Anastasia Korbal is playing Anne Frank in Wendy Kesselman’s adaptation of “The Diary of Anne Frank” for Mainstage Center for the Arts.
Cinnaminson resident Anastasia Korbal is playing Anne Frank in Wendy Kesselman’s adaptation of “The Diary of Anne Frank” for Mainstage Center for the Arts. The production takes place Feb. 10 through Feb. 18 at Dennis Flyer Theater on Camden County College campus in Blackwood. The event is sponsored by Royal Bank American and Meadows Diner.
The adaptation is an expansion of the original by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett. It includes previously deleted writings from Anne Frank’s diary as well as survivor accounts, which are interwoven to create a contemporary, impassioned story of the lives of people persecuted under Nazi rule. Kessleman received a 1997 Tony nomination for her work and stated her goal in reworking the play was “to make [Anne’s] words shine.”
“Having the opportunity to bring Anne Frank and her story to life is so important, and I am lucky to be able to do so — her story has already touched many generations, and I’m excited to help keep it alive. We can learn so much from her words and apply them to many issues in the world today,” Korbal said.
Korbal portrayed Anne in the Media Theatre’s 2014 production.
Director Chris Melohn believes that “The Diary of Anne Frank” continues to be important for audiences of today.
“It seems as if many parts of the world have still not learned from the horrors and inhumanity of the Holocaust. For example, Otto Frank desperately tried to get his family out of Europe, writing letters requesting help to secure Visas that would enable the family to immigrate to the United States,” Melohn said. “And here we are now with Syria; families risking everything to escape crossing the Mediterranean Sea on lifeboats while many countries debate the amount of refugees they’ll accept. This makes it even more important for new generations to learn from Anne’s message and teachings. The play shows audiences that victims of war are real people. Hers is a story that remains relevant in 2017.”
Anne’s father, Otto Frank, is played by Peter Zielinski of Mt. Lauren. Anne’s Mother, Edith Frank, is played by Casey Williams-Ficarra of Philadelphia. Anna’s sister, Margot, is played by Taylor Ressler of Philadelphia. Mr. Dussel is played by Newton Buchanan of Philadelphia. Mrs. Van Daan is played by Sarah J. Gafgen of Philadelphia. Peter Van Daan is played by Alan Krier of Maple Shade. Mr. Van Daan is played by Brock Vickers of Philadelphia. Miep Gies is played by Meredith Beck of Philadelphia.
Remaining show times are Friday, Feb. 17 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, Feb. 18 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $13 for seniors and students and $21 for adults. Group rates are also available. To order tickets, visit www.mainstage.org or call (855) 936–2467 ext. 3.
