The American Century Theater presents JUDGMENT AT NUREMBERG WRITTEN BY: ABBY MANN YOUR HONOR, THE CASE IS UNUSUAL IN THAT THE DEFENDANTS ARE CHARGED WITH CRIMES COMMITTED IN THE NAME OF THE LAW. THESE MEN, TOGETHER WITH THEIR DECEASED OR FUGITIVE COLLEAGUES, ARE THE EMBODIMENT OF WHAT PASSED FOR JUDGMENT IN THE THIRD REICH. AS JUDGES ON THE BENCH YOU WILL BE SITTING IN JUDGMENT OF JUDGES IN THE DOCK. THIS IS AS IT SHOULD BE. FOR ONLY A JUDGE KNOWS HOW MUCH MORE A COURT IS THAN A COURTROOM. IT IS A PROCESS AND A SPIRIT. IT IS THE HOUSE OF LAW. THE DE FENDANTS KNEW THIS TOO. THEY KNEW COURTROOMS WELL. THEY SAT IN THEIR BLACK ROBES. AND THEY DISTORTED AND THEY PERVERTED AND THEY DESTROYED JUSTICE AND LAW IN GERMANY. THEY ARE, PERHAPS MORE THAN OTHERS, GUILT Y OF COMPLICITY IN MURDERS, TORTURES, ATROCITIES – THE MOST CRUEL AND DEVASTATING THIS WORLD HAS EVER SEEN. THEIR MINDS WERE NOT WARPED AT AN EARLY AGE. THEY HAD ATTAINED MATURITY LONG BEFORE HITLER’S RISE TO POWER. THEY EMBRACED THE IDEOLOGIES OF THE THIRD REICH AS EDUCATED ADULTS. THEY, MOST OF ALL, SHOULD HAVE VALUED JUSTICE. HERE THEY WILL RECEIVE THE JUSTICE TH EY DENIED OTHERS. THEY WILL BE JUDGED ACCORDING TO THE EVIDENCE PRESENTED IN THIS COURTROOM. THE PROSECUTION ASKS NOTHING MORE. MAY IT PLEASE THE TRIBUNAL. IT IS NOT ONLY A GREAT HONOR BUT ALSO A GREAT CHALLENGE FOR AND ADVOCATE TO AID THIS TRIBUNAL IN ITS TASK. THE AVOWED PURPOSE OF THIS TRIBUNAL IS TO FIND A CODE OF JUSTICE THE WHOLE WORLD WILL BE RESPONSIBLE TO. HOW WILL THIS CODE BE ESTABLISHED? IT WILL BE ESTABLISHED IN A CLEAR, HONEST EVALUATION OF THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE CRIMES IN THE INDICTMENT STATED BY THE PROSECUTION. IN THE WORDS OF GREAT AMERICAN JURIST OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES, “THE RESPONSIBILITY WILL NOT BE FOUND ONLY IN DOCUMENTS. IT WILL BE FOUND, MOST OF ALL, IN THE CHARACTER OF MEN.” WHAT IS THE CHARACTER OF ERNST JANNING? LET US EXAMINE HIS LIFE FOR A MOMENT. FOLLOWING WORLD WAR ONE, HE BECAME ONE OF THE LEADERS OF THE WEIMAR REPUBLIC AND WAS ONE OF THE FRAMERS OF ITS DEMOCRATIC CONSTITUTION. HE BECAME MINISTER OF JUSTICE IN GERMANY IN 1935. A POSITION THE EQUIVALENT OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES. FINALLY, IN A REICHSTAG SPEECH OF 26 APRIL 1942, HITLER ATTACKED JANNING AND FORCED HIM TO RESIGN. IF ERNST JANNING IS TO BE FOUND GUILTY, CERTAIN IMPLICATIONS MUST ARISE. A JUDGE DOES NOT MAKE TH LAW. HE CARRIES OUT THE LAWS OF HIS COUNTRY, BE IT A DEMOCRACY OR A DICTATORSHIP. THE STATEMENT, “MY COUNTRY RIGHT OR WRONG,” WAS EXPRESSES BY A GREAT N PATOT. IT IS NO LESS TRUE FOR A GERMAN PATRIOT. SHOULD ERNST JANNING HAVE CARRIED OUT THE LAWS OF HIS COUNTRY? OR SHOULD HE HAVE REFUSED TO CARRY THEM OUT AND BECOME A TRAITOR? THE DEFENSE IS DEDICATED TO FINDING RESPONSIBILITY AS IS THE PROSECUTION. FOR IT IS NOT ONLY ERNST JANNING WHO IS ON TRIAL HERE. IT IS THE GERMAN PEOPLE. RESPONSIBILITY IS NOT A CUT-AND-DRIED THING DIRECTED BY: JOE BANNO The American Century Theater presents About The American Century Theater The American Century Theater was founded in 1994. We are a professional nonprofit theater company dedicated to presenting great, important, and worthy American plays of the twentieth century—what Henry Luce called “the American Century.” The company’s mission is one of rediscovery, enlightenment, and perspective, not nostalgia or preservation. Americans must not lose the extraordinary vision and wisdom of past playwrights, nor can we afford to surrender the moorings to our shared cultural heritage. May 30–June 28, 2014 Our mission is also driven by a conviction that communities need theater, and theater needs audiences. To those ends, this company is committed to Gunston Theatre Two producing plays that challenge and move all Americans, of all ages, origins, 2700 South Lang Street, Arlington and points of view. In particular, we strive to create theatrical experiences that entire families can watch, enjoy, and discuss long afterward. Production Manager Director Stage Manager Board of Directors Ed Moser Joe Banno Lindsey E. Moore Chair Louis George Vice-Chair Wes MacAdam Set Design/ Costume Design Properties Design Treasurer Wendy Kenney Projections Design Rip Claassen Hannah Schneider Board Gabe Goldberg, Madi Green, Vivian Kallen, Patrick Lord Jack Marshall, Kevin McIntyre Staff Lighting Design Sound Design Marc Allan Wright Sean Allan Doyle Jack Marshall Artistic Director Rip Claassen Steven Scott Mazzola Brian Crane Lindsey E. Moore Setting Ellen Dempsey Emily Morrison Kate Dorrell Ed Moser Nuremberg, Germany—1947 Tom Fuller Joli Provost Rhonda Hill Ginny Tarris Bill Gordon There will be one ten-minute intermission. This program is supported in part by Arlington County through Please—Silence and stow all electronic devices. the