Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Women both Little and Historic

I’ve been a little squeezed for time these days but I’ve got a couple of blog posts heating up on the back burner. Until I can get them completed, here’s a link to MaryB’s review of “Little Women” at Swift Creek Mill in this week’s Style.

I was also intrigued to read today that an old photo of Anne Frank’s boyfriend recently surfaced. I’ve seen “Diary of Anne Frank” three times (including the Broadway production starring Natalie Portman) and my favorite production of it remains the one the Mill did something like 15 years ago with a cast that included Paul Deiss (currently in “Little Women”) and the best Anne ever, the lovely and talented Holly Timberline. “In spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart.”

1 comment:

Thespis' Little Helper said...

Anne Frank has such a beautiful and powerful story. Whoopi Goldberg has a story in her one-woman show (from the point of view of one of her characters, I believe) with that very same quote.

I somehow, in my very lacking Kentucky education, didn't read The Diary of Anne Frank in school. So it wasn't until I was auditioning for a production some years ago that I read it.

But I cry at a lot of things (even good romantic comedies).

I have never (mostly I guess because there was so much information available) done as much research for a show as that one. What a...yeah. The "last straw" for me was (as the director and I were trading information that we found) was when he game me Night by Elie Wiesel. At that point, I told him. If I'm going to not fall apart, I can't research any more.

Interesting that she had such a positive outlook on the world and every day, after every performance I would walk off the stage and directly outside refusing comfort from anyone and cry and wonder what could be so wrong with the world to allow this to happen.

I still look to this young woman of 13-15 when she was writing as a role model. Fighting the jadedness that can come from the things that are happening.

I wish that she could know...or perhaps I hope that she does know...what an incredible example of humanity she has put forth.

Now if only we could get more girls to look to Anne Frank instead of Paris Hilton. That would be hot!