‘Otto Frank’ brings story of Anne Frank’s father to OKC from NYC
Roger Guenveur Smith has costarred in several Spike Lee movies, acted opposite Denzel Washington in Ridley Scott’s film “American Gangster” and currently can be seen in the acclaimed historical drama “Till.”
A graduate of the Yale School of Drama — where his classmates included Angela Bassett, John Turturro and Charles S. Dutton — he also has written and performed several solo stage shows about historical figures.
Lee has filmed two of Smith’s oneman performances: “A Huey P. Newton Story,” which won a Peabody Award, and “Rodney King,” which was released on Netflix.
“Roger is one of the most amazing solo performance artists living in the country right now,” said Oklahoma City Repertory Theatre Artistic Director Kelly Kerwin.
“My hopes are definitely that people are moved, that they think of things that they might not have otherwise thought about in relationship to antisemitism, tolerance and hate. With Roger in ‘Otto Frank,’ I feel like a bunch of wires come out — not literal wires, but metaphorical wires — and he makes all these different connections.”
Direct from New York City, the esteemed actor and playwright is coming to Oklahoma City to perform his latest solo stage show, “Otto Frank,” in which he depicts the Jewish Holocaust survivor who famously published the diary of his late daughter, Anne Frank.
The Jan. 27-28 run of “Otto Frank” at Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center’s Te Ata Theater is presented by OKC Rep in association with NYC’s The Public Theater, which earlier this month spotlighted Smith’s new show at its Under the Radar Festival, widely regarded as one of the top international theater festivals showcasing new works.
For the second year, OKC Rep is partnering with The Public Theater for Under the Radar: On the Road, a program that will bring selections from the NYC festival to Oklahoma City. Last year, OKC audiences got to see Inua Ellams’ poetic one-man show “An Evening with an Immigrant” even after an outbreak of the COVID-19 omicron variant canceled the NYC festival.
“I’m actually jealous that you got to have Inua, and I did not. He’s an amazing man, and I hear it went really well,” said Mark Russell, the director and founder of the Under the Radar Festival.
In a Zoom interview, Kerwin and Russell talked about their OKC goals for Under the Radar: On the Road, the unfortunate timeliness of “Otto Frank” and more:
What is the importance of bringing a piece of Under the Radar to OKC?
Russell: “It gives people a wider experience of America. ... I think what Kelly’s doing is at the frontlines of culture. ... Getting this intimate, very specialized work out to people to really receive it, it’s great. It’s been part of my mission all along. ... I think it’s great to point to Oklahoma City as a success — that this work does land out there and not just in this little bubble we call New York City. Great art connects.”
Kerwin: “Mark is originally from Texas by way of ... the Midwest. As Midwesterners, I think we both know that this part of the country doesn’t tend to get the same kind of art and resources that the coasts tend to get. We both came from this part of the country, and there are people here that, I think, can get a sense of art that points to the future. That’s what Under the Radar is all about is art that’s pointing at the future — whether it’s in content or form, mostly both.”
Talk about the themes of ‘Otto Frank’ that make it still relevant
Russell: “It’s kind of frightening how present this is and how it connects with all the different genocides that are going on right now. Not to make light of or minimize the effect of the Holocaust, but there’s other genocides going on right now. As a matter of fact, one of the most moving things is the exit music of the show is the Ukrainian national anthem.
“So, Roger is taking the spirit of Otto Frank and of Anne Frank and moving it through time, even past Otto’s own death, and into Black Lives Matter and all of the things that are so present right now.”
Why is ‘Otto Frank’ the piece from Under the Radar you decided to bring to OKC?
Kerwin: “It’s a show that really hits at the heart and then travels to the mind, similar to ‘An Evening with an Immigrant.’ ... I feel hopeful that people leave with their hearts a little bit more open, as I always do. ... There’s a lot of different groups of people who live in Oklahoma City. And I think the more that we can open our hearts to one another — just the more open-hearted we can be, always — the more compassionate this city will be and the better it will be.”
Is a show like this even more important given the anti-semitic messages from people like Kanye ‘Ye’ West?
Kerwin: “It was almost the day after when Kanye’s statements came out the first time last fall that ... I went to ‘Stopping Hate, Promoting Acceptance,’ which is something that the Jewish Federation (of Greater Oklahoma City) put on. And I saw Michael Korenblit, the president of Respect Diversity (Foundation), speak. He spoke about how his parents survived the Holocaust, then they moved to Ponca City, Oklahoma, where Jim Crow laws were really stringent and it was a very segregated city. ... He’s going to actually be speaking at one of the shows — he’s coming to the Saturday night show — but this really feels very relevant in the country at large, but also in Oklahoma City.
“Kanye West’s mother was in Oklahoma City, protesting Jim Crow laws with Clara Luper ... so it feels like this piece really is relevant to this this city in this time.”