The Diary of Anne Frank (play)

The Diary of Anne Frank is a stage adaptation of the book The Diary of a Young Girl. The play is a dramatization by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett. It opened at the Cort Theatre, Broadway, on October 5, 1955, in a production by Kermit Bloomgarden, directed by Garson Kanin with scenic design by Boris Aronson and lighting design by Lee Watson. The cast was led by Joseph Schildkraut as Otto Frank, Susan Strasberg as Anne Frank, Stephen Press as Peter van Daan, Gusti Huber as Edith Frank, Jack Gilford as Mr. Dussel, Miriam Karlin as Mrs. Van Daan and Lou Jacobi as Mr. Van Daan. The play later transferred to the Ambassador Theatre. The play opened simultaneously in seven German cities on October 1, 1956. Upon its opening in Amsterdam on November 27, 1956, Queen Juliana was in attendance. The play received the Tony Award for Best Play and was also nominated for Best Actress (Susan Strasberg), Best Scenic Design (Boris Aronson), Best Costume Design (Helene Pons), Best Director (Garson Kanin). The play also received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for Albert Hackett and Frances Goodrich. Susan Strasberg won the 1956 Theatre World Award. It also received the 1956 New York Drama Critics Circle award for best play.

The play ran until 1957.

1997 revival

The play was revived on October 1997, in a new adaptation by Wendy Kesselman, directed by James Lapine. Otto Frank was played by George Hearn, Anne by Natalie Portman, Mrs. Van Daan by Linda Lavin, Mr. Van Daan by Harris Yulin and Edith Frank by Sophie Hayden. The play previewed in Boston in the Colonial Theatre^[1][2] before opening at the Music Box Theatre in December 1997.

The production received two nominations for 1999 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play and for Best featured actress (Linda Lavin). It also received two Drama Desk nominations, for Outstanding Featured Actor (Harris Yulin) and Outstanding Featured Actress (Linda Lavin).

References

External links

• The Diary of Anne Frank at the Internet Broadway Database