Lake Superior Community Theatre, a North Shore tradition since 2002, will present the drama The Diary of Anne Frank with opening performances this week under the direction of Paul Deaner.
A private, student-only school day performance will be presented this Thursday, March 23 at 9:45 am in the Silver Bay William M. Kelley Auditorium. Up to 500 students and chaperones, a community theatre “first”, from four schools spanning from Grand Marais to Two Harbors will be in attendance. Public performances open this Friday, March 24 at 7:00 pm and continue March 25 (7:00 pm), March 26 (2:00 pm), March 31 & April 1 (7:00 pm), and April 2 (2:00 pm). The show had been delayed a year because of non-Covid cast illness.
The 14-member cast will be led by William Kelley High School junior Marley Schumacher in the title role. Other supporting cast members include Daren Blanck as Otto Frank, Terri Frericks-Blood as Petronella van Daan, and Rick Frericks as Hermann van Daan. Theatre & film veteran Scott Thun will perform the role of Dr. Alfred Dussel. Other student performers are Jack Virginia as Peter van Daan & Vesper Robinson as Margot Frank.
The Anne Frank set was designed by highly regarded Duluth, MN scenic designer Ann Gumpper. Ann led a crew of 24 during a 3-day scenic painting residency.
The Diary of Anne Frank is the world-renowned 1942-44 true story of 13-year-old Anne, her family and others in hiding from occupying German Nazis during World War II in an Amsterdam, Holland warehouse – “the secret annex”. The lows and highs of 8 Jewish people living in hiding & fear for over 2 years is the compelling drama. It is a profoundly tragic story related to the loss of 11 million murdered lives during the Nazi Holocaust. The Diary of Anne Frank has been promoted describing Anne’s writings as beacons of hope, tolerance & acceptance. Lake Superior Community Theatre’s hope is “never again”.
(The 1955 Broadway play won the Tony Award for Best Play. The Oscar-winning movie was released in 1959.)
