DECATUR, Ala. (WHNT) – The Bank Street Players are getting ready to present “The Diary of Anne Frank” at the Princess Theatre in Decatur.
The show premiers on January 26. It will be running on Holocaust Remembrance Day, which is on January 27.
The critically acclaimed show is adapted from the book, “The Diary of Anne Frank”, one of the most famous and haunting autobiographical stories of the 21st century.
Director Jake Barrow says Anne grew and matured during the nearly two years she and her family were forced into hiding to escape Nazi persecution. He says over the course of that time, Anne realized she wanted to be a writer and she was passionate about keeping a historical account of life during the war.
“She started revising her diary and it was paper, after paper, after paper that she wrote and those were discovered after the war by her father, Otto,” Barrow said. “Miep Gies, who is one of the people who helped to hide her, kept the papers. If it hadn’t been for Miep Gies, we wouldn’t have the diary.”
Bank Street Players have also partnered with Decatur Morgan County Tourism to bring an exhibit from the Anne Frank Center in New York to the Alabama Center for the Arts in Decatur, January 12-28. The exhibit ANNE FRANK: A HISTORY FOR TODAY presents the history of the Holocaust through the perspective of Anne Frank and her family. This exhibit will be free to the public and available to be viewed during the Alabama Center for the Arts’ regular business hours. There will be special hours that the exhibit will be open surrounding The Diary of Anne Frank play.
Bank Street Players will hold a school show on January 27, which is Holocaust Remembrance Day. There are still tickets available for the 9:30 a.m. showing. For more information about the school show contact: Bankstreetplayers@gmail.com.
Anna Kate McMahan was cast in the role of Anne Frank. Her real-life sister Madeline is playing the part of Margot, Anne’s sister. McMahan’s own mother, Melissa, is also in the play. Melissa is playing Anne’s mom in the show. McMahan explained why she wanted to audition for the role of Anne Frank.
“I got out her diary, and I read it, and I just fell in love with it. And I read the play and I was like, I want to audition for this because I just love the story,” McMahan said. “I am so honored to have this role and be able to tell her amazing story.”
Tickets
Tickets are $18 for adults and $15 for students and seniors. They are available for purchase at tickets available on the Princess Theatre website under “upcoming events”.
Showtimes
Thursday, January 26 at 7 p.m.
Friday, January 27 at 7 p.m.
Saturday, January 28 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
ANNE FRANK: A HISTORY FOR TODAY hours during the play
Thursday, January 26 from 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Friday, January 27 from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Saturday, January 28 from 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.
