Playbill UniverseReviews: What Do Critics Think of White Rose: The Musical Off-Broadway?
Will Nunziata directs the new musical based on a true story of student activists in Nazi Germany.
By
Margaret Hall
January 26, 2024
White Rose: The Musical opened Off-Broadway January 25, and the reviews are rolling in. Playing Theatre Row, the production stars Jo Ellen Pellman (Netflix's The Prom) as Sophie Scholl, a young German student who was executed for high treason due to her involvement with the non violent anti-Nazi resistance group White Rose.
Pellman is joined by Mike Cefalo (New York, New York) as Hans Scholl, Kennedy Kanagawa (Into the Woods) as Christoph Probst, Laura Sky Herman (Hello, Dolly!) as Lila Ramdohr, Paolo Montalban (Funny Girl,Pacific Overtures) as Prof. Kurt Huber, Sam Gravitte (Wicked) as Frederick Fischer, Cole Thompson (Into the Woods) as Willi Graff, with Ellis Gage (Next To Normal), Dani Apple (The Sorceress), Pasquale Crociata, Cal Mitchell, and Aaron Ramey.
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Playbill will continue to update this list as reviews come in.
White Rose is based on a true story, and features a book and lyrics by Brian Belding, with music by Natalie Brice. The musical follows a group of university student activists who stood up to Hitler in Nazi Germany, risking everything by creating and distributing leaflets that challenged his propaganda. Will Nunziata directs.
The production features music direction and arrangements by Sheela Ramesh, movement direction by Jordan Ryder, and orchestrations by Charlie Rosen. The creative team also includes set designer James Noone, costume designer Sophia Choi, lighting designer Alan C. Edwards, sound designer Elisabeth Weidner, wig designer Liz Printz, and production stage manager Ellie Handel. Casting is by Eisenberg/Beans Casting. White Rose is presented in association with NewYorkRep.
The Fred Ebb Award recognizes excellence in musical theatre songwriting, by a songwriter or songwriting team that has not yet achieved significant commercial success.