[Submitted by Donovan Rawlings]
ROCK SPRINGS — Eight people. Five hundred square feet. Wartime in an occupied country. Your country. Where you live and had lived in peace and freedom. Now ‘outside’ means death. Waiting for the change but not knowing when it will be safe again to go out into the sun. Weeks, months, years? Endure and survive.
“The Diary Of Anne Frank” is a true story of endurance, perseverance, hope, and tragedy.
The Actors’ Mission’s presentation of “The Diary Of Anne Frank” premieres tonight and will be performed Saturday night and Sunday afternoon at the Broadway Theatre. Additional performances are set for May 28-30.
The “Diary Of Anne Frank” by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett was written in 1958, winning a Pulitzer Prize in 1956. It tells the true story of Otto and Edith Frank, with their daughters, Anne and Margot, who secreted themselves in what was known as the “Secret Annex” in July, 1942 at Prinsengracht 263 in Amsterdam. They were joined by the Van Daans and their son, Peter, and Mr. Dussel, who sought refuge when it was certain he would be sent to one of the many death camps. There they lived and co-existed in that 500 square-foot space for two years and 29 days until they were found and then sent to those same death camps.
Directed by Donovan Rawlings and assisted by Roy O. Hansen, the cast includes several veteran performers and first-time actors that Rawlings days are wonderful to see and work with.
“They have brought an overwhelming dedication and deep feelings to this work. I see it in every rehearsal, every conversation. It is truly my honor to be a part of what they’ve created, they have created a magnificent play not only for our community, but for us all. I am very proud of this cast,” he said.
Anne Frank is played by Sarah Schaeperkoetter, a veteran actor and head of The Horizon Theater, who makes her second appearance in an Actors’ Mission production. Other first time members of the cast include Joey West (Mr. Van Daan), Eva Krocynski (Miep), Ivy Kropf (Mrs. Frank), Bristol Franklin (Anne Frank), Bethany Alvey, Ellee Schurman (Margot), and Seth Schumaltz (Peter). Franklin, Ellee Schurman and Seth Schumaltz play the understudy roles of Anne and Margot Frank and Peter Van Daan. They are scheduled for their first ever performance on May 29. They are joined by veteran members of the Actors’ Mission; Tim Knight (Mr. Frank), Tommy Zuehlsdorff (Mr. Dussel), Karie Chrishawn (Mrs. Van Daan), Mark Chollak (Mr. Krahler), and Brandon Swafford (Peter).
“When I was 20 years old, I visited the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam. This left a deep impression on me. Stories like this are so important because they remind us that we must never allow this sort of thing to happen again,” Knight said.
Eva Kroczynski, herself a second-generation immigrant of French and Polish origin, states
“‘The Diary Of Anne Frank’ is truly special because as the story unfolds, the audience becomes immersed in the hopes, joys, and fears of the families hidden in the attic, awaiting for the arrival of the Americans to save Europe. As a Jewish-American, it is an honor to share in the duty of remembrance regarding Shoah,” Eva Kroczynski, a second-generation immigrant of French and Polish origin, said.
All shows begin at 7 p.m. with a complimentary meal served at 6 p.m. The matinee on Sunday begins at 2 p.m., with the meal served at 1 p.m. As with the Actors’ Mission’s tradition, there is no charge for the performance or food. The Actor’s Mission is gratefully sponsored by Sweetwater BOCES under the guidance of Bernadine Craft.
