[NEohioPAL] "Diary of Anne Frank" Plays at Ashtabula Arts Center this weekend and next

[Pamela Hammond]

"The Diary Of Anne Frank" Opens February 12



"The Diary of Anne Frank" is a dramatization of the real diary of a real
Anne Frank, a 13-year-old girl who with her parents and others went into
hiding in an attic in Amsterdam in July 1942.



Because they were Jews in a country occupied by the Nazis, they had reason
to fear they would otherwise be sent to concentration camps where they would
only too likely be tortured, experimented on and very probably killed.
During the difficult days of confinement in the small attic, living on the
skimpy food that sympathetic Gentiles brought them, the adolescent Anne
wrote a diary that was later to arouse the wonderment and the pity of the
world.



G. B. Community Theatre at the Ashtabula Arts Center will present its
production of "The Diary of Anne Frank" on Feb. 12, 13, 14, 19, 20, 21, 26,
and 27.  Friday and Saturday shows begin at 8 p.m.  Sunday matinees begin at
2 p.m.

"This is a favorite historical drama that still has the power to touch the
heart and the head," says Ashtabula Arts Center Public Relations/Marketing
Coordinator Pamela Hammond. "People in the audience will see just how harsh
life was for the Jews and will hopefully come to feel a strong emotional
bond to the Franks as our actors bring the characters to life."


Directed by Stephen Rhodes of Conneaut, the cast includes Lisandra Stebner
as "Anne," Don Kirsch as "Otto Frank," Fran Pulford as "Edith Frank," Sara
Perts as "Margot Frank, Valerie Compton as "Miep," Larry Gasch as "Mr.
Krahler," Ellen Kolman as "Mrs. Van Daan,"  Curtiss Baron   as "Mr. Van
Daan," Ryan Oatman as "Peter Van Daan,"  Rich Werman as "Mr. Dussel," David
Bucci as "First Officer," Blaise Beach as "Second Officer," and "Curtis
Johnson as "Third Officer."


Walk-in, day of the show, box office tickets are Adults $12 and
Senior/Student $11.  However, you can save $2 per ticket when you purchase
tickets in advance. For tickets or more information call the Ashtabula Arts
Center at (440) 964-3396.  The Ashtabula Arts Center is located at 2928 West
13th Street in Ashtabula.  Parking is free.



The popular "Dinner before the Show" will be available prior to the Saturday
evening performance on February 20th.  The cook for the evening will be
Angie Gasch of Conneaut. Seating for the set menu dinner begins at 6:30 p.m.
Reservations and prepayment are required to be made no later than noon on
February 17th.  However, dinner seats often sell out before the deadline and
reservations should be made as early as possible.  Cost is $16 plus the
price of your theater ticket.





The Ashtabula Arts Center is funded in part by the Ohio Arts Council.



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