By Joe Berk
My wife Sue is the brains of this operation. She finds cool things to do. One of the things she suggested a few weeks ago was going to a presentation called The Accidental Hero, which was going to be at our local theater for one night only. I was only half listening when she mentioned it (a bad habit I have, I know) and I thought it was going to be some guy reading letters written by soldiers from World War II. Boy, was I ever wrong.
Patrick Dewane was the guy who gave the presentation, and it addressed the adventures of a grandfather, Lieutenant Colonel Matt Konop, during World War II. Colonel Konop was of Czech descent, and at the end of World War II, he was the first American soldier to enter Czechoslovakia. As events unfolded, he found himself in his ancestral hometown, he spoke the Czech language, and the Czech people welcomed him as the person who liberated them from the Nazis. It’s quite a story.
During Dewane’s one-man presentation, I thought he was just an actor who was playing the role of Colonel Konop’s grandson. I gradually realized he was not simply an actor: He actually is Colonel Konop’s grandson. It was moving and emotional presentation. The show is 90 minutes, and it felt like it passed in five minutes. It was that good.
The quote on The Accidental Hero website states:
The Accidental Hero is a jaw-dropping true story of fate, courage, and rediscovery, set in the final days of World War II. Told through a powerful, one-man multimedia performance, this show has captivated audiences across the United States and Europe—bringing history to life in a way that is both deeply personal and universally moving.
That description nails it. I can’t remember ever enjoying anything in a theater as much as I enjoyed Patrick Dewane’s presentation. I bought the book at the end of The Accidental Hero (that’s the cover in the photo above) and I’m looking forward to reading it. If you can’t see the in-person presentation, buy a copy of The Accidental Hero. You can thank me later.
Subscribe to ExNotes for free!
We need your support! Do what you can to help ExNotes stay in the black!
More Huber? Check out A Trip Into The Moment.
More Gresh and Berk? You bet! Check out A Cup O’ Joes!
Join our Facebook ExNotes page!