by Tony Annicone

The latest show at Arctic Playhouse is the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning play, “The Diary of Anne Frank.” The audience is transported back to the 1940’s where they learn about the diaries of 13 year old Anne Frank. This play tells the story of a Jewish family forced into hiding in an effort to avoid Nazi persecution during World War II where they were isolated from the outside world. Anne, her family and four others lived in constant fear of being discovered. Anne makes the transition from a smart, mischievous youngster to a passionate young woman. She wrote of her daily life, her budding teenage conflicts with her mother, her strong, loving bond with her father and of her first crush and love for Peter. She also expressed her hopes and dreams for the future and her continuing belief that people are really good at heart. They remained hidden for two years, until their betrayal, which resulted in their deportation to Nazi concentration camps. After the war, the pages of Anne’s diary were discovered on the floor of the annex where the family had been hiding.  This young girl’s diary, written 74 years ago, still touches the heart and soul of every audience member by making them empathize with her tragic situation. Also hopefully with the current situation this world is in maybe we can learn from the past not to make the same mistakes in these trying times. Director Rachel Hanauer takes us back to the cramped quarters where Anne spent the last years of her life and with her ten member cast, she creates a stunning dramatic production, making it a must see show of this spring season.

Read more “THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK (Arctic Playhouse)”