As part of the U.S. Embassy’s yearlong celebrations of 100 Lat Razem (100 Years Together) marking Poland’s rebirth 100 years ago and American support, Deputy Chief of Mission Eric Green attended the English language premiere of the play “Polish Fantasy” at the historic Ateneum Theater in downtown Warsaw on December 1. Created especially by the renowned Polish dramatist Maciej Wojtyszko and director Andrzej Strzelecki to celebrate the centennial of Poland’s rebirth and America’s support, the play is a historical comedy full of irony and witty presentations of the imagined, behind-the-scenes communications that transpired between the famous Polish virtuoso pianist, composer, and statesman Ignacy Jan Paderewski, President Woodrow Wilson, and their influential wives prior to the President Wilson’s January 1917 address to the U.S. Senate where he first presented the U.S. government’s view that Poland should regain its statehood. President Wilson later presented the same argumentation for a free Poland in his renowned Fourteen Points address to a joint session of the U.S. Congress in January 1918. The U.S. Embassy would like to thank Maciej Wojtyszko, the director Andrzej Strzelecki, the magnificent cast, and all of the partners and co-sponsors of the project – especially the Adam Mickiewicz Institute, the Piotr Janowski Foundation, and Ateneum Theater which is celebrating its 90th birthday in 2018 – for their superb support of the important cultural project. For the schedule of the play’s remaining performances, please visit www.teatrateneum.pl.
