Professors Justin Poole and Jerry Holsopple require only a desk, prison cot, pulpit, and assorted letters to create their cinematic theater production, “Bonhoeffer: Cell 92.”
Bonhoeffer was a Lutheran pastor in Germany throughout the turmoil of World War II. His religious convictions compelled him to help those targeted by the Nazis, but he wrestled with whether pacifist methods were insufficient for protecting the oppressed.
Eventually, asking God’s grace, he joined an attempt to assassinate Hitler. Its ultimate failure led to his imprisonment and eventual death. In Poole’s words, he is now known as, “an intellectual, theological giant,” but as Poole went on to note, “there are no easy answers, even for people who are considered holy.” As his country deteriorated, Bonhoeffer grappled with fundamental questions of faith and humanity.
These same questions are the reason creators Poole and Holsopple chose to tell Bonhoeffer’s story. “He asks the same questions that I ask,” Holsopple said. “We tell the story, because we have to make the same decisions.”
To begin “Bonhoeffer: Cell 92,” their third project together, the creative duo started reading biographies, letters, and eyewitness accounts, watching documentaries, and meeting to brainstorm. Poole wrote the script for the live performer and the pre-recorded on-screen portions, Holsopple edited it, and together they workshopped it and began filming – doing so during COVID-19 required Holsopple to put the actors in the frame while maintaining distance.
On screen, the mastery of the actors and of that subtle framing weave scenes of Bonhoeffer’s past with his imprisonment, and the well-oiled interaction between actor and video is captivating. “Bonhoeffer: Cell 92” displays creativity in all elements – acting, staging, movement, lighting (which was fully synchronous and automated, along with the video and audio), and the projections themselves. The vivid totality of these elements is gripping, even after the lights go down.
After attending, Sophomore Greta Schrag pondered, “how faith and its practical applications affect how you deal with conflict.” Schrag also noted one of the most compelling questions asked in the performance: Would Bonhoeffer put a bullet through the head of the madman to prevent mass murder? Bonhoeffer employs the all-too-present metaphor of a madman (representing Hitler) driving a vehicle towards a crowd. Would Bonhoeffer murder and seperate himself from God’s will to love his enemy, or stand aside as innocents were slaughtered?
Poole shared, “We have this obligation as humans, as Christians, to help the poor and oppressed… and Bonhoeffer was in a position to help, and he ultimately went to his death. What can we do to make things better when the stakes are not as high for us?”
Attendees of all backgrounds can find something to take away from the show. Bonhoeffer was interested in some of the same social issues as EMU, whose recognizable locations make Easter egg appearances. Students may also recognize fellow students, faculty, and community members in the cast.
“Bonhoeffer: Cell 92” presents the story of a courageous, conflicted man, whose convictions and questions are applicable even to us. Poole shared, “that life is full of challenges, and that we need to face those challenges head on… and ask ourselves what our role is in all of this maddening mess.”
Upcoming performances will be held at EMU on January 27th, 28th, 29th, and 30th, before a run at the Court Square Theater in Harrisonburg and finally a series of performances in Vienna, Austria. Tickets can be purchased/reserved at the box office.
