Leonardo Defilippis, director and star of the recently released motion picture, Therese, is currently on a national tour with his live production, Maxmilian: St. of Auschwitz. This inspiring one-man drama will be presented at Carey Carter Performing Arts Auditorium at Saint Vincent College and Seminary on Thursday, August 30, 2007 at 7:30 p.m. Admission is free, although reservations are suggested. Reservations can be made between Aug. 13 and 28 by calling 724-805-2177.
Maxmilian: St. of Auschwitz, actor and producer Leonardo Defilippis poignantly illustrates the life of a Catholic priest who was arrested by the Gestapo and sent to the concentration camp at Auschwitz. There he was forced into slave labor, tortured and humiliated. In 1941, Father Maximilian Kolbe spontaneously came forward and took the place of a married man condemned to death by starvation. Forty-one years after that heroic act, he was canonized by Pope John Paul II. Maxmilian: St. of Auschwitz opened in August 1993 before an enthusiastic crowd of 2,000 at World Youth Day in Denver.
Leonardo Defilippis has distinguished himself as an actor, producer, and director of religious live theatrical productions, videos and films for twenty-five years. In 1980, after six years performing in the Colorado Shakespeare Festival, San Diego’s Old Globe Theater, and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Defilippis launched his own production company, Saint Luke Productions, and since then has been producing high quality religious live, video and film dramas for audiences throughout the English-speaking world. His productions on Maximilian: Saint of Auschwitz, Saint Francis: Troubadour of God’s Peace, John of the Cross, the Gospels of Luke and John, The Confessions of Saint Augustine and Thérèse: The Story of a Soul have won numerous national and international awards. Millions of people have enjoyed his live plays and videos, and Therese, his film directing debut, was ranked number #4 of all films in per location average on its opening weekend. Leonardo Defilippis also plays Thérèse’s father, Louis Martin, in the film.
Maxmilian: St. of Auschwitz is an inspiring dramatic portrayal, filled with all the elements of professional theater yet striking in its simplicity. The production runs ninety minutes, and is suitable for ages 12 and up.
