0
0
The NS drama department is well known for its happy and humorous plays including “Little Shop of Horrors,” “Arsenic and Old Lace,” “The Wizard of Oz,” etc., but this spring the department took on the challenge of acting out at the dramatic play based on a true story, “The Diary of Anne Frank.”
Anne Frank is known for keeping a diary of her experiences, being a Jew in hiding, during the Holocaust. Her family moved from Germany to the Netherlands to escape the rumors of war with the Nazis. Unable to emigrate to the US, Anne’s father Otto Frank takes his family to hide from the Nazi’s in the annex of his business firm. Otto’s family, a dentist and one other family all hide in the secret annex of the building.
The play opens with Otto Frank (Keagan Mitchell), his wife Edith (Mariah Ashworth) and their two daughters, Anne (Ariel Valko and Maralyn James) and Margot (Katelyn Hill) moving into a small annex in the back of Otto’s business firm. Otto’s business partner’s family, the van Daans, move in soon after. Mr. van Daan (Nicholas Honey) comes across as a grumpy curmudgeon. Mrs. van Daan (Emily Hill) provides many laughs throughout the play. Her son Peter (Harrison Cook) comes across as a shy and awkward boy, although Anne is thrilled by the fact that Peter has brought his cat, Mushy, to the annex.
Living in the annex proves to be a challenge for all of the characters, who all show their stresses differently. Mrs. Frank becomes quiet and impatient. Mrs. van Daan, however, is loud about her grievances. The stress only worsens when a dentist named Alfred Dussel, played by Aiden Anderson, moves into the already cramped annex. Mr. Dussel is a fussy complainer who almost comes off as ungrateful.
The acting was well thought out and thorough. Many of the actors had to stay on stage for the vast majority of the production. From subtle, snarky facial expressions to looks of exhaustion, the actors did a good job of making their characters believable. These actions also helped cause the audience to feel an attached and love for the characters.
The set also enhanced the actor’s performance, it allowed the audience to see just how cramped and run-down the annex was.
The audience’s attachment to the play and the characters became so strong that when the Nazi’s (Kevin Johansen, Ian Tomlin, Jeff Putnam) walked into the annex to arrest the families, the air felt like it was sucked out of the room as everyone’s stomach dropped. It was even harder for the audience by the end of the play when Mr. Frank returns to the annex and explains what happened after his family and friends were inhumanly taken away and separated. The performance was made even more heartbreaking as he told the audience that he was the only one that was hiding in the attic to survive the concentration camps. All of the people from the annex except for Mr. van Daan died from illness; Mr. van Daan was the only one that was gassed.
The production left many audience members in tears. With the newfound knowledge that the NS drama department can pull off dramas as well as comedies, it is difficult not to be excited for what’s to come in their future.
The NS drama department is well known for its happy and humorous plays including “Little Shop of Horrors,” “Arsenic and Old Lace,” “The Wizard of Oz,” etc., but this spring the department took on the challenge of acting out at the dramatic play based on a true story, “The Diary of Anne Frank.”
Anne Frank is known for keeping a diary of her experiences, being a Jew in hiding, during the Holocaust. Her family moved from Germany to the Netherlands to escape the rumors of war with the Nazis. Unable to emigrate to the US, Anne’s father Otto Frank takes his family to hide from the Nazi’s in the annex of his business firm. Otto’s family, a dentist and one other family all hide in the secret annex of the building.
The play opens with Otto Frank (Keagan Mitchell), his wife Edith (Mariah Ashworth) and their two daughters, Anne (Ariel Valko and Maralyn James) and Margot (Katelyn Hill) moving into a small annex in the back of Otto’s business firm. Otto’s business partner’s family, the van Daans, move in soon after. Mr. van Daan (Nicholas Honey) comes across as a grumpy curmudgeon. Mrs. van Daan (Emily Hill) provides many laughs throughout the play. Her son Peter (Harrison Cook) comes across as a shy and awkward boy, although Anne is thrilled by the fact that Peter has brought his cat, Mushy, to the annex.
Living in the annex proves to be a challenge for all of the characters, who all show their stresses differently. Mrs. Frank becomes quiet and impatient. Mrs. van Daan, however, is loud about her grievances. The stress only worsens when a dentist named Alfred Dussel, played by Aiden Anderson, moves into the already cramped annex. Mr. Dussel is a fussy complainer who almost comes off as ungrateful.
The acting was well thought out and thorough. Many of the actors had to stay on stage for the vast majority of the production. From subtle, snarky facial expressions to looks of exhaustion, the actors did a good job of making their characters believable. These actions also helped cause the audience to feel an attached and love for the characters.
The set also enhanced the actor’s performance, it allowed the audience to see just how cramped and run-down the annex was.
The audience’s attachment to the play and the characters became so strong that when the Nazi’s (Kevin Johansen, Ian Tomlin, Jeff Putnam) walked into the annex to arrest the families, the air felt like it was sucked out of the room as everyone’s stomach dropped. It was even harder for the audience by the end of the play when Mr. Frank returns to the annex and explains what happened after his family and friends were inhumanly taken away and separated. The performance was made even more heartbreaking as he told the audience that he was the only one that was hiding in the attic to survive the concentration camps. All of the people from the annex except for Mr. van Daan died from illness; Mr. van Daan was the only one that was gassed.
The production left many audience members in tears. With the newfound knowledge that the NS drama department can pull off dramas as well as comedies, it is difficult not to be excited for what’s to come in their future.
