The White Rose

The New York Musical Theater Festival presents a concert version of The White Rose, a new musical based on the true story of a group of college students who launched a resistance movement in Nazi Germany. This will be the first concert of the piece, which features music by Alan Cancelino and book and lyrics by Jenne Wason.

The story of The White Rose resistance movement is actually well known in Germany and through most of Europe, though not in the United States. Led by brother and sister Hans and Sophie Scholl, students at the University of Munich in 1942-43 distributed leaflets throughout Germany trying to encourage their fellow countrymen to turn against Hitler.

The musical focuses on nine months in the life of Sophie Scholl, who will be sung in concert by Sara Inbar. Time shifts back and forth between events like Sophie’s arrival at University on her 21st birthday to scenes of her arrest and interrogation. Joining Inbar in the cast are Benjamin Eakeley (Hans), Dan Maceyak (Alex), Jeffrey Correia (Christoph), Marie France Arcilla (Traute), and Tom Picasso (Willi).