The play is set in 1942–43 Germany at the height of the Nazi regime and is the story of University of Munich students who engaged in civil disobedience by circulating leaflets titled “The White Rose.” In them they urged the reinstatement of personal freedoms and resistance to socialism.
Theater professor Russ Vandenbroucke directs the play, which chronicles the lofty ideals, arrest and interrogation of the students.
“Good plays using history are always about the present,” Vandenbroucke said. “Here we have the classic conflict between moral convictions of young people and the defense of the status quo by the state.”
Vandenbroucke, who also directs the peace studies program in the College of Arts and Sciences, said he finds parallels in the play with nonviolent resistance by students throughout history including, most recently, that of the Arab Spring.
Performances will be in the Thrust Theatre, 2314 S. Floyd St. Curtain time is 8 nightly plus a matinee at 3 p.m., March 3. Admission is $15 for the general public and $10 for students, senior citizens and UofL faculty and staff. For tickets and information, call 502-852-6814.