Two men are imprisoned in a deep pit, attempting to make sense of their guilt, their fears, their chances, the looming threat of snakes. A third appears, offering to sell them his wares, as well as the potential for freedom. Will they capitalize on it? Written in 1988, this daring work pulses with urgency as it explores the dangers of fascism, groupthink, and the dehumanizing forces at play in today’s world. Vișniec, whose homeland of Romania has a rich history of resisting authoritarianism, brings a sharp, provocative voice to a story that resonates now more than ever.
Will you be a bystander? Or will you challenge the system? THE PIT awaits. Are you ready to confront it?
By Matei Vișniec
Directed by Ana Margineanu
Cast: Owen Campbell, Vas Eli, Perri Yaniv
Movement director: Razvan Stoian
With the Romanian Cultural Institute & EUNIC
ABOUT THE 2025 REHEARSAL FOR TRUTH INTERNATIONAL THEATER FESTIVAL
Rehearsal for Truth International Theater Festival, honoring Václav Havel, is a showcase of contemporary European theater organized each year in New York City. Conceived in 2017 as a shared endeavor of the Václav Havel Center (VHC) and Bohemian Benevolent and Literary Association (BBLA), the festival honors the legacy of Czech playwright, dissident and political thinker Vaclav Havel.
Each edition of Rehearsal for Truth Theater Festival addresses current sociopolitical trends in Central and Eastern Europe, offering New York audiences a unique opportunity to witness the region’s theatrical zeitgeist.
The program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council. The festival is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.