Dewane will perform his show about forgotten World War II hero Matt Konop May 8 at 8 PM at the East 73rd Street venue.

"This one man show," according to press notes, "tells the extraordinary WWII story of a Midwestern farm boy who liberated the Czech towns where his grandparents had once lived as peasants. In the piece, Patrick Dewane tells the story of his grandfather, Matt Konop, a man whose seemingly-goofy CB handle during the 1970s - 'The Mushroom Picker' - was really a clue to his incredible story as a WWII Czech-American soldier fighting in the forests of his family's ancient homeland.

"Whenever young Patrick would beg for stories about the war, his grandfather would change the subject or make a joke but never talk about it, typical of the generation who remained silent. Then years after his grandfather's death, Dewane was handed a pile of type-written pages that a family member had discovered in a box in a basement."

Czech scholar Daniel Freeman said in a statement, "It is easy to image The Mushroom Picker as being tailored primarily to audiences of veterans, World War II buffs, and Czech Americans, but it has an appeal that extends far beyond those interest groups. At the most basic level, anyone intrigued by family history will find it fascinating. Without sermonizing, it also offers poignant testimony about ways that individuals coped under extreme conditions that few modern American ever need face."

Patrick Dewane has spent 24 years in the performing arts, involved with over 50 new works. He is currently the Vice President for Advancement at the Minnesota Opera. The Bohemian National Hall is located at 321 73rd Street. For more information call (212) 988-1733.