Peter Van Daan News

The Mercer County Community College Academic Theatre and Dance Company will present 'The Diary of Anne Frank” April 22 through April 24 at the Kelsey Theatre located on the college's West Windsor campus, 1200 Old Trenton Road. A special performance will take place Saturday, April 23 at 8:30 p.m. to benefit the Mercer County Holocaust, Genocide and Human Rights Education Center.

For the 22nd year, Open Stage, a professional theatre in downtown Harrisburg, is staging The Diary of Anne Frank, which is based on the actual diary of a young girl who comes of age while she and her family hide from Nazis in a tiny, overcrowded attic.

Anne's lasting message and the talkback that followed left each audience, and myself, with a newfound perspective on this crucial time in our history. Anne Frank reminds each of us that we must cling to our ideals and that, in spite of everything, people are truly good at heart. And, in the midst of this pandemic, that is something each of us should do our best to remember.

We all know the story, have studied it in High School English, and for some even had the experience of visiting the Annex itself in Amsterdam. For Anne Frank and her family, the time spent in the “Annex” in hiding goes down in history as a timeless story that is still being told and is still as relevant as ever. The time was 1942-1944 prior to the liberation of the Jews in Holland. Not a sound could be made, shoes were not to be worn indoors, food was rationed, and for families of Jewish lineage an ever-pressing fear hung in the balance of what was now their reality.

For 22 years, Open Stage, a professional theatre downtown, has produced an annual production of The Diary of Anne Frank.

This Friday October 8 through Sunday, October 10, Fort Salem Theater presents The Diary of Anne Frank, running for three performances only on the theater’s mainstage. Tickets are now on sale at www.FortSalem.com.

Fort Salem Theater has announced the cast and creative team for The Diary of Anne Frank, which performs October 8, 9, 10 on the theater's mainstage.

GAAR/The Mirror will present a production of The Diary of Anne Frank at the Hardwick Townhouse, August 20-22.

Join The Des Moines Playhouse for the 2020 Dionysos Awards at 7:00 PM on Sunday, Nov. 15, 2020. This year's awards are virtual, with a video available on The Playhouse's website, YouTube channel, and Facebook page.

A superb play, The Diary of Anne Frank is now on stage at The Summit Playhouse. Based on the Anne Frank's journal accounts, it is written by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett, adapted by Wendy Kesselman and directed by Karen Thornton.

Main Street Theater (MST) is presenting the timely classic, The Diary of Anne Frank based on the iconic book. a?oeThere were over a dozen Anti-Semitic violent incidents in the month of December alone,a?? notes Vivienne M. St. John, MST Theater for Youth Artistic Director and director of the production. a?oeIt is now more important than ever to educate people about the dangers of history repeating itself. The Diary of Anne Frank is so impactful because it speaks to young people who will be the voice of our future and adults who have the power to create change immediately. Anne, while enduring unbearable abuse, spoke of love and hope for the future. By producing Anne Frank, we hope to instill a desire for others to be courageous, speak out and stand up against discrimination and hate.a?? The production will run Sundays, January 26, February 9 & 16 at 2:30pm and February 9 at 7:00pm at MST's Midtown location, 3400 Main St. in Matchbox4. All tickets are on sale via phone at 713.524.6706 or online at MainStreetTheater.com. Tickets are $16 - $26.

Looking for the light in the dark times we face can be very difficult. In 1942, a girl went into hiding with her family, along with another family, from the Nazi's who had invaded Holland. While in hiding the girl kept a diary of her experience, which after her death would become the most read books in the world. 78 years after starting her diary, her story can be seen on stage in Des Moines Playhouse's beautiful production of a?oeThe Diary of Anne Franka?? which opened this last weekend. Their production comes at just the right time as the day this review comes out, we will be pausing for International Holocaust Memorial Day.

Main Street Theater (MST) is presenting the timely classic, The Diary of Anne Frank based on the iconic book. a?oeThere were over a dozen Anti-Semitic violent incidents in the month of December alone,a?? notes Vivienne M. St. John, MST Theater for Youth Artistic Director and director of the production. a?oeIt is now more important than ever to educate people about the dangers of history repeating itself. The Diary of Anne Frank is so impactful because it speaks to young people who will be the voice of our future and adults who have the power to create change immediately. Anne, while enduring unbearable abuse, spoke of love and hope for the future. By producing Anne Frank, we hope to instill a desire for others to be courageous, speak out and stand up against discrimination and hate.a?? The production will run Sundays, January 26, February 9 & 16 at 2:30pm and February 9 at 7:00pm at MST's Midtown location, 3400 Main St. in Matchbox4. All tickets are on sale via phone at 713.524.6706 or online at MainStreetTheater.com. Tickets are $16 - $26.

Main Street Theater (MST) is presenting the timely classic, The Diary of Anne Frank based on the iconic book. 'There were over a dozen Anti-Semitic violent incidents in the month of December alone,' notes Vivienne M. St. John, MST Theater for Youth Artistic Director and director of the production.

Playhouse on Park's eleventh season continues with Barbara Lebow's A SHAYNA MAIDEL, running October 30 a?" November 17. A SHAYNA MAIDEL is a powerful and poignant drama of survival and strength about two sisters trying to reconnect after years of separation brought on by the Holocaust. Although born in Poland, Rose, now in her twenties came to the United States with her father, Mordechai, at the age of four and is now completely 'Americanized.' A burden of guilt and deeply mixed feelings engulf the aging Mordechai as he awaits the arrival of his elder daughter, Lusia, who has, at last, found her way to America. A SHAYNA MAIDEL explores family, faith, and forgiveness in the pursuit of a better future.

As we remember the 75th anniversary of D-day, it is important to remember why D-Day was so important. When the allied forces invaded France, it was a turning point in World War II. When a little girl in hiding found out about the invasion, she had hope that she would one day be able to come out of hiding and live freely again. That little girl's name was Anne Frank. Ankeny Community Theatre is making sure her story is not forgotten with their current production of 'The Diary of Anne Frank.'

Anne Frank's diary is one of the best-known artifacts documenting daily life during the Nazi occupation of Amsterdam. Anne Frank's ability to describe every event in detail brings a deep understanding of the horrors of the time.

Sit in a crowded attic room, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You never get to go outside, and during the day you can't make any noise. If you do, monstrous people will find you can take you away to be killed simply because you're different from them. Do this for two years. Now, one last thing, have a positive attitude the entire time. Such is the ordeal Anne Frank, a 13-year-old girl, her family and others had to endure during the German occupation of Amsterdam between 1942 and 1944 and, of course, the subject of one of the most famous accounts during World War II, "The Diary of Anne Frank", currently being presented in play form at Seattle Children's Theatre. But beyond the lovely performances and impactful presentation, hopefully viewers will come away realizing how fortunate we are for the freedoms we still have and how important it is to look out for those that are being marginalized.

The Diary of Anne Frank was a specific recounting of a specific time in world history. But it wouldn't be timeless if that was all. Young Miss Frank's personal musings was about every girl growing up in the 1940s. The fact that it took place while the author was huddled in a corner attic hiding from the Gestapo is important, to be sure, but not everything about this tale. She ponders, in her advanced-for-her-age writing style, the experience of growing into a young woman. How it feels to have a first crush. How to live in a multi-generational and enforced quiet community when everything about you wants to jump and play.