The Little Lion, Novelist’s Notes by Nancy Wright Beasley

Novelist’s Notes

For over seventy years, some have denied the Holocaust happened. I wrote The Little Lion: A Hero in the Holocaust to help dispel this dangerous myth, and in adapting my historical novel, playwright Irene Ziegler has created magic. Through her carefully crafted words, and under the masterful direction of Tom Width, the cast at Swift Creek Mill Theatre embodies the suffering—and the ultimate triumph—of one Jewish family facing the greatest evil in history. The story is set in the Kovno ghetto, located in Kaunas, Lithuania, during World War II. On October 28, 1941, at a place named Demokratu Square, 9,200 Jews—over 4,000 of them children—were chosen for execution. By documenting this family’s experience, I hope to inspire others. I am humbled that my novel has been adapted for the stage and humbled by the message that one person can make a difference. Laibale Gillman, the “little lion” for whom my book and this production are named, certainly did.

I want to thank countless friends and family members who have weathered the storms with me over the thirty-five years of my writing career. Although I can’t name you individually, you know who you are. I would also like to offer special thanks to Frances Crutchfield, who read the manuscript of The Little Lion before it was published and offered continuous encouragement. She celebrated the publication of the book, as well as the opening of the play at Swift Creek Mill Theatre, by arranging a book launching for me at the Country Club of Virginia, and I am grateful for her support.