Flat Rock Playhouse to Present THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK This September

Come experience the powerful truth of a young girl who left the world behind with a legacy of bravery. The Flat Rock Playhouse presents the Pulitzer prize and Tony Award winning play The Diary of Anne Frank, written by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett and newly adapted by Wendy Kesselman. This inspiring production will resume the 2016 season running from September 8th through September 25th at the Clive & Nina Allen Mainstage in the village rock of Flat Rock.

Diving into both the mind of Anne and the annex in WWII Amsterdam, The Diary of Anne Frank shows the familiar, yet incredible, story of eight Jews hiding for their lives from the pursuit of the Nazis. Freshly adapted by Wendy Kesselman from the original 1955 Broadway production, The Diary of Anne Frank includes newly discovered writings from Frank's diary. Bringing a current sense of relevancy to the play, the audience will be left with thought provoking themes that have lasted through the decades.

The cast of The Diary of Anne Frank will star Danielle Carlacci as Anne. The Frank family consists of Jonas Cohen taking on the powerful role of Otto Frank, Raissa Dorff as Anne's mother Edith Frank, and Margot Frank to be played by Sarah Stevens.

Also appearing are Maria Buchanan as Miep Gies, the secretary of Otto, and Bill Munoz as Mr. Kraler, both of whom were responsible for hiding the family. Preston Dyar as Mr. Dussel, a Jewish dentist, John Dewey as Anne's love interest Peter van Daan and Barbara Bradshaw and Peter Thomasson as Mr. and Mrs Van Daan, joining the Franks in the annex.

The Diary of Anne Frank is to be directed by Angie Flynn McIver. Lindsey A. Moss will be Stage Manager. The set will be designed by Resident Scenic Director Dennis C. Maulden with Paul Feraldi as Props Master. CJ Barnwell, Rebecca Conway, and Kurt Conway will serve as Lighting, Costume and Sound Designers respectively.

The Diary of Anne Frank will run 8th September through 25th September at Flat Rock Playhouse's Clyde & Nina Allen Mainstage. Performances Wednesday and Thursday evening at 7:30PM, Friday and Saturday evening at 8:00PM, matinees Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday at 2:00PM. Tickets are $15 - $40 and can be purchased by calling The Playhouse box office at 828-693-0731, toll-free at 866-737-8008 or online at www.flatrockplayhouse.org. Flat Rock Playhouse is located at 2661 Greenville Highway, Flat Rock, NC 28731.

The Diary of Anne Frank is presented by Mainstage Series Sponsor, Henderson County Tourism Development Authority (www.VisitHendersonvilleNC.org) joined by BMW of Asheville as Opening Night Sponsor. The Executive Producer of The Diary of Anne Frank is Brigadier General Frank Blazey with Community Partners Honor Flight and Four Seasons Compassion for Life.

In 1937, a group of struggling performers, led by Robroy Farquhar, organized themselves as the Vagabond Players. The Vagabonds worked in a variety of places over the course of three years, and in 1940 found themselves in the Blue Ridge region of Western North Carolina. The local and tourist community welcomed them with open arms when they presented their first summer season of plays in a 150-year-old grist mill they converted into The Old Mill Playhouse at Highland Lake. So successful was that summer, they returned in 1941. After WWII, the Vagabond Players reorganized, came back to the region and opened a playhouse in nearby Lake Summit. The Lake Summit Playhouse thrived during the post war years and soon the Vagabond Players were looking for a larger and permanent home. In 1952, the troupe of performers, and a newly formed board of directors, made an offer to buy an 8-acre lot in the Village of Flat Rock. This new home made the Vagabonds "locals" and a rented big top gave birth to Flat Rock Playhouse. As the beautiful Western Carolina region continued to grow, so did The Playhouse and in 1961, by Act of the North Carolina General Assembly, Flat Rock Playhouse was officially designated The State Theatre of North Carolina. What began as a few weeks of summer performances in 1940 is now a nine-month season of plays including Broadway musicals, comedy, drama, and theatre for young audiences. The Playhouse's dual mission of producing the performing arts and providing education in the performing arts includes a professional series; a summer and fall college apprentice and intern program; and Studio 52, year-round classes and workshops in theatre and film for students from kindergarten through adults. Flat Rock Playhouse now hosts over 98,000 patrons annually and is a significant contributor to the local economy and the Arts in North Carolina.

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