The Nazi here is Francisco Reyes, an actor who gives a jaw-dropping performance as an extremely evil man who is somehow both nefarious and likeable. The Commandant is making sure that Gershom Gottfried will not spill the beans when the Red Cross comes to inspect the camp, but the space at Theatro Circulo on East 4th Street is so small that at times he is almost literally in your face and it’s as though he’s talking to you.

Brilliantly written by Juan Mayorga, “Way To Heaven” is inspired by events of 1944, when the Nazis constructed a village at Thereisenstadt that appeared decent, in order to fool inspectors into thinking that the rumors of the atrocities were scandalous lies with no merit.

Gershom works with the Commandant to make changes and re-writes. But there’s a problem. How can Gershom get a good performance out of the actors when they can’t sleep from the sound of the train and the specter of death lurks over them, especially if they can’t learn their parts?

Actors who play Nazis in film for whatever reason often have British accents and more sensibly at times, German accents. Here, Reyes’ mild Spanish accent doesn’t hinder his performance, it actually helps it. Mark Farr is excellent as Gershom, showing facial expressions that clearly indicate he has seen death and horror. His performance shows we don’t need the sound of bullets or the sight of blood in order to evoke the smell of fear. As a fake mayor of the village, he has the choice to defy orders and tell the truth about what is going on, but it would mean certain death.

The give and take between Reyes and Farr toward the end of the play is extremely powerful. Being a believable actor, the Commandant tells him, is not merely in the words that are said, but in the gestures. How true this is, especially, when thinking about the hand gestures made by Hitler during speeches and of course, the Nazi salute, meant to demonstrate a supernatural power.

The play opens strongly with a Red Cross Worker (Shawn Parr) some years later, coming to terms with the fact that he’d been fooled by the Nazis. He explains in detail how he met with the Commandant who had volumes of books in his library. Dressed in pajamas, Parr is solid as a man who is disturbed at not being able to tell he was being tricked. Yet he admits some things he saw were fishy.

Other scenes include teenage boys spinning at top and a bit of a lover’s quarrel, where the male repeats the idea that things will get better if he continues to work hard. The boys, Boy #1 and Boy #2 (Sal Bardo and Trey Gerrald) do a good job at trying to look controlled while actually being frantic and scared, while Trae Hicks is intriguing in a role that is similar to that of a robot with no emotions.

The female counterparts are not as strong as the male ones here, though Samantha Rahn’s performance is fittingly unnerving, especially when she sings “Ani Ma’amin,” the song affirming belief in the coming of the Messiah, no matter how bad things get. As for the five scenes, the second scene is confusing but makes sense later on.

The stage is simply a level rectangle covered in dead leaves with limited props. It’s a little warmer than you’d like it to be in the theater, but this helps get you a bit more attached to the play. Matthew Earnest’s fine direction cuts to the bone in a manner that will evoke a visceral response that will stick with you after you’ve left the theater. It’s true that the Holocaust has been the subject of countless films and plays. But you’d be making mistake to miss this one as it offers a fresh look at a powerful deception. The play is successful on many levels and is hauntingly gripping. But most importantly, “Way To Heaven,” reminds us that demons from Hell didn’t massacre six million Jews. Humans did. Human that were cognizant about the need to masterfully use propaganda to fool people ended up doing did exactly that. And the Nazis knew full well that destroying bodies of a people was one thing. But destroying the spirit was another.

“Way To Heaven”

Written by Juan Mayorga

Directed by Matthew Earnest

Starring: Francisco Reyes, Mark Farr

1 hr. 40 minutes

Grade: A-

At Teatro Circulo

64 East 4th Street

Wed-Sat at 8 p.m.

Sunday at 3 p.m.

212 868 4444

$18

$16 for students and seniors