The Lake Country Playhouse is just a half hour drive west of the heart of Milwaukee in Hartland, Wisconsin. This month the Playhouse plays host to an intimate production of The Diary of Anne Frank. With modest set and costuming, the production brings to life a script that draws heavily on direct passages from Frank’s diary. Emerging, young actress Melissa Freson plays Frank in a production that runs through the end of the month.
The show is directed by Shannon Jahnke. From the press release:
“ ‘The Diary of Anne Frank reminds us that all of us, regardless of our nationality or background, are looking for love in a hate-filled world,’ comments Jahnke. She believes that Anne’s words are reassuring when we use them as a reminder of positivity. ‘For all the hatred that darkens our world, there is a ray of hope…a reason to survive…a purpose to be found in the gloom, and Anne Frank is that light that brings attention to the message not only to those who were with her but to all who would envision her struggle even generations later,’ she states. Perhaps Anne herself illustrates this best by the last words in her diary, “In spite of everything, I still believe people are really good at heart.”
The Lake Country Playhouse production of The Diary of Anne Frank runs Oct. 3 - 26 at the Playhouse on 221 E. Capitol Dr. in Hartland. For more information, visit Lake Country Playhouse online.
