`The Diary of
e
SUZANNE CHESSLER SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
Diary of Anne Frank,
an old play, takes a new
twist in the upcoming
J ewish Ensemble Theatre's (JET)
Jewish.
production running Nov. 15-Dec.17
at the Maple-Drake Jewish Com-
munity Center: Neither its star nor
director is Jewish.
Julie Van Dusen, in the title
role, and director Patricia An-
suini bring new perspectives to the dra-
ma derived from the diary of Anne Frank,
the young Jewish girl hidden from the
Nazis in Amsterdam, then found and sent
to Bergen-Belsen where she died, at 15,
shortly before the end of the war.
'When I was first cast, I started think-
ing what I was like at 13, 14 and 15," said
Van Dusen, 22, a senior at Oakland Uni-
versity. "I've kept a diary since I was in
fifth grade, and I went back and read
through those years. In comparing Anne's
On the 50th
anniversary of its
publication,
The Diary of Anne
Frank is still a
top-selling book and
well-loved play.
diary to mine, I saw how much she grew
in that time, saying things that I'm just
realizing now.
"Because she was so spirited, intelli-
gent and witty, I think the play will be . a
hUge _ learning experience and a positive
one, too."
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While this is Van Dusen's first role with
JET and the first time she has portrayed
a real person, the actress has worked ex-
tensively in local theater, appearing in
Star Wrek: The Ghan Saga at the Gem
Theatre, A Bright Room Called Day at
1515 Broadway and Hair at the Strand
Theatre.
"When I was studying the diary, I
wished I could have read it when I was 14
because Anne Frank was such a positive
role model," Van Dusen said. "I think that
I definitely gained insight into her expe-
rience.
"While I knew the Holocaust was hor-
rible, I don't think I really felt it until I
started preparing for this part. We were
sitting around the table talking about the
play when that happened. It wasn't one
particular sentence; it was the accumu-
lation of all the perspectives.
"It was like picking at something that's