Arlington Commission for the Arts and Arlington Cultural Affairs, a division The video and/or audio recording of this performance by any of Arlington Economic Development; the Virginia Commission for the Arts; means whatsoever is strictly prohibited. the National Endowment for the Arts; Arlington Community Foundation; and many generous donors. Judgment at Nuremberg is produced by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc. This production’s increased community outreach and education efforts, including pre- and post-show discussions conducted by community leaders and an expanded Audience Guide, are supported by a generous grant from the Arlington Community Foundation. Cast Colonel Lawson .........................................Bruce Alan Rauscher General Merrin .......................................... Lyle Blake Smythers Judgment at Nuremberg, by Abby Mann (2001) Judge Haywood .................................................Craig Miller Captain Byers ..................................................Jorge A. Silva The late Bart Whiteman, founder of the Source Theatre and a major figure in Judge Ives ........................................................ Tel Monks the development of the vibrant theater community in the Washington D.C. Judge Norris ............................................. Paul J. Klingenberg area, made the statement that turned out to be the catalyst for the creation Emil Hahn ........................................................Kim Curtis of The American Century Theater. Frederick Hoffstetter ..............................................Tom Fuller Werner Lammpe .................................................Victor Gold It was 1993, and Bart had just played Juror #3 in a professional production Ernst Janning ..............................................Michael Replogle of Twelve Angry Men that I had directed on commission from the American Oscar Rolfe ....................................................Steve Lebens Trial Lawyers Association. The cast and I were having a blow-out post Dr. Wickert .........................................................Ron Sarro performance dinner after the lone performance, and everyone was a little Mrs. Halbestadt ...................................................Ellie Nicoll drunk. Bart, all 6’6” and 300 pounds of him, could rant like few others and Frau Bertholt .................................................Karin Rosnizeck suddenly proclaimed the demise of serious theater in America. Rudolph Peterson ........................................Christopher Henley Dr. Gueter ........................................................Larry Kolp “This show is about things that matter,” he said. “Big issues—justice, war, Maria Wallner .......................................Mary Beth Luckenbaugh bigotry, bias, the legal system, fairness, courage. Plays aren’t about big Elsa Lindnow ............................................ Vanessa Bradchulis issues any more. Now, a drama is a ninety-minute, three-person play about MP Guard ...................................................... Colin Martin roommates coming to terms with being vegetarians. It’s all small, timid Feldenstein .................................................. Jay Delehanty stuff. Hellman, O’Neill, Reginald Rose (who wrote Twelve Angry Men) . they Ensemble ................................... Paul Alan Hogan, Jean H. Miller, challenged audiences. Now audiences don’t want to be challenged, or so Lynley Peoples, Gray West theater companies think. Somebody needs to start producing the old plays Production staff that matter.” Director ..........................................................Joe Banno Production Manager ...............................................Ed Moser Tim Lynch, who played Juror #12, had some money at his disposal and Stage Manager ............................................ Lindsey E. Moore bravely decided to accept Bart’s challenge. He funded the launch of our Set Design/Projections Design .................................. Patrick Lord company. A little more than a year later, The American Century Theater Projections Research ........................................Shayne Weyker performed its first show, Twelve Angry Men. Two decades later, we are Costume Design ................................................Rip Claassen producing another legal drama that is about even bigger issues than that Lighting Design .......................................... Marc Allan Wright first play, as we still carry on the mission Bart Whiteman imagined for us. Sound Design ............................................. Sean Allan Doyle I wish he could be here to see it. Properties Design .........................................Hannah Schneider Assistant Stage Manager/Board Operator ...................... Chris Beatley