“We’ll Meet Again”
A World Premiere Production from the Historic Savannah Theatre, Written by James R. Harris, and scored with arrangements of World War II-era music by acclaimed composer/arranger Mark Hayes
As Julius Hagedorn, a Jewish merchant in Opelika, Alabama, began to see the storms of World War II gathering over Europe in the 1930’s, he set about helping the family of his young nephew, Henry Stern, escape the Holocaust just in time for a new life in America. We’ll Meet Again celebrates Henry’s growing up in a small Southern town, at first overwhelmed by the welcoming crowd of thousands gathered to greet the family stepping off the train at the Opelika Depot, then on to a journey through life that held surprises at every turn.
Listen to the interview on NPR, Troy Public Radio:
Playwright Jim Harris talks with In Focus host Carolyn Hutcheson about his musical,
"We'll Meet Again," which chronicles the experiences of Henry Stern's family as they escaped Nazi Germany in World War II and settled in Opelika, AL. The world premieres are held in Savannah, GA, and Opelika, AL.
James Harris
Jim Harris grew up spending summers at the Harris family farm near Opelika. He still returns often to spend time with many friends and family members in the area. On one such visit, he first heard the story of Henry Stern and his family’s remarkable odyssey from Nazi Germany to Opelika.
Jim conceived an idea to use Henry’s story as the nucleus of a new musical about America during World War II, with original songs from the period to be arranged by Mark Hayes. Thus, the idea for “We’ll Meet Again” was born. Residing in Lincoln, Nebraska, Jim is a lawyer by profession, and a former member of the Board of Governors of the American Association for Justice, the national advocacy voice for trial lawyers across the United States. He is an accomplished singer and has a great love of musical theatre, having performed in more than 50 productions. He is also the author of the award-winning musical “Civil War Voices”, with musical arrangements by Mark Hayes, produced by Barter Theater, the State Theater of Virginia, and subsequently performed in venues across 16 states.
Mark Hayes was raised in a creative musical environment, beginning piano lessons at age ten and developing his improvisational skills at an early age. Now an internationally known writer, conductor, and concert pianist,
Mark Hayes
his career includes international tours to Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, South Africa, and Canada. His compositions and arrangements are known for their unique American sound, drawn from a diversity of musical styles - gospel, jazz, pop, folk and classical - compiling a catalog of over 1,500 published works, including work for solo voice, solo piano, multiple pianos, orchestra, jazz combo, small instrumental ensembles, and choruses of all kinds. Mr. Hayes is also sought after as an orchestrator and music producer. He has over 20 solo piano recordings to his credit, and regularly conducts his choral and orchestral works at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. Whether concertizing on the other side of the globe or composing at his home in Kansas City, Missouri, Mark is blessed to live out his mission “to create beautiful music for the world.”