Maltz Jupiter Theatre Seeks Students for THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK

The Maltz Jupiter Theatre is offering local middle and high school students the chance to produce a powerful historic drama.

Under the guidance of industry professionals at Florida's largest award-winning professional regional theatre, the Theatre is inviting students in grades 6-12 to apply to be part of a free summer mentorship program to produce a new adaptation of Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett's 1955 Tony Award-winning play The Diary of Anne Frank, as adapted by Wendy Kesselman. The show will take place on the Theatre's stage on Saturday, August 12.

Adapted from the book The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank, the play tells the true story of the lives of eight people who spent two years hiding from the Nazis in a concealed storage attic. It is based on the writings from the Dutch language diary kept by 13-year-old Anne as she and her family hid during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands. The book has since been published in more than 60 languages.

"Though Anne's diary was written more than 60 years ago, her story still resonates with its universal themes of isolation, loneliness, oppression and struggling to find and express one's own identity," said Julie Rowe, director of education for the Theatre. "This is a new adaptation for a new generation, and I think this will be a moving and relevant drama for our students to produce."

Known as the Youth Artists' Chair, the project aligns middle and high school students with individual Theatre staff members for one-on-one mentoring and guidance during the creation process of the show. Through the project, students have produced the dramas Rhinoceros, The Glass Menagerie, The Crucible, Hamlet, The Laramie Project and The Good Times are Killing Me since 2011.

"The Diary of Anne Frank is one of the most important plays of this century, and I'm excited to see how our students interpret it," Rowe said. "The Maltz Jupiter Theatre's mentorship program has become a place where students can spend their summer working on a relevant, important project with their peers."

Applicants for the project will be interviewed and chosen by a committee. Winning students will then take on specific roles throughout the summer months that include producer, director, set designer, costume designer, lighting designer, Sound Designer, properties designer, stage manager, assistant stage manager, marketing, press relations, development, carpentry/electrics, run crew and wardrobe. The students will then lead three weeks of rehearsals before mounting the show on stage.

The deadline to apply for the project is March 6, with interviews that will take place through March 10. Please note: this production explores mature themes. Submission packets are available by visiting www.jupitertheatre.org/youth-artists-chair-program.

Those chosen for the role of director and producer will also assist in casting the show's young performers. With casting open for local students in grades 6-12, open auditions and callbacks for the show will be held April 23 from noon to 5 p.m. Students interested in auditioning for The Diary of Anne Frank should come prepared with a one-minute monologue in the style of the show; pre-registration highly recommended. For additional audition information, call (561) 575-2672.

The not-for-profit Maltz Jupiter Theatre has become one of Florida's preeminent professional theatres, committed to production and education through its collaborations with local and national artists. Currently the state's largest award-winning regional theatre, the Theatre draws 100,000 people annually, serves a subscription base of more than 7,758 and has world-class classroom facilities in support of its Goldner Conservatory of Performing Arts, which serves hundreds of youth and adults. The Theatre is a member of the prestigious League of Resident Theatres and has earned numerous Carbonell Awards, South Florida's highest honor for artistic excellence, including the prestigious Bill Von Maurer Award for Theatrical Excellence. For more information about the Theatre's upcoming shows and Conservatory, visit www.jupitertheatre.org or call the box office at (561) 575-2223.

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