By Ben Martin-Katz, Staff Writer

Climbing through a bookcase, ducking into the small annex and joining the poignant story of Anne Frank, the audience members of this year’s Fall Drama were immersed in a historical experience on November 3th, 4th, and 5th during Newark Academy’s production of The Diary of Anne Frank. The small cast of eleven actors became the famous Jewish families living in hiding during the Nazi occupation of Amsterdam and the Netherlands.

One of the striking aspects of the production was its performance in the round; the audience completely surrounded the stage.  The main space of the stage was organized as a living room for the families, which acted as the center of the action, and then branched into four smaller rooms. The positioning of the stage made the performance an intimate experience, offering a unique viewpoint to each seat in the crowd. Tucker Iverson ‘12, who played Otto Frank in the production, commented that after overcoming the initial challenges of acting in the round the actors “didn’t have to feel like [they] were on stage but rather actually in the space…it helped to enhance the realism of the situation for everyone.” This sense of realism came through in the natural feel of the blocking that pervaded the play. The movements in The Diary of Anne Frank had a certain sense of fluidity that added to the authenticity of the experience.

Another dynamic feature of the production was the contrast between the light childhood attitude of Anne Frank, played by Clara Mooney ’13, and the heavier topics that underscored the performance. At times the audience members found themselves laughing and smiling at the young girl’s curiosity, open personality, and peculiar observations. At other times in the production, the audience still found themselves concerned for the safety of the family and cringed at the uncomfortable interactions in the cramped annex. Iverson noted that “Anne Frank’s innocence made the ending all the more tragic because of the juxtaposition between her naivety and the heaviness that was going on [in the outside world].” The emotional attachment that the audience felt for this young girl made the ending all the more chilling. When Otto Frank, who acted as a mature and stable character throughout the play, delivered his solemn monologue announcing the death of his family at the end of the performance, a cold sense of dread and sadness spread through the theater.

Mature and high level acting from the entire cast highlighted the performance. The tremendous effort and the time invested by the actors and stage crew were validated by the highly successful performances and audience reaction. The actors were praised by two standing ovations – a clear mark of their impact.