Rosebud Theatre tells true story of Lilia

By Laureen F. Guenther Times Contributor

Lilia, a play written by a granddaughter about her own larger-than-life grandmother, will be performed on Rosebud Theatre’s BMO Studio Stage from July 5 to Aug. 31.
Libby Skala wrote the story of her grandmother Lilia Skala, who fled the Nazi regime in her homeland of Austria. When Lilia and her young family landed in New York, her first American job was at a zipper factory. Yet Lilia was soon performing on Broadway and in movies, and she later received a nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Lilies of the Field.
Libby Skala, also an actress, wrote her grandmother’s story, and in the original productions, it was a one-woman show with Libby performing the roles of both grandmother and granddaughter. In Rosebud Theatre’s production, Cassia Schmidt of Rosebud plays the role of granddaughter Libby and Elinor Holt of Calgary plays the role of grandmother Lilia. Sarah Rodgers of Vancouver is directing.
“The opportunity there is really going to be about the relationship between grandmother and granddaughter,” noted Schmidt.
In the play, the audience hears Lilia’s story as Libby and her grandmother get to know each other. Starting in the 1970s and ending in 1994, the year Lilia Skala passed away, Libby grows from a preschooler to a young woman.
“(Lilia) talks about this journey when she was trying to get the papers and trying to get to New York,” said Schmidt. “It seemed like it was impossible, and she talks about her praying. Lilia does talk a lot about her faith and that she prayed, and God saw her through. She talks about turning down roles because of her principles, because of her integrity or even her life experience. She’s formidable; she’s a force of a human.”
Lilia isn’t always kind to her granddaughter, which opens opportunities for restoring the relationship.
“We’re not just looking at a museum, a relic of a person,” Schmidt said. “And (not) just looking at how she was great. We’re looking at a relationship and how they deal with their life together.”
Schmidt said Lilia, playing on Rosebud Theatre’s BMO Studio Stage, and The Kite, playing on Rosebud Theatre’s mainstage about another formidable elderly person, have a lot to say to those of us in modern culture.
“Culturally, we don’t have a lot of time for our elders. And I think that’s a big loss. The prejudice forgets that an elder has been young and has been a rebel and has made strong choices in their life and been athletic or whatever it was they did… before they were quiet and frail and wise.
“Wouldn’t it be lovely if grandmothers and granddaughters could come (see Lilia) together?” Schmidt added. “It’s going to be lovely and entertaining and heartwarming for anyone who has mentors in their lives, people that they look up to, people that they watch grow old. These are formidable huge human beings that have more inside them than you expect.”
For tickets and more information, go to rosebudtheatre.com or call 1-800-267-7553. Tickets for some shows may be purchased with a meal.