Wellington Heights Secondary School is presenting The Diary of Anne Frank, by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett.
Show times at the Arthur Public School are Nov. 19 at 7:30pm followed by a matinee on Nov. 21, at 2:30pm.
Tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for students, and are on sale at Walsh’s Pharmacy.
For the past two months, students and staff at Wellington Heights Secondary School have been working diligently to put together The Diary of Anne Frank in quite literally every sense of the term. Mrs. Barb Illingworth, directing the play, has been working hand in hand with Mr. Dave Griffiths and his four-credit construction class to build a set that not only fulfills every requirement of the stage directions, but also resembles the actual attic, or Achterhuis, in which the Franks, the Pels, and Mr. Pfeffer lived for almost two years during the Nazi occupation of Holland during WWII.
The set, consisting of no fewer than five and a half beds, a kitchen, a bathroom, four separate levels and three sets of stairs, was built for the purpose of resembling the actual attic in which eight Jews, including Anne Frank, hid during WWII. The stage design also allows the actors and the audience to obtain a sense of just how cramped and confined life must have been for Anne and her family.
“Half of our school community comes from the Arthur area,” said actor, Cameron McLean, “so it only makes sense to perform there as well.” Unfortunately, our musical productions are too large to fit in the gym at Arthur P.S. However, we are pleased to bring this poignant story to the community of Arthur, especially near Remembrance Day.
Aside from regular rehearsal hours these same few students also painted and decorated the set led by Sarah Krul who plays the lead role, and co-stage manager Cait George who has spent extra time finishing and organizing costumes.
The group is also holding a new book sale at Arthur Public School on Nov. 20 from 9:30 to noon. Barb Illingworth stated “As we try to keep our ticket prices low, we always struggle to pay for not only mounting the shows but also purchasing much needed equipment and improving stage facilities we are lacking. Transporting the set to Arthur is also adding to our cost hence the need for fund-raising.”
