The Rose of Treason
April 2006
ACEE Gets Theatrical
The Rose of Treason, by James DeVita, tells the true story of Sophie Scholl and the White Rose, a group of German college students who organized a resistance movement that aimed to bring down Hitler and the Nazi regime.
The cast, which is directed by ACEE member Gabriel Smith and contains fellow ACEE member James Madden, is a mix of experienced stage veterans and enthusiastic younger actors. Smith believes that audience members will appreciate this diversity. "Our cast ranges in age from age 11 to age 60," he said. "One of the many messages of this play is that each one of us, no matter our age, must stand up to right injustices wherever they're found. I think people will respond to that."
The play will be produced in partnership with the Anti-Defamation League, AmeriCorps for Community Engagement and Education, and "The White Rose Society" of Texas Hillel, a student group that promotes Holocaust education and also aims to take action against genocide that is occurring around the world today. In keeping with these educational goals, the play will premiere on Tuesday, April 25th for AISD 8th graders. Josh Gottesman, a UT Senior and the founder of "The White Rose Society," believes that this play offers not only a moving testament to the lives of the original White Rose members, but that it contains several instructive lessons about the necessity of standing up for what is right. "We take our name from the original White Rose, a group of non-Jewish students," he explained, "because we believe that Holocaust education and genocide awareness are not Jewish issues; they are human issues."