Anne Frank Opens Tonight

It's a great night for theatre, and the SES thespians are going to deliver. Mr. Baker reports that "it's the best show we've ever done." Sophomore Kira Manelski, who is playing Anne, had some insightful thoughts about her experience with the play. "Working on The Diary of Anne Frank for the past two months has been a whirlwind of emotions, mood swings, realizations and transformative experiences. By no means is this an easy production to put up; it's a sad story, and the gravity of the Holocaust is difficult to truly ascertain. But the story is so much more than the sadness. It is an homage to Anne, a cultural figurehead that represents the deferred dreams of six million people, a child that symbolizes the lost potential of an estimated 1.5 million children who perished at the hands of the Nazis. It is a testament to humanity, the worst parts of it, but also the best parts. Resilience. Faith. Hope. Unconditional love. All the words that we think have lost their meaning in this day in age, words that are hollow until we face someone who has lived off of those sentiments, clung to them in the hopes of survival. The cast, crew and directors of this show have put their hearts, souls and many, many tears into making those feelings visceral and palpable in our production. It truly has been a wonderful and heartbreaking experience, and I hope that the audience will take away the same messages that I have: be a voice for the silenced, be grateful for every day, love one another despite our differences and work for an understanding of those around you."

Students will perform at 7 p.m. tonight and tomorrow and 2 p.m. tomorrow. Online ticket sales are now closed, but tickets can be purchased at the door. $10 for adults and $5 for students and seniors.