Leni Riefenstahl goes to trial. Is it all just a big misunderstanding? Can a person make movies for Hitler and get away with it? It is art, not politics. Is it not?
This Friday, Saturday and Sunday, in the CFA Theater, “The Terrible Parable of Leni Riefenstahl,” written and directed by Chris Kaminstein ’05, runs head on into the Third Reich.
The story’s protagonist is the star cinematographer, Leni Riefenstahl, the woman behind such powerful and infamous films as “Triumph of the Will” (the Nazi propaganda movie from high school). Believing she bares no responsibility for her involvement with the Nazi party and determined to clear her name, Leni travels with a group of performing gypsies to Nuremberg for an official trial. Confused by post-war Germany and haunted by dreams of dancing Nazi soldiers and lullabies of Albert Speer, Leni finds herself face-to-face with Mademoiselle Docteur, the most-feared judge in all of northern, southern and western Europe. But, as “Leni” shows, she is also the most just.
“It is difficult to tell Riefenstahl’s exact relationship with the Nazi party. She was most certainly friends with Hitler, but she was never an official member of the party,” writes Kaminstein in his Director’s Notes. “Riefenstahl always claimed to be politically unaware, but she had a fair amount of monetary and political support from the Party.”
“It is also difficult to tell what Riefenstahl knew about the Holocaust. She claims that she knew nothing of it at the time, but at the very least it has been confirmed that while filming ‘Tiefland’ she brought gypsies from a nearby detention center to be part of the film.”
With a live band led by Marlon Bishop ’06 behind them, the cast sings to music composed by Benh Zeitlin ’04. They dance to the choreography of Briget Palardy ’05 in front of beautiful sets designed by Ray Tintori ’06 and Rob Leitzell ’06.
With the recent election behind, “Leni” is a politically and socially profound form of amusement. It is a musical spectacular that speaks of art, guilt and the horrors of war. It is the event of the year.
Admission is free but tickets are required. For Friday’s performance, tickets are available Friday at the Box Office in the Campus Center. Tickets for Saturday and Sunday’s performance can be picked up Saturday at the Box Office. Tickets will also be available at the door each night. The show starts at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 7 p.m. Sunday, at the CFA Theater.
Cast includes: Annie Bodel ’08, Sara Bremen ’05, Max Goldblatt ’05, Will Gordon ’05, Raquel Gutierrez ’05, Josh Lubin-Levy ’06, Michael Rau ’05, Adam Read-Brown ’07, Kaneza Schaal ’06, Lily Whitsitt ’06, Jesse Young ’06
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