The Abbey Players are very pleased to present the premiere production of a new play: Dr. Rocket’s Last Night on Earth or THE TRIAL OF WERNHER VON BRAUN by Charlotte playwrights Albert Dulin and Arthur “Duke” Ernsberger. The play is a dream with music, both a surreal look at the German scientist who was instrumental in the development of the Apollo moon program for NASA and a harrowing examination of his work prior to his reinvention after World War II.

Von Braun oversaw the development of the V2 rocket for Nazi Germany, an unstoppable weapon that rained destruction and death upon London during the last year of World War II. The work on the rocket program was expedited by concentration camp prisoners. They worked under intolerable conditions, which caused the deaths of 20,000 through illness, starvation, hangings and beatings. Von Braun admitted he knew of their treatment, but was helpless to change it. At the end of the war Von Braun and his team of scientists and engineers were brought to the United States to work on the fledgling missile program. But after the launch of Sputnik by the USSR, his efforts shifted to the space race that resulted. Thanks in large part to his work, Apollo 11 landed on the Moon in 1969.

Dr. Rocket is narrated by Lola, a character based upon Marlene Dietrich. Von Braun hallucinates that he is on trial for his association with the Nazis; in reality he is dying of cancer. Each actor in the play plays several roles. Jim Eddings is Music Director. The play is being staged by Director of Abbey Theatre Simon Donoghue. He also portrays Von Braun.

Performances are June 10, 11, 16, 17 and 18 at 8pm. Tickets are available at the door just prior to each show. The cost for off-campus patrons is $10. Reservations: 704-461-6786.