The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
‘Anne Frank’ play opens Saturday
Cast captures courageous, heartbreaking story
Directed by Lucia Dressel, Landmark Community Theater’s “The Diary of Anne Frank” is an important and moving production with a conclusion that is stunning and powerful. The portrayals of real people depicted during this harrowing event in time are convincing and heartfelt and do justice to the subject and the story.
“The Diary of Anne Frank” tells the courageous, true life story of a young Jewish girl and her family hiding for nearly two years in a claustrophobic attic with others seeking safe haven during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands.
In the lead role is Lexi White, 12, who portrays Anne Frank with integrity and infectious charm. White is no stranger to creating genuine characters on stage and on screen. She has performed in the Molly Ringwald featured Lifetime movie “Wishin’ and Hopin’” and in the Sean Ryan Rox film, “Christmas All Over Again.” White has performed on stage in Lion King”, “Peter Pan”, and “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”.
In this starring role, White is completely relatable as Anne Frank as she opens the window into this world for the audience. White’s Anne Frank is aware of the gravity of her situation but she also has the interests of any 12-year-old and with humor and grace she injects an infectious energy into the attic that is eventually poured into the pages of her diary. The remarkable aspect of White’s performance is that when she finds private moments of joy, we relish these moments of respite and want to see all of humanity through her eyes.
White’s performance is sure to make an enormous impression on the audience as it has for the cast and crew.
“She is amazing,” said Dressel. “She treats every rehearsal as a Master Class. She’s willing to learn and explore and immerse herself in the role. She brings a lovely part of herself to it, too, because Lexi is very sweet and lively, very intelligent and sassy the same way that Anne was.”
Dressel noted that White has to age two years over the course of the show, which is a huge undertaking for an actor at any age.
White said she is grateful to work which such an accomplished cast.
“Everyone in this cast is amazing,” she said. “They’re so talented and there’s an energy on stage. We help each other rise to the occasion because we feed off each other.”
In “The Diary of Anne Frank,” it is the children who seem to find ways to escape in the confining surroundings. Jenny Dressel portrays Anne’s sister Margot, who exudes the longing of an older sister and fights feelings of jealously when her younger sister finds an interest in Joshua Gogol’s Peter Van Daan, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Van Daan, portrayed by Casey McKenna and Dianna Waller.
Anne’s parents, Otto and Edith Frank, are portrayed by Johnny Revicki and Suzanne Powers. They shoulder a heavy burden, trying remain strong for their family. These established performers bring a sense of credibility to their roles; from the first moments when they walk toward the stage, the mix of fear and sadness in their eyes foreshadow the reality that everyone has a breaking point.
Mr. Van Daan was the business partner of Otto Frank, and Casey McKenna and Dianna Waller provide laughs and instances of sheer heartbreak as the parents of the other family unit in the attic. Waller’s Mrs. Van Daan is very aware of the relationship that begins to form between Anne and her son Peter, which provides some levity in a situation not built for that emotion. When an all-too-human event occurs involving Casey McKenna’s Mr. Van Daan, the two actors share a gut wrenching, visceral moment on stage that is as real as it is memorable.
Bret Bisaillon portrays Mr. Dussel, a Jewish dentist who had been dating a Catholic woman before leaving his job and his relationship without saying a word because safety demanded the silence. Mr. Dussel is the final person who comes to live in the attic and Bisaillon’s interaction with White’s Anne Frank is both poignant and profound. Anne tries to teach her “roommate” French and he tries to give her space in these closed quarters.
Helping those in the attic are Miep Gies and Mr. Kraler, portrayed by Amy Kopchik and Dennis Walsh. Rounding out the cast are Joshua Luszczak, James Wood and Aric Martin. The actors are committed to their roles and the actions of their characters create enormous consequences for all involved.
The Diary of Anne Frank will be performed on Fridays and Saturdays, March 18, 24-25, March 31 and April 1 at 8 p.m., and Sundays, March 19, 26 and April 2 at 2 p.m., with special weekday performances on March 17 and 23 at 10 a.m. on the Thomaston Opera House main stage.
In partnership with the Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect, Landmark Community Theatre will share the exhibition, Anne Frank: A History for Today, with the Thomaston community which will be on display at the theater.
For more information on tickets and group sales, contact the box office at 860283-6250. Hours are Monday through Friday, 1-6 p.m. and Saturday, 1-4 p.m. at 158 Main Street Thomaston. Or purchase tickets online at www.landmarkcommuntytheatre.org.