Name: The Wave (12+)
Start: 2026-04-02T02:00:00+02:00
End: 2026-04-02T02:00:00+02:00
Location: Junges Theater Bonn

When an experiment becomes a wave: The Young Theater Bonn presents The Wave as an unsettling stage experience

On April 2, 2026, a material that has lost none of its dynamism over the decades will hit the stage at the Young Theater Bonn: The Wave by Morton Rhue. The production of JTB transposes the story to the present and to Germany; it is created under the direction of Moritz Seibert with young people from the youth ensemble. The novel is considered a classic of youth literature, the stage adaptation runs at JTB with an age recommendation from 12 years and a duration of about 140 minutes including intermission. ([jt-bonn.de](https://www.jt-bonn.de/stuecke/details/?cHash=6e2d0bfb313e618e726c5a730e410c2e&tx_theatre_play%5Baction%5D=show&tx_theatre_play%5Bcontroller%5D=Play&tx_theatre_play%5Bplay%5D=117))

Dramaturgy between seduction and loss of control

The play reveals the anatomy of a dynamic that initially appears harmless but then spirals out of control with alarming consequences. A teacher attempts to create order, discipline, and cohesion through an experiment; from this grows a group that becomes tighter, stricter, and more dangerous. The dramaturgy relies on the height of the fall between educational intent and totalitarian pull. This is precisely where the power of this production lies: In the theater space, it becomes visible how quickly community tips into exclusion. ([jt-bonn.de](https://www.jt-bonn.de/stuecke/details/?cHash=6e2d0bfb313e618e726c5a730e410c2e&tx_theatre_play%5Baction%5D=show&tx_theatre_play%5Bcontroller%5D=Play&tx_theatre_play%5Bplay%5D=117))

Youth ensemble, clear direction, strong imagery

Moritz Seibert directs and also designs the stage himself; music and sound design come from Ralf Sunderdick, set design and costumes from Katharina Savvides. The work with young people from the youth ensemble gives the performance an immediate credibility that sharpens the contours of issues like bullying, power, and peer pressure. Particularly in youth theater, a special theatrical atmosphere unfolds here: not moralizing, but close, precise, and physically palpable. ([jt-bonn.de](https://www.jt-bonn.de/stuecke/details/?cHash=6e2d0bfb313e618e726c5a730e410c2e&tx_theatre_play%5Baction%5D=show&tx_theatre_play%5Bcontroller%5D=Play&tx_theatre_play%5Bplay%5D=117))

A material that connects school debates and theater art

The novel by Morton Rhue has sold millions of copies and remains one of the most well-known youth books to this day. JTB purposely elevates the material to the present, making the parable on conformity and authoritarian temptation even more immediate. For the audience, a stage experience emerges that not only captivates emotionally but also raises societal questions: How do loyalty, pressure, and radicalization arise? What makes a group strong - and when does it become a danger? ([jt-bonn.de](https://www.jt-bonn.de/stuecke/details/?cHash=6e2d0bfb313e618e726c5a730e410c2e&tx_theatre_play%5Baction%5D=show&tx_theatre_play%5Bcontroller%5D=Play&tx_theatre_play%5Bplay%5D=117))

Audience reaction and theater atmosphere

Those who experience The Wave live do not receive a distanced lesson, but a dense, nervous theater experience. The JTB is designed as a young audience theater built on immediate resonance: fast perception, clear images, strong voices, high presence. Audience reaction is likely to oscillate between empathy, tension, and intense discussion - exactly where socially relevant theater has its greatest impact. ([jt-bonn.de](https://www.jt-bonn.de/stuecke/details/?cHash=6e2d0bfb313e618e726c5a730e410c2e&tx_theatre_play%5Baction%5D=show&tx_theatre_play%5Bcontroller%5D=Play&tx_theatre_play%5Bplay%5D=117))

Conclusion: An evening that resonates

The Wave at the Young Theater Bonn promises an intense theater evening about manipulation, peer pressure, and the fragility of democratic attitudes. The combination of youthful joy in performance, clear direction, and explosive contemporary relevance makes this performance a must-see for culture-interested visitors. Anyone who wants to feel the tension between pedagogy, power, and theater art live should not miss this evening. ([jt-bonn.de](https://www.jt-bonn.de/stuecke/details/?cHash=6e2d0bfb313e618e726c5a730e410c2e&tx_theatre_play%5Baction%5D=show&tx_theatre_play%5Bcontroller%5D=Play&tx_theatre_play%5Bplay%5D=117))