Audition to be a Power Player

Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett,
newly adapted by Wendy Kesselman
Ages 14+

Anne Frank (F): Must be able to play 13-15 years old. Extraordinary in her hope, passion, and belief in the good in the world at the start of the show, she is innocent, precocious, and does not hesitate to speak her mind. As she matures through her time in hiding, she becomes introspective, compassionate, and ultimately eager and hopeful for a more accepting future for everyone. Warm, witty, intelligent, charming, self-aware, sensitive, often impatient, sometimes a know-it-all, open, determined, easily hurt, spirited, hopeful, fun-loving, with all the longings, expectations and attitudes that adolescence brings. Though hiding and in constant fear and isolation, she never gives up. 

Otto Frank (M): Father of Anne and Margot and head of the group living in his Annex. He leads with love and strength in all he does. Unlike Anne, he is even tempered and strives for peace in every situation. He has the resilience of a younger man but the experience to recognize the reality of the world around him. He is wise, fair, loyal, attentive, patient, intelligent, soft, level-headed, optimistic, genuinely likes people. 

Edith Frank (F): Anne and Margot’s mother. A lovely woman, wife and mother. She is from a wealthy German family. She is loving, moral, concerned, gracious, cultured, devoted to tradition, devastated by her relationship with Anne. Closer with her older daughter, Margot, she longs for a deeper connection with Anne. She has a bit of Anne's fortitude, however, and when pushed will make her mind known. 

Margot Frank (F): Must be able to believably play an older teen. Anne's older sister. Like her mother, she is quieter, and more mature than Anne. Margot feels alone and unsure of her place in the annex. She is reserved and respectful of others. Although they are opposites, she loves and admires Anne, and longs for deeper connections to others, but does not know how to achieve them. She is obedient, frail, sickly at times, friendly, intelligent, overwhelmed by the trials of hiding. 

Putti Van Daan (M): The head of the Van Daans, he is struggling to find his place as a second family head in the Annex. He is pragmatic and a bit harsh and bombastic. He wishes to make his wife happy, on his terms, and wants to teach his son to be more outgoing and to toughen him up during their time in the annex. He is dour, selfish, complaining, superficial, quarrelsome, highly critical of his son Peter and of Anne, easily irritated. 

Petronella Van Dann (F): Peter’s mother. She is not ready to give up her lifestyle from outside, and views the annex as simply a new locale, rather than a necessity for survival. She is a bit of a flirt. Anne calls her frivolous. She clings to her fur coast like one would cling to their very identity She hides her fear of the unknown by worrying about trite things such as Anne and Peter's growing friendship. She is loud, egotistical, talky, often crude, suspicious, bossy, moody, selfimportant, critical of others, manipulative, sometimes depressed. 

Peter Van Daan (M): Must be able to believably play a teen. The Van Daan son. He is annoyed with Anne initially, but later confesses to admiring her spirit. They become good friends in hiding, He is trying to find his place - not only in the annex but in the world. He is not sure of who he will become or if he will be given the chance to find out. He has a good heart and is protective of those he loves. Awkward, immature, shy, sometimes amusing, attached to his cat. He hates his mother and father’s constant quarrels. 

Mr. Dussel (M): He is a fussy dentist. He is the only one in the annex without family, having left behind his live-in girlfriend who is Christian. He puts himself first at every turn, has little patience for his roommate, Anne, and is skeptical of everyone's future. He is old-fashioned, disciplined, hypercritical, selfish, horrified at Anne’s behavior, picky, unhappy with everything. He has not come to terms with his situation and is a whiny perfectionist, ungrateful, and easily irritated 

Miep Geis (F): She is a kind, Dutch secretary from the office of Otto Frank that helps hide the Franks, Van Daans, and Mr. Dussel. She is their connection to the outside world as she keeps them informed and supplied. She is worried, but determined to protect them. She is courageous, empathetic, compassionate, and friendly. 

Mr. Kraler (M): He helps Miep with the responsibilities of feeding and hiding the occupants of the Annex He is an employee of Mr. Frank’s company, a trusted colleague and friend. He is sympathetic to their plight, does what he can for them, and runs the company in Mr. Frank’s name. He is an honest and good man who never questions his obligations to the Franks and doing what is right. 

Extras Although these three men do not come in until the end of the show, they are exceedingly important. Those who play these parts will be given a very flexible rehearsal schedule, but time will be spent on character development and scene timing. 

First Man: 30+ year old male. German Nazi in uniform.
Second Man: 20+ year old male. Dutchman sympathetic to the Nazi cause. 
Third Man: 20+ year old male. Dutchman sympathetic to the Nazi cause.