writers such as Lesia Ukrainka, works from European classical drama, French classical comedy, and in recent times modern plays. According to its director and founder, Lydia Krushelnytsky, through the years hundreds of Ukrainian boys and girls, young men and women, studied in her school of drama and performed before numerous audiences. "The repertoire of the company matured with my students," said the director. Their latest achievement was "Woman Through the Ages," a series of dramatic poems by Lesia Ukrainka, first presented in June 1997.

Tickets for the performance "In a Crooked Mirror - Humorous Anecdotes" will be available at the door. Tickets are $10 (includes refreshments).

For additional information contact The Ukrainian Museum at: telephone, (212) 228-0110; fax, (212) 228-1947; e-mail, [email protected]; webpage, http://www.brama.com/ukrainian_museum/.

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