BONHOEFFER'S COST stars Agape newcomers Cory Grabenstein as Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Keoni Ramo as prison guard Klaus Klopstock, Frank Benge as the evil Judge Advocate Rott, Rachel Bremer as Bonhoeffer's fiancée Maria, and TJ Condit as Bonhoeffer's brother-in-law Hans Dohnanyi. Agape Theatre alum Zach Bond rounds out the cast as Bonhoeffer's brother Klaus.
CORY GRABENSTEIN (
Dietrich Bonhoeffer) is thrilled to be making his Agape Theatre debut in this incredibly challenging role. This is his third time on stage in the Central Texas Area, the first two being at Sam Bass Community Theatre in
Never the Sinner and
It's Only A Play; and interestingly enough, his third time working with the phenomenal Frank Benge. By day he is a not-so-mild mannered IT guy and by night, when not on stage; he enjoys videogames, reading, and spending time with his crop of poorly-behaved furry children. He would like to thank his longtime love of seventeen years, Becca, for her constant and continuing love and support. Enjoy the show!
KEONI RAMO (Klopstock), a Junior at East View High School, is very excited to be playing the part of Klaus Klopstock in the Texas Premiere of
Bonhoeffer's Cost with Agape Theatre. This role is different from the other roles Keoni has played and he loves the challenges it brings him. He looks forward to working with members of this cast or crew again.
FRANK BENGE (Judge Advocate Rott) has been part of the area theatre scene since 1982 as an actor, director, designer and playwright. He was most recently seen as Mr. Banks in
For the Love of Mahalia at the Boyd Vance Theatre and as Bertha Bumiller and ten other denizens of Tuna, TX in
A Tuna Christmas at the Palace Playhouse. His next project is directing the world premiere production of
Moan Them Blues: an Evening with Bessie Smith for RKJB Productions this May. Some favorite past productions:
The Man Who Came to Dinner (Sheri
Dan Whiteside),
Never The Sinner (Clarence Darrow),
Mrs. Bob Cratchit's Wild Christmas Binge (Scrooge),
Women Behind Bars (Matron),
The Suicide (Aristarch Golaschopov), and
Waiting For Godot (Vladimir). He spent much of the eighties writing and performing with the sketch comedy group "The Sons and Daughters of Fred and Ethyl." He is currently the Senior Editor for BroadwayWorld Austin.
RACHEL BREMER (Maria/Charlotte) has been in theater since she was 6. Her previous characters range from Wicked Witches of Oz to Anna of
Frozen with her most recent works being the latter. She is thrilled to take part as Maria and Charlotte in Agape Theatre's production of
Bonhoeffer's Cost.
TJ CONDIT (Hans Dohnanyi) has been an actor for the last 36 years. Most recently, he has worked with Kristi Treitler as an Assistant Artistic Director with Stage Presence Players out of Georgetown. With Stage Presence Players, he's played the role of
Jim Foley in
Blame It On Beckett, and served as Assistant Director for
Play On!, and Director of
Baggage. He looks forward to working with
Jeff Davis and his wondrous cast and crew for
Bonhoeffer's Cost.
ZACH BOND (Klaus Bonhoeffer/Maetz) is very excited to be acting with Agape again. Zach is attending courses at ACC to pursue a career in film and audio. His recent credits include;
Picnic (Hal Carter),
An Ideal Husband (Lord Goring), and the title characters in
The Wizard of Oz and
Dracula. Zach has been acting for five years and has a great love for theatre. He hopes to one day make it his career. He would like to Thank Agape and his director
Jeff Davis for believing in him and giving him chances to be on stage and show his talent with the world. He would also like to thank his family for being supportive and encouraging in everything that he does.
BONHOEFFER'S COST finds
Dietrich Bonhoeffer imprisoned in Berlin's Tegel Prison during the darkest days of WWII. As the war rages around him and his faith is tested, Bonhoeffer deliberates the cost attached to acting from one's convictions. In a blind race between the forces of good and evil, will Dietrich make it out alive?
A Lutheran pastor and theologian in Germany during WWII,
Dietrich Bonhoeffer was extremely vocal in his resistance to the Nazi dictatorship, including the Nazi persecution of Jewish people. Out of his resistance to the Nazi regime and their attempted control of the religious community, Bonhoeffer founded the underground Confessing Church. He was also a member of the Abwehr, a German military intelligence organization at the center of the anti-Hitler resistance. In addition to his political resistance, Bonhoeffer is known for writing countless books and essays on theology and Christianity, especially
The Cost of Discipleship.
BONHOEFFER'S COST plays The Sanctuary at Palm Valley Lutheran Church, located at 2500 East Palm Valley Blvd, Round Rock, TX. The play runs Thursday, May 11-Sunday, May 21, 2017. Performances are Thursdays - Saturdays at 7:30pm with matinee performances on Saturdays and Sundays at 2:30pm. A free post-show reception will follow the opening night performance on Thursday, May 11th. A post-show discussion with the cast and creative team will follow the performance onFriday, May 12th and the evening performance on Saturday, May 20th.
Tickets are $12-20 with discounts available to Seniors, Students, Teachers/Educators and Current/Ex Military. To reserve tickets, please visit
www.ticketor.com/agapetheatre or call us at 512-88-STAGE.
For more information, please visit
http://www.agapetheatre.org/bonhoeffers-cost.html or call 512-88-STAGE.
BONHOEFFER'S COST is recommended for audience members age 13 and up.
About Agape Theatre- Agape means "unconditional love," and at Agape Theatre, we exist, first and foremost, to unconditionally entertain. We strive to produce quality, thought-provoking theater about universal themes regarding the human condition while simultaneously providing young performers and artists a safe environment in which to hone their craft. But first, we entertain.
