Upcoming Theatre

Displaying items by tag: The Diary of Anne Frank

“The Diary of Anne Frank” is a familiar story to many people. While two Jewish families are hiding out from the Nazis in Holland during World War II, the story centers around the diary of a young girl, Anne Frank, belonging to one of one of those families. Such circumstances sound like a setting for a story one might find difficult to watch. That being said, it is a play well worth seeing.

Despite the fact this is a student production, the performances rival that of many established theatre actors. Director Connie Canaday Howard directed, and the play was adapted by Wendy Kesselman. All the actors are students at College of DuPage and they were very good overall. The quality of theatre at this level should really not be this good, thus a pleasant surprise. Though not professional actors, bright stage futures are certainly in store a handful of its cast members.

The set design is well crafted. I really liked the cutaway walls that allowed an open view of rooms other than the main room in the upstairs location where the families hid for nearly two years. Imagine that if you will. Hiding in a relatively small space for almost TWO YEARS. No sunlight. Having to remain silent for a good portion of the day because the space you are occupying is over a business that operates during the day. And in spite of all this, the people did still function. The ending is unfortunate, and I am sure not too uncommon during World War II.

There are some feel good moments even though the overall mood could be rather dark in a situation like this - one being the concept of people risking their own lives attempting to save someone from death. That alone gives someone a sense of the fight for survival spirit that humans must have at times. This play needs to be seen. The world sometimes needs to be reminded of how a madman came very close to taking control of Europe and the atrocities that occurred during his attempt. I was personally close to a few survivors of the holocaust, so this play hit close to home. Another thing worth noting is that this occurred less than a century ago.

I do not wish to discourage anyone to avoid watching the play because of the horrors in this heartbreaking story to which we are firmly reminded. Instead, seeing the playwright’s point of view may shine some light on the human element of war. There is so much that has happened that the history books do not tell you. The battles are all documented, but the story of how people were – and are - affected often never gets heard. The fight for survival never goes away.

“The Diary of Anne Frank”, A Tony Award winning play, is being performed at Playhouse Theatre at the College of DuPage through April 15th. For more show information visit http://www.atthemac.org/events/diary-anne-frank/.

 

Published in Theatre in Review

The Diary of Anne Frank - Writers Theatre

According to legend, when Albert Hackett and Frances Goodrich's Pulitzer Prize winning stage adaptation made its German premiere, audiences sat in a state of silent shock after the play ended. Nearly sixty years, countless productions, several films and hundreds of books about Anne Frank and the secret annex have made this story one of the most accessible pieces of Holocaust literature. In 1997, Wendy Kesselman adapted the original script for a Broadway revival that heightens intensity and includes more reference to the family's Jewish faith and to Anne's burgeoning sexuality.

Under the suburb direction of Kimberly Senior, Writers Theatre's production of Kesselman's "The Diary of Anne Frank" is as intimate as a story of this nature must be. Inventive staging immediately places the audience within the confines of the attic, fantastically designed by Jack Magaw. The Writers Theatre book store space is already intimate enough, but what Magaw has done to replicate the secret annex is nothing short of theatre magic. The tight quarters of this set paired with the vibrancy of the cast create an atmosphere in which emotional reaction is impossible to avoid.

What Senior extracts from her actors is a perfect storm of the best and the worst of humanity backed into a corner, in which the stakes really are life and death. Heidi Kettenring has the challenge of turning a mostly unlikeable character, Mrs. van Daan, into one of the show's strongest assets.  Kettenring balances warmth and tension in moments so electrifying that its current is contagious.

The title role is played by fourteen-year-old Sophie Thatcher who is the actual age of Anne Frank at the time of her internment. Thatcher plays the role with such surprising honesty and eloquence for an actress of her age. All her choices seem based on genuine instinct rather than what other historical documents tell us about the person Anne Frank was.

Despite the fact that everyone going into this play knows the tragic ending, and the unfortunate irony that Europe was liberated just a few months after their betrayal, it's easy to catch the show's infectious message of hope. The reason why this story lingers in our minds throughout the generations is its optimism. That no matter how dire the circumstances, faith in the good of people is what keeps the world in balance even when all seems lost.

The Diary of Anne Frank at Writers Theatre. 664 Vernon Ave, Glencoe. 847-242-6000. Through June 28th. 

Published in Theatre in Review

 

 

         17 Years and counting!

Register

     

Latest Articles

  • 25 Years of Rudolph the Red-Hosed Reindeer: A Warm and Sparkling Celebration of Individuality!
    Written by
    I fondly recall watching the 1964 children’s television special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer each year with great wonder! Its message of hope—that you can be yourself and different from the herd—left a lasting impression. The idea that, through perseverance, you…
  • Trap Door Theatre Presents: The Mannequins Ball, Opening January 23rd
    Trap Door Theatre is thrilled to continue its 31st season with a production of the renowned play, The Mannequins' Ball. Written by Bruno Jasieński, The Mannequins' Ball will be directed by Resident Choreographer Miguel Long, and Managing Director Nicole Wiesner. The Mannequins' Ball will play January 23 – March 1,…
  • Three-time Jeff Award winner Ron OJ Parson to direct Hymn
    Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) announces renowned Chicago director Ron OJ Parson will helm the North American premiere of Lolita Chakrabarti's Hymn, making his CST directorial debut. Chakrabarti has re-imagined her play in the South Side of Chicago, following an acclaimed premiere at London's Almeida Theatre. The…
  • CLUE On Sale Now
    Broadway In Chicago is delighted to announce that individual tickets for CLUE, the hilarious murder mystery comedy inspired by the Hasbro board game and adapted from the fan-favorite film, will go on sale today, Wednesday, December 18. The show will play at the CIBC…

Does your theatre company want to connect with Buzz Center Stage or would you like to reach out and say "hello"? Message us through facebook or shoot us an email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

*This disclaimer informs readers that the views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author, and not necessarily to Buzz Center Stage. Buzz Center Stage is a non-profit, volunteer-based platform that enables, and encourages, staff members to post their own honest thoughts on a particular production.