Photos: ANNE BEING FRANK Opens Off-Broadway

Anne Being Frank by Australian playwright Ron Elisha opened Off - Broadway on Tuesday, September 12. The World premiere production runs until October 29 at 28th Street Theatre in New York City.

Theatre Scene said about the production, “Elisha has written a refreshing new take on Anne Frank’s life…What gives Elisha’s play its power—aside from Fishman’s commanding, nuanced performance and Amanda Brooke Lerner’s incisive direction—are the imaginative details that, in 90 minutes, paint a portrait that is difficult to forget.” Stage & Cinema raved, “Elisha is an excellent writer…Fishman effortlessly takes us on Anne’s horrific journey…it is her portrayal of Anne that gives the play its vibrant emotional core….this play may break your heart.” 

The solo show is directed by Amanda Brooke Lerner and features Alexis Fishman as Anne Frank  Emerging Artists Theatre serves as producer. Anne Being Frank runs in repertory with the plays Doris Day: My Secret Love by Paul Adams and Sex Work/Sex Play by Caytha Jentis. All three plays were previously workshopped at Emerging Artists Spark Theatre Festival NYC.

“In spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart.” Anne Frank wrote these famous words a mere three weeks before she met the people who weren’t. Would she still have written the famous line if she had known the fate her family would suffer at the hands of the Nazis?

Anne Being Frank moves between three worlds: The secret annex where she and her family are in hiding, Bergen Belsen where she lives out her final days, and an unlived future in a swanky New York publishing house. Here we meet the bright, debut author who with devastating new insight into the depths of human depravity has rewritten her entire diary. On a quest to tell the truth, she crosses swords with the literati, who dearly wish to maintain the innocence of the original. 

The creative team includes choreograpy by John Reed, scenic design by Colleen Shea, lighting design by G. Ben Swope, costume design by Noah Berch, and sound design by Graydon Gund.

Performance schedule: Tuesdays at 7pm, Thursdays at 2pm and 7pm, and Sundays at 2pm. (No performance Sunday, Sept 17) Running time: 90 minutes.

All performances take place at the 28th Street Theater (TADA), 15 West 28th Street (between Broadway and 5th Avenue), 2nd Floor (elevator accessible), New York, NY 10001. Subways: N/R/1/2 to 28th Street, B/D/F/W to 34th Street. Tickets are $59 and are available at www.emergingartiststheatre.org/anne-being-frank. 

Over the past 30 years, Emerging Artists Theatre (EAT) has premiered over 300 new works Off-Broadway and Off Off Broadway and garnered several awards including a Drama Desk Award nomination, the American Theatre Wing Grant Award for Consistent Excellence in Theatre, and the Founders Award at the inaugural New York Innovative Theatre Awards. In 2006, EAT started producing their bi-annual new work series which focuses on new solo shows, plays, dance, and musicals. Over the years, this series (now known as Spark Theatre Festival NYC) has given over 5,000 artists a chance to showcase their new work. EAT’s most recent Off-Broadway productions include Penny Penniworth by Chris Weikel, and The Sensational Josephine Baker by Cheryl Howard.  www.emergingartiststheatre.org

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