Written in the form of a living newspaper, this one-act play combines a documented history of the resistance of the German swing youths (swingjugend) during the 1930s and 40s with a fictionalized dramatization of the resistance movement of these young people. Historical events are related by four speakers, through news media, letters, speeches, and other documents, and are interspersed with scenes (chronologically arranged) of the story of a small group of friends who resist the rise of National Socialism by listening to American jazz and swing music.
Cast:
SPEAKER 1 - The four speakers act as narrators in the play (1)
SPEAKER 2
SPEAKER 3
SPEAKER 4
WERNER GUNDERT - A teenager in Hamburg, Germany
ERIKA - His girlfriend
FRAU GUNDERT - Werner's mother
GERTRUD GUNDERT - His young sister
GESTAPO AGENT
GUDRUN - One of his friends
HANS GUNDERT - His younger brother
OTMAR - One of Werner's friends
ROLF - One of Werner's friends
DOROTHEA - A female prison guard
(1) Note about the four speakers: The 1st and 3rd Speaker are intended to be male and the 2nd and 4th speakers are intended to be female. It might be possible to alter these gender expectations, but it is preferred that gender bending be avoided.