by Donald Bevan and Edmund Trzcinski.

Directed by Chris Weis

Stalag 17 is much better known as a film - the Billy Wilder classic from 1953 - but few realize that the stage version came first. In fact, it opened on Broadway in 1951 and played 472 performances. It's easy to see why the play did so well. Both Bevan and Trzcinski had been prisoners of war in Germany, so Stalag 17 had the ring of authenticity. And the tale that they weave - of the American POW's attempts to weed out the traitor who's been colluding with the Nazis - makes for a gripping thriller. Nothing the prisoners do or say, from an escape attempt to a chance remark about the sabotage of an enemy ammo train, stays within the barrack's walls. It's who's the traitor, and how they're smuggling the news that's so baffling.

Cast:
Bob Ambrose, Alex Bennett, Jeff Bennett, Roy Berrey, Paul Cargill,
Steve Franson, Tom Miller, Dennis Nelson, Gil Oberdas, John Peterson,
Dale Ripley, Dave Ruegsegger, Dave Sobeski, Andy Stoffels, Larry Vance, Troy Whiteman

Performed:

Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Nov. 20, 21, 22
at Monroe High School Performing Arts Center

Photos by John C. Peterson All rights reserved