Student Blog: Stepping Into The Stage-Lights and Shoes Of History

Hello, BroadwayWorld!

With February 14th just around the corner, I am using this as a perfect chance to talk about a production I absolutely loved! Over the course of the past two months, myself and the cast at Jewish Ensemble Theatre performed The Diary of Anne Frank at Scottsdale Center for Performing Arts.

Jewish Ensemble Theatre (JET) has cultivated the essential tradition of performing The Diary of Anne Frank for local students in the Arizona and Michigan areas. Teachers and students alike use this opportunity to introduce and educate the younger generation to the stories of this brave young girl and her family in the Annex. I am so thankful to Chris Bremer for allowing me to join JET's meaningful experience as Margot Frank.

The Diary of Anne Frank began rehearsals in January of 2022; six hours per day and four days a week. With only twelve rehearsals, we needed every minute available. This was my first step into the world of Actors Equity productions and the rehearsal timeline was a clear shift from community and high school theatre. Still, the deadline never stopped us from having fun. Some of my favorite memories from last month include a very surprised pizza man that wondered why the actor playing Mrs. Van Daan (Megan Stier) was quite so heated, playing on the playground with Ariella Centeno (Anne Frank) during our 5-minute breaks, and performing touching scenes whilst salsa music played next door. On January 30th, we entered the Scottsdale Center for Performing Arts auditorium - one day before the first performance!

Over the past two weeks, we've had our fair share of middle school audiences. Suffice to say, the crowd truly appreciated the love story between Anne Frank (Ariella Centeno) and Peter van Daan (Raymond Cusick), quite literally losing their minds during the scenes between the two actors. Mr. Dussel's (David Natale) teasing never failed to earn laughter and applause. The crowds gasped when Mr. Van Daan (Patrick O'Lear) told his wife (Megan Stier) to shut up or had bread slapped from his hand by Mrs. Frank (Brenda Foley) as she finally snapped. Tensions rose when the Thief (Paul Gortarez) crept into the storeroom or Mr. Kraler (Alex Olsen) insisted on the importance of staying quiet. However, the most meaningful moment of listening to the student's reactions arrived in the last two scenes: Miep's (Julie Yolles) news of the impending freedom and the horrific moment when that hope was shattered. With his family and friends silhouetted behind him, Mr. Frank (Clay Sanderson) began his final monologue and the chatter fell silent as the real impact of Anne Frank's life came into focus.

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.

This group of talented actors reaffirmed why I want to enter this field. Our jokes in the dressing rooms, hour-long rehearsals, and atmosphere on stage reminded me why I love this art form. They've all taught me so much; from life lessons to acting tips to how to handle stressful situations, and I am beyond grateful.

We were given an incredible opportunity to tell the story that a thirteen-year-old girl longed for the world to know, and it was my honor to help fulfill that wish. Standing on the stage of Scottsdale Center for Performing Arts with my cast as the lights dimmed is a memory I will never forget.

I would like to end my first blog post by saying thank you; thank you to BroadwayWorld for this new opportunity, thank you to the team of The Diary of Anne Frank (Christopher Bremer as Director, Daniel Jaroslaw as Stage Manager, Katherine Davis as ASM/JET Intern Outreach Coordinator, Alexandra Szczotka as Costume Designer, and Neil Koivu as Technical Director), and thank you to 2022 for two great months!

Signing off - Spencer Wareing