from Bravo: A New Musical
The musical Bravo is set at the height of the Nazi Invasion of Italy during World War II, where a young Italian man hides six Jews and refugees to spare them from extermination. An adolescent Fascist soldier discovers their secret hiding place, and an unlikely bond develops. Dawn provides a moment of decision for the young man as he weighs the power of friendship and humanity against loyalty to his government.
While it is easy for us to judge while looking back on such a moment in history, let us not miss the parallels to our own society both then and now. Uprooted reminds us that the United States also had concentration camps during World War II, and today’s news shows us that politicians continue to scapegoat American minorities for personal gain. The question we face is the same as presented in Dawn. Not everyone has the same opportunity as we do, so when we see the injustice that surrounds us, what will we do to change it?