The Cost of Discipleship

by Rev. Dr. Norman L. Johnson

Directed by
Rev. Dr. Norman L. Johnson

The Cost of Discipleship was performed in November 1998.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a witness of Jesus Christ
among his brethren. Born February 4, 1906 in Breslau.
Died April 9, 1945, in Flossenburg.

Inscription on a tablet in the church
at Flossenburg, unveiled by the Pastors of
Bavaria on Easter MOnday, 1953.

Cast of Characters

(in order of appearance)

Emelia Bethge	Sandy Wolven
Paula Bonhoeffer	Mary Artache
Dr. Karl Bonhoeffer	Rev. Dr. Norman L. Johnson
Christine Von Dohnanyi	Katrina Clapsis
Eberhard Bethge & Klaus Bonhoeffer	Richard Olson
Payne Best & Hans Von Dohnanyi	Wayne Krawiec
Professor Harnack & Bishop George Bell	Tony Hansen
Corporal Heniz Knoblock	Steve Weiss Jr.
Gustav Lautenberg	Jonathan Artache
Prof. Marion Lehmann & A Nurse	Elaine Miller
Theodore Heckel & A German cleric in the State Church	Ken Dolinick
Dr. Manfred Roeder, Nazi Orator, Prison Guard, and Radio Executive	Bob Panarella
Jorgen Van Halem & Dietric Bonhoeffer	Bob Frank

Notes on the Play

Dietrich Bonhoeffer was born in Breslau, Germany on February 4, 1906. He was educated in Berlin and graduated from Berlin University as a Licentiate in 1927. The following year he served a church in Barcelona, Spain and then was appointed Lecturer in the University of Berlin. During this time he spent a year studying at the Union Theological Seminary in New York City. In 1933, he became Chaplain to the German Lutheran Congreation in London, England, and two years later Director of the Confessing Church in Finkenwalde, Germany. During the years of 1935-45 he served on special assignments and engaged in various political activites. He was arrested in Berlin near the end of the year and hanged at Flossenburg Concentration Camp on April 9, 1945.

The Cost of Discipleship is an attempt to tell, in dramatic form, the story of Dietrich's life. The letters quoted in Act II are the actual letters of Dietrich, as well as the sermon at the concentration camp at the end of the play. The poem Stations on the Road to Freedom was written by Pastor Bonhoeffer during his confinement in Tegel Prison. The majority of material for this play comes from three books, The Cost of Discipleship, Prisoner for God, letters and papers from Prison and Ethics, all by Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

Prologue	The End or the Beginning?
Act 1	The First part of Dietrich Bonhoeffer's Life
Scene 1 - The End of His Life Scene 2 - Recreating His life Scene 3 - Early Life Scene 4 - A classroom at the University of Bonn Scene 5 - the Bonhoeffer Living Room Scene 6 - A hospital scene Scene 7 - in the Black Forest Scene 8 - the Bonhoeffer Living Room Scene 9 - the Radio Station and beyond Scene 10 - a classroom in Berlin Scene 11 - Union Theological Seminary in New York Scene 12 - Bonhoeffer Living Room and Garden
Act 2	The Last part of Dietrich Bonhoeffer's Life
Scene 1 - Bonhoeffer Living Room Scene 2 - Monastery Room in Ettal Scene 3 - Inn in Sigtuna, Sweden Scene 4 - Bonhoeffer Living Room Scene 5 - Tegel Prison in Berlin Scene 6 - Interrogation room in Tegel Prison Scene 7 - Tegel Prison Scene 8 - Flossenburg Concentration Camp