Arts Editor

A German chancellor, as an act of redemption, invites six million Jews to come live in Germany. That leader, lacking a clear plan, simply encourages German businesses to create jobs for the Jews. Of course, to do so, the businesses have to lay off German workers, creating resentment and suggesting that the history of the 1930s and '40s may repeat itself.

That's the premise of Lebensraum, a play by Israel Horovitz that provides a "different take" on the Shoah, according to director/producer Cory Ryan Frank, 25, who will be bringing it to the Studio Theater this month as part of the Capital Fringe Festival. The festival runs July 10-27 at some 20 venues in the District.

"It's what I learned about the Holocaust, but put into a version that younger people can better understand" and relate to, according to Frank, who says the play -- the title means "living space" -- has "lots of comic moments, but is not a comedy."

In part, Lebensraum, written in the late 1990s, illustrates that political leaders can unintentionally cause hatred, the College Park resident says.

It also demonstrates how important it is for people to form their own opinion of others, rather than relying on what they hear, he notes.

Lebensraum, performed by three actors portraying 40 different characters, "is a challenge" for him as director, as the stories and characters weave in and out in a progression of time, Frank says.

It is also difficult for the actors, who don't leave the stage during the course of the play. "They are always onstage, either as part of the scene or listening and reacting to what's going," says Frank, who previously produced the play at the University of Maryland where he received his master's in fine arts in lighting design in May.

The director -- who grew up in a Jewish holiday-observant, Reform family, attended Hebrew school and had a bar mitzvah ceremony -- says he always wanted to be in theater, but prefers working backstage. "I'm not a big fan of being the center of attention" as an actor, he says. He says he likes lighting design because it allows him to "mold how the audience sees the play."

With Lebensraum, Frank is getting his first experience in directing and producing, and he hopes to do more. "As director, you can create your own production," he says. "I enjoy working with team of designers and actors to create my vision for this play."

Without in any way excusing what the Germans did in the Holocaust, Lebensraum doesn't take sides in its current scenario, Frank says.

"You don't walk away hating either side, but you feel compassion for both," he says.

Lebensraum will be performed at the Studio Theatre, July 17 at 9 p.m., July 19 at 9 p.m., July 20 at 6 p.m., July 23 at 6:30 p.m., July 25 at 10 p.m. and July 26 at 2 p.m. Tickets for all festival performances, at $15-$35, are available at www.capitalfringe.org or by calling 866-811-4111.