The story of Anne Frank is one that has been told time and time again since the 1940s. ETSU’s own Department of Theatre and Dance presented a theatrical rendition of Wendy Kesselman’s adaptation of the book, “Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl,” that was both compelling and touching. The book retells the story of Anne Frank, a young Jewish girl in hiding with her family and friends from Nazi Germany during WWII.
In speaking of and introducing the play, Director Herb Parker stated that, “This is such an important story to tell, as we are still dealing with some of these issues today. We chose this particular adaptation as it incorporates a little more of Anne’s diary than had been shared before.”
The hard work and dedication of the cast and crew was overwhelmingly evident as the performance provided a captivated audience with an in depth look of Anne’s ideals and values.
ETSU student, Abigail Brown, appeared in the title role, flawlessly portraying the Holocaust victim, her character addressed various issues such as growing up, her relationship with her mother and even her own sexuality as she became more aware of her body and its capabilities.
To say that the cast and crew members, consisting of ETSU students and faculty alike, wonderfully portrayed Anne’s predicament would be an understatement. Each element of production from, the directing and acting styles to the sound, costumes and even lighting worked together seamlessly to provide such an authentic and compelling depiction of the characters’ predicament that the audience’s engagement was unwavering from beginning to end.
Despite the sense of impending doom that is expected as we watch Anne Frank’s story unfold, the cast was remarkably able to sustain their conveyance of Anne’s unrelenting spirit of hope even to very end.
For more information on upcoming events from the Department of Theater and Dance, visit www.etsu.edu/cas/theatre or call 423-439-6511.
