When Elizabethtown Church of the Brethren hosts a performance of "The Mistake," a play about the atomic bomb, the event will symbolize the overall mission of the church, said Jason Haldeman, pastor of faith formation.

"As an historic peace church, the Church of the Brethren has a long history of wrestling with and challenging the complexities of organized warfare and violence," he shared. "Every Sunday, our worship service begins by reminding folks that we seek to 'Practice Peace, Service and Openness to All.' This is just one way of living into that witness."

"The Mistake" will be performed at Elizabethtown Church of the Brethren, 777 S. Mount Joy St., Elizabethtown, at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 15. An additional performance will be held at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 16, at Akron Mennonite Church, 1311 Diamond St., Akron.

The play features two actors. Riko Nakazono will portray Shigeko Nomura, a young woman living in wartime Hiroshima. Michael Mears will play Leo Szilard, a Hungarian scientist instrumental in creating the atomic bomb.

When the decision is made to use the atomic bomb on Japan, Szilard, tormented by his role in creating it, tries to do everything he can to prevent the catastrophe.

Nomura survives her city's destruction and must use every last ounce of energy to reach and rescue her parents.

Mears has had a rich and varied career for over three decades as an actor and playwright. He has appeared in stage productions, television shows and movies. Nakazono is a London-based Japanese actor, dancer, puppeteer and singer. She has performed internationally and has worked with numerous theater luminaries, including award-winning composer Stephen Schwartz.

The show's tour will take the play to the University of Notre Dame, Manchester University and the University of Chicago before the Lancaster County performances. After the local shows, the play is set for a three-week off-Broadway run in New York City.

The members of Elizabethtown Church of the Brethren wanted to bring the play to town to not only tell a compelling story, but to also highlight the importance of peace, Haldeman said.

"A few months ago, we heard from friends at Akron Mennonite through our connections with local peace witness organizations that the performance was coming to Lancaster County and looking for an additional venue," he explained.

Following the performance, Brad Wolf of the Peace Action Network of Lancaster will facilitate a question-and-answer session with the audience and the actors.

Haldeman hopes audience members will come with an open mind, ready to tackle some tough subjects.

"This production not only asks important questions about our past, but invites a valuable conversation about the future of technology, weaponry and warfare," he stated. "Today, few individuals are even alive who remember the use of nuclear weapons in 1945. Folks who attend this showing can expect a top-notch theoretical performance on an increasingly relevant topic."

No tickets are needed for the Elizabethtown performance as the church will cover the incurred costs of the production. A freewill offering will be received at the end of the performance and will benefit two organizations that have a history of confronting the proliferation and use of nuclear weapons, Haldeman said, noting that money will support the Mennonite Central Committee and the Church of the Brethren's On Earth Peace.

Haldeman invites anyone who is interested in learning more to attend the performance. "While we do encourage people to attend in person, for those at a distance, with health issues or who are otherwise unable to be here in person, we hope to have the performance live-streamed at Etowncob.org," he said.

For more information on the play, visit https://michaelmears.org/tour-dates-for-the-mistake.