DIARY OF ANNE FRANK

Sorry I haven't posted in a few days folks - It was a monstrous week but it's a new week now and I start a new project which I am very excited about. Last week I saw a couple of shows which I realized I can't do anymore - I can't see more than 1 show a week - it's just too much but I am very glad that I was able to attend the opening night of The Diary of Anne Frank at San Jose Stage Company. Everytime I am there I feel like I am home - the people who run the theatre are like family to me and I love them dearly. My wonderful Urinetown director Rick Singleton has assembled a great cast for this production and he really did an amazing job staging this difficult piece. The entire cast was terrific but I must mention my friend Klahr Thorsen who played Miep - she had a scene with Mrs. Frank (played beautifully by Janis Bergman) that ripped my heart out. It was a scene in which Mrs. Frank tells Miep about her doubts & feels like giving up. The scene was played so honestly that It broke my heart. Marie Shell as Mrs. van Daan had another one of those beautiful moments when she had to give up her precious coat - heartbreaking stuff.

I told my baby sis who was with me that in theatre it's the little moments that I love - the big moments are great too but the little moments are golden. One of my favorite lines ever comes from Anne's diary (and I paraphrase) - "In spite of everything I still believe in the goodness of people." I know I used that myself in Man of La Mancha.

Another nice touch (and one I haven't seen before) is after the play is over and Randy King breaks our hearts with the final speech - no curtain call. I thought that was very classy. It's an ensemble piece that should be about remembering what happened. Theatre at its most poignant and theatre we must all see. The Diary of Anne Frank plays until October 14th - go see it.

Have a great week y'all!

Martin