THE ACTORS GROUP German physicist Werner Heisenberg (Richard MacPherson, right) visits his mentor Niels Bohr (Dave Schaeffer) who, some believe, persuaded Heisenberg to resist Hitler by sabotaging the German A-bomb program. Also pictured is Frankie Enos as Margrethe Bohr.

WWII Germany’s
A-bomb quest

'Copenhagen' The Actors Group presents "Copenhagen" Where: Yellow Brick Studio, 625 Keawe St. When: 7:30 p.m. March 16; continues 7:30 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays, and 4 p.m. Sundays, through April 17 Tickets: $10 Info: 722-6941 or www.taghawaii.org

During World War II, was there a possibility that Nazi Germany could have beaten the United States in developing their own atomic bomb or a radioactive "dirty bomb?" German scientists led the world in the '20s and early '30s, and contributed to their country being the first to develop nerve gas, operational jet fighters and bombers, guided missiles and cruise missiles -- but supposedly didn't come close to building an A-bomb.

The Actors Group will explore that mystery with its Hawaii-premiere production of Michael Frayn's Tony Award-winning drama "Copenhagen."

The story takes place in 1941 when German physicist Werner Heisenberg traveled to Denmark for a meeting with his friend and mentor, Niels Bohr. No one knows what they talked about, but some historians have speculated that Bohr, who was half-Jewish, persuaded Heisenberg to resist Hitler by sabotaging the German A-bomb program.

Richard MacPherson plays Heisenberg, with Dave Schaeffer as Bohrs and Frankie Enos as Bohr's wife, Margrethe.

Described by critics as an "invigorating and ingenious play of ideas," "Copenhagen" opens next Wednesday at the group's Kakaako studio.