by Mark St. Germain
Adapted from the memoir of the same name by Eddie Jaku
Directed by Sasha Brätt
Eddie Jaku, a German-Jewish survivor of Auschwitz concentration camp, considers himself “The Happiest Man On Earth”, despite losing his family, friends, and country to the Holocaust. In this one-man show, Jaku takes us through the day he was taken by the Nazis and his seven years of imprisonment, up to today, where he is dedicated to sharing the stories of those lost and teaching others how to find the light in the darkness.
"Come to the theatre well prepared to cry a bit, hold your breath a lot, and enjoy what THE HAPPIEST MAN ON EARTH can bring into your life. You most certainly won’t regret the time spent with Eddie Jaku." — Berkshire Edge
"An edge of your seat evening of theatre. Mark St. Germain has never been better. This production hit all the right notes and is likely to travel far and wide." — Berkshire Eagle
Previews (Sept 23 and 24, 2026)
Wednesday at 7:30pm Thursday at 7:30pm
Regular Performances (Sept 25 thru Oct 18 2026)
Friday at 7:30 pm
Saturday at 2:00pm and 7:30 pm
Sunday at 2:00pm Talk Back with the cast following matinee performances
Tuesday at 2:00pm
Wednesday at 7:30pm
Thursday at 7:30pm
Additional morning performances at 10:30am.
Thursday Oct 1 and Friday Oct 9
All seats $35 (plus $3.50 service charge)
Resource Guide - Dig deeper into the story and explore additional historical context.
Special Guests at the Sunday, October 11 Talk Back
Join us for the 2pm performance of The Happiest Man on Earth and stay for the talk back; or come on over after the show at approximately 3:30pm and attend the talk back.
Gayle Weiner Temkin is the incoming president of Voices of Hope. A community leader for many years, Gayle has also held leadership positions in the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford, Jewish Community Foundation, Mandell JCC, Jewish Family Services, and Solomon Schechter Day School. She is also the founder of Alyssa’s Angel Fund, an organization supporting families affected by Glycogen Storage Disease. Gayle is the daughter of Holocaust survivor Abby Weiner, who like Eddie Jaku was imprisoned in Auschwitz. Gayle’s motivation and inspiration are driven by her mission to carry her father’s legacy forward.
Stu Abrams is an active Voices of Hope board member. He has been a teacher at Avon High School since 1994 where he has influenced the lives of thousands of students through teaching Genocide & Human Behavior and Human Rights in a Modern World. Many of Stu’s students have also traveled with him to Europe to gain a firsthand understanding of what occurred during the Holocaust. Stu attributes much of what he knows to Abby Weiner who he calls “the best teacher I ever had in my life.” Like Eddie Jaku, after the Holocaust, Abby Weiner spent his life bringing light, hope and love into the world. Gayle and Stu will be discussing their commitment to carrying Abby Weiner’s legacy far into the future.
Recommended age:
REVIEWS
TV Segments
Photos: Meredith Longo
ROBERT RESNIKOFF* Playhouse on Park: Jack BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS; Theatre: Resurrection Church, Brooklyn: Claudius, Ghost of Hamlet’s Father HAMLET; Powerhouse Theatre: Dr. Armstrong AND THEN THERE WERE NONE; The Center at West Park: Rav THE OWL GIRL; White Heron Theatre: Stravinsky SMALL WORD; Connecticut Tour: Adrian PRIVATE EYES; Cherry Lane Theater: Hersh MASQUERADE; Film: Samual ANOTHER NIGHT; Harry DECEMBER DAY ZERO; Mr. Eddie A MATTER OF OPINION. robertresnikoff.weebly.com
*Appears courtesy of Actors Equity, the professional union for actors and stage managers.
