Photo by Katelin Keane Photography
(SOMERS POINT, NJ) -- SPQR Stage Company, the Jersey Shore's "Original" theater company, will produce The Missileman of Peenemünde, written and directed by SPQR’s Artistic Director Bill Sterritt, across two weekends from November 14-22, 2025 at Studio;Space in Somers Point.
The Missileman of Peenemünde refers to the life and career of German-American aerospace engineer Wernher von Braun who, early in his career, worked in Nazi Germany’s rocket development program. He was the lead engineer responsible for the development of the V-2 rocket at the Nazi research center in Peenemünde during World War II, and oversaw a project that was synonymous with both technological advancement and incredible human suffering. The German town of Peenemünde, where von Braun helped develop the V-2, the world’s first long-range ballistic missile, aka a Nazi “vengeance weapon,” exemplifies the complicated and sometimes brutal history behind technological progress.
Following the war, von Braun played a pivotal role in the U.S. space program. He is seen by many to have escaped justice for his knowledge of Nazi war crimes, based solely on the desire of the U.S. to beat the Soviet Union in the Cold War. Sometimes dubbed the “father of space travel,” toward the end of his life von Braun advocated for a mission to Mars.
Photo by Katelin Keane Photography
“This true-life story captivated me,” said Sterritt, who refers to his play as “Lord of the Rings” meets the Space Age. “It encapsulates the enormous amount of drama that one man’s life can hold – scientific ingenuity and creativity, living within a World War, life and death decisions, and, potentially, getting away with murder due to a nation’s greed and desire to triumph over another country. Von Braun wrestles with the good that his inventions will do for mankind and the destruction that they will cause to men.”
The Missileman of Peenemünde runs for 1 hour. Performances take place 8:00pm Fridays and Saturdays, November 14, 15, 21, and 22, and 2:00pm matinees Saturdays, November 15 and 22. Tickets are $20 and available for purchase online. Studio;Space is located at 112 Woodland Ave. in Somers Point, across from The Crab Trap.
NYC-based actor Jacob Trnka plays the historical “Missileman” von Braun, who represents the complexities of technological progress during an historical moment in the early days of space exploration. Meredith Bishop, a graduate of Rider University’s BFA acting program, performed in SPQR’s “Freezing Antarctica,” “Derby Day” and “New Works.” She portrays the rocket’s pin-up girl who comes to life, symbolizing von Braun’s dream of space exploration. Vincent John trained at the Actors Studio in NYC and plays the doctor who seeks to stimulate von Braun’s conscience, and Michael A. Green, who studied at the Academy of Dramatic Arts in Croatia, plays von Braun’s rocket team colleague Thiel who is obsessed with German folklore and von Braun’s place in it.
Since 2004, SPQR Stage Company has been testing and redefining the limits of theatre, in theme, form, and purpose. For almost 10 years, SPQR Stage Company’s productions have exhibited ingenuity, in language, concept and staging. From performing in a 40-seat house in Hollywood to the 50-seater studio;space in Somers Point, SPQR has strived to think big. SPQR prefers to be ambitious and in front of the curve in all its undertakings.
Photo by Katelin Keane Photography
