THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, November 23, 1995 TAG: 9511180363
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 25 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ERIC FEBER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 77 lines
StoneBridge High School drama teacher Kathy Finn wanted to get serious for this year's performing season.
Toward that end, she and a student cast of 10 will offer the gripping and emotional ``Diary of Anne Frank'' on Dec. 1.
``In the past we've done simple productions, using the entire high school,'' Finn said. ``Usually these productions would feature two main characters and then everyone else would have walk-on parts. We needed to develop something for the serious performer so this year we're starting off with our first serious production.''
Finn said she conducted auditions, chose 10 students and then went to work during daily rehearsals.
Why choose something as serious as ``Diary of Anne Frank?''
``I wanted to present something that was dramatic, was relevant to youth of today and relevant to the times,'' Finn said. ``There are so many good inter-relationships in the play and it gives a message of hope and survival. I also think the play shows that people are all the same. Anne, for example, was a normal teen with hopes, who laughed and cried and even rebelled.
We knew we had acting talent here at the school and we decided on this story, which we're presenting in a very simple, yet dramatic way.''
Finn said the script they're using is the same as the 1956 Pulitzer Prize-winning play written by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett with help from Anne Frank's father, who survived the war, and Miep Gies, the Dutch woman who hid the Franks from the Nazis. The play enjoyed a successful Broadway run and was then turned into a lauded motion picture.
Besides the inter-relationships in the play, Finn said daily rehearsals with the 10 students resulted in the kind of closeness she wanted.
``I wanted to see bonding relationships between myself and the 10 actors,'' she said. ``We developed to a point where we depended on each other and needed each other. This allowed us to grow as individuals. It gave us strength, and I think this bond can be seen in the production.''
Finn said she and her cast have been working on this production since the beginning of school.
For set designs she simply used whatever furniture and props she and the supportive cast parents could find and whatever space was available to her at the sanctuary of the Faith Baptist Church where the play will be staged.
``Most of the play takes place in that hidden room, anyway,'' Finn explained. ``We used this limited space along with dramatic blocking (mapping out each character's movements) and special lighting.''
Costumes were found by gleaning flea markets and yard sales.
To further prepare for the play, Finn had her students watche the original film. Several other cast members also watched the recent Stephen Speilberg film ``Schindler's List''
``The cast is thrilled and delighted with this meaty play,'' Finn said. ``They wanted to do something special to show off their talents and their interest in the performing arts. One of our students was so gung-ho he began calling people up on the phone single-handedly and convinced them to buy tickets.''
Included in the play are Melody Gonzalez as Anne Frank, David Gonzalez as Mr. Frank, Rachel Williams as Mrs. Frank, Noelle Lee as Margot Frank, Michelle Gonzales as Mrs. Van Daan, Joe Kennedy as Mrs. Van Daan, Patrick Gonzales as Peter Van Daan, Don Strickland as Mr. Dussel, Emiley Erb as Miep Gies and Joe Cicero as Mr. Kraler.
Finn hopes this will be the beginning as establishing a strong performing arts society at StoneBridge High School.
``We want to build for the community,'' she said. ``For this play people will be coming to a community fine arts event and not just some drama club production.'' ILLUSTRATION: Patrick Gonzales as Peter Van Daan and Melody Gonzalez as Anne
Frank.
AT A GLANCE
[For a copy of the graphic, see microfilm for this date.]
by CNB