Writers Theatre adds two more weeks to the extended run of The Diary of Anne Frank through August 16, 2015

Artistic Director Michael Halberstam and Executive Director Kathryn Lipuma announce an additional two weeks to the of the critically-acclaimed and box office hit The Diary of Anne Frank by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett, adapted by Wendy Kesselman and directed Kimberly Senior. The show, which was originally on sale through June 28, is adding two weeks to its already extended run in response to overwhelming demand.  The show MUST CLOSE August 16, 2015, at the Theatre’s Books on Vernon location, 664 Vernon Avenue, Glencoe.

The cast of The Diary of Anne Frank includes Lance Baker (Mr. van Daan), Sean Fortunato (Otto Frank), Coburn Goss (Mr. Kraler), Kevin Gudahl (Mr. Dussel), Sam Hubbard (Nazi), Leah Karpel (Miep Gies), Heidi Kettenring (Mrs. van Daan), Lila Morse (Margot Frank), Eric Slater (Nazi), James Sparling (Nazi), Sophie Thatcher (Anne Frank), Kristina Valada-Viars (Edith Frank) and Antonio Zhiurinskas (Peter van Daan).

For performances after May 31, Otto Frank will be played by Coburn Goss, Mr. Kraler will be played by Eric Slater, and Jared Fernley will join the cast as a Nazi.

Thirteen actors share the intimate Writers Theatre bookstore venue in this powerful and authentic portrait of a young girl clinging to hope in a time of tragedy.

As vital today as when it was first written, Anne Frank’s extraordinary diary has become an essential part of how we remember one of the darkest periods of human history. Filled with its young author’s luminous spirit – her “boundless desire for all that is beautiful and good” – the diary also illuminates the coming of age of a complex, passionate young girl as she falls in love, grows into a woman and struggles to survive with her family amid the chaos of war and religious persecution.

Directed by Kimberly Senior, the Writers Theatre production will provide a visceral insight into the realities of life in the “secret annex,” in which the tight quarters and forced intimacy serve as an ever-present reminder of the danger just outside–allowing audiences to come to know Anne and her family in a new and strikingly honest way.

 

WRITERS THEATRE PARTNERS

Writers Theatre is pleased to recognize BMO Harris Bank as Season Sponsor of its 2014/15 Season, The Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation as Bookstore Series Supporter, Northern Trust and Urban Innovations as Corporate Sponsors of The Diary of Anne Frank, and ComEd as Official Lighting Sponsor.  Additionally Writers Theatre is grateful to the following individuals for their sponsorship of The Diary of Anne Frank: Mrs. Louise Hart as Artists Council Sponsor; Randy L. and Melvin R. Berlin as From Page to Stage Sponsors; Julie and Larry Bernstein as Student Matinee Supporters; and Jeremy and Gill Farmer, Carol and Joel Honigberg, Cindy and David Knapp, Jane and Richard Lipton, Lizzy and Josh Scheinfeld, Harrison and Lois Steans, Seth Traxler and Jessica Aspen, and Kevin and Ellen Van Wart as Director’s Society Sponsors.

For more information about Writers Theatre’s 2014/15 Partners, visit writerstheatre.org/our-supporters.

ABOUT WRITERS THEATRE

Over the past twenty-three seasons, Writers Theatre has become a major Chicagoland cultural destination with a national reputation for excellence. Under the artistic leadership of Michael Halberstam and the executive leadership of Kathryn M. Lipuma, Writers Theatre has been deemed the “best drama company in the nation” by The Wall Street Journal. The company, which plays to a sold-out and discerning audience of 35,000 patrons each season, has garnered critical praise for the consistent high quality and intimacy of its artistry. Prized for the finest interpretations of classic and contemporary theatre in its two intensely intimate venues, Writers Theatre’s acclaimed work includes Artistic Director Michael Halberstam’s world premiere in Glencoe and subsequent productions of A Minister’s Wife at Lincoln Center Theater and West Coast premiere at the San Jose Repertory Theatre; David Cromer’s productions of A Streetcar Named Desire and Picnic; and the commissioning, world premiere and New York premiere of Crime and Punishment, which has received more than 30 subsequent regional theater productions.

Writers Theatre continues with the $34 million On to a New Stage Campaign, which includes a cash reserve. The campaign has raised $28.6 million to date and will establish the company’s first permanent home in a new theatre center in downtown Glencoe, designed by the award-winning, internationally renowned Studio Gang Architects, led by Founder and Design Principal Jeanne Gang, in collaboration with Theatre Consultant Auerbach Pollock Friedlander. This will allow the Theatre to continue to grow to accommodate its audience, while maintaining its trademark intimacy. The new facility will resonate with and complement the Theatre’s neighboring Glencoe community, adding tremendous value to Chicagoland and helping to establish the North Shore as a premier cultural destination.

Find Writers Theatre on Facebook at Facebook.com/WritersTheatre or follow @WritersTheatre on Twitter. For more information, visit www.writerstheatre.org.