Open Stage Presents The Good At Heart Celebration & Awards March 17th

Open Stage of Harrisburg celebrates the 20th anniversary of presenting the play The Diary of Anne Frank with a fundraiser and awards ceremony, The Good at Heart Celebration & Awards, on Sunday, March 17th, 2019 at The Scottish Rite Cathedral. The 33-year-old professional theatre company has presented the important play to nearly 35,000 students over the past 20 seasons.

"No other theatre company in the world has had this honor," says Stuart Landon, Open Stage's Producing Artistic Director. "We are looking forward to celebrating this milestone."

The event will also honor four local philanthropists and leaders and one outstanding organization.

"Anne Frank wrote that 'in spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart,' and that's where we got our name for the evening," Landon said. "We want to utilize this milestone celebration to honor individuals in our community who exemplify Anne's spirit. People who care and people who give their all for this region."

Open Stage will present The Good at Heart Celebration & Awards on Sunday, March 17th at 6:00pm. The evening will begin with a reception featuring hors d'oeuvres by Smoked Trout Catering, wine, and music. The Award ceremony will begin at 7:00pm and will feature a retrospective of the 20 years of Open Stage's The Diary of Anne Frank productions, live entertainment, and celebrations of the honorees. The five awards will be given to Marianne Fischer (Open Stage Founder), Nicholas Hughes (Open Stage Board Emeritus), Rabbi Peter Kessler (Temple Ohev Sholom), and The Edward S. Finkelstein Harrisburg Jewish Film Festival.

The staff of Open Stage is especially looking forward to celebrating Holocaust Survivor Hilda Mantelmacher, who has shared her story with thousands of students and has, since the beginning of "The Anne Frank Project" at Open Stage in 1999, has supported the production and school-day matinee series by speaking to the school groups in post-performance presentations and Q&A sessions. Ms Mantelmacher just this year alone will share her story to nearly 4,000 students in the days prior to The Good at Heart Celebration & Awards, following the four morning performances Open Stage is producing at The Scottish Rite March 12, 13, 14, and 15. It is during one of those presentations that Ms. Mantelmacher will receive her award.

Guests can also enjoy "Let Me Be Myself - the Life Story of Anne Frank", a new exhibit from the Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect, which will be display throughout the week and during the celebration.

Tickets to The Good at Heart Celebration & Awards are available at openstagehbg.com/goodatheart or by calling Open Stage's box office at 717-232-6736.