A New Production On The Diary of Anne Frank Features Predominantly Latinx Actors
Some of us came to learn about Anne Frank during our formative years in school
Photo: Unsplash/@dessidre
Some of us came to learn about Anne Frank during our formative years in school. We read about what she, along with her family, went through in order to survive. Anne Frank’s story of persecution was a personal look into the Holocaust and the atrocity that Jewish people endured during the Hitler regime.
Director Stan Zimmerman is bringing the life of Anne Frank in a new production in Los Angeles for audiences, some of which have never know about the little girl who was hidden in an attic by a German couple. However, the idea that a community is hidden in order to not be killed or taken away by racist authorities, is something people are enduring right now.
Zimmerman told CNN that he heard about a Jewish woman who took in a Latina mom and her two daughters into a safe house in L.A. after her husband was deported. Zimmerman recounts that it was that story that inspired him to cast mostly Latinx actors for his new play on “The Diary of Anne Frank” including the lead role of Anne.
“This made me think, what would’ve happened if this Jewish woman had given the play to the family that she’s hiding? Couldn’t the story of Anne Frank be extremely important today since a recent New York Times’ survey found the memory of the Holocaust is fading?” Zimmerman said, according to Broadway World.
He tells CNN that the story of Anne Frank is not being re-written at all, it is the same story that we have always known, the only difference is that the actors portraying the Jewish characters will be Latinx. He says it is the experience of what Latinx are going through now, with their persecution coming from ICE and the president of the United States that he felt it was important to show the similarities between these two communities and these two moments in time.
“This is not comparing Nazis to ICE,” Zimmerman said on CNN. “We are doing a word for word presentation of a 1997 production that Natalie Portman starred in.”
The main role of Anne Frank will be played actress Genesis Ochoa. The cast also includes Keith Coogan, Tasha Dixon, David Gurrola, Heather Olt, Raquenel, Robert C. Raicch, Teddi Shaffer, Raymond Abel Tomas, and Emiliano Torres.
According to Broadway World, the show will play for three weeks only for 12 performances beginning Sept 6 to 23 at the Dorie Theatre, part of The Complex on LA’s famed Theatre Row (6476 Santa Monica Blvd, LA CA 90038). Tickets are $25 online/$30 door and can be purchased at www.brownpapertickets.com
Show times are Thursdays-Saturday at 8pm and Sundays at 3pm. No shows Friday Sept. 14 and Saturday Sept. 15. Extra shows Saturday Sept 22 at 3 p.m. and Sunday Sept. 23. Opening Night is Thursday Sept. 6 at 8 p.m. The limited engagement must close Sunday Sept. 23 at 7 p.m.
