Rob Brownstein

The U.S. premiere of ANNE, A NEW PLAY receives a sturdy mounting by the Simon Wiesenthal Center, under the strong directing reins of Eve Brandstein. The uniformly talented ensemble present most translucently the re-imagined Anne Frank's Diary of A Young Girl, in the words of playwrights Jessica Durlander & Leon de Winter (translated by Susan Massotty and adapted by Nick Blaemire). Sound designer Derek Christiansen most complementarily heightens the claustrophobic, hovering, impending doom with his ominous footsteps, bombs exploding, and static-ridden radio broadcasts.

In celebration of what would have been Anne Frank's 90th birthday this June, the Simon Wiesenthal Center presents the U.S. premiere of Anne, A New Play, a unique play by Dutch playwrights Jessica Durlacher and Leon de Winter that reframes Anne's story through an unconventional lens. Produced by five-time Tony award nominee Suzi Dietz, Durlacher and de Winter's play has been newly adapted for American audiences by Nick Blaemire from a translation by Susan Massotty and is directed by Eve Brandstein. Previews begin June 5, with opening night set for June 16 at the Peltz Theater in the Center's Museum of Tolerance, where performances will continue through July 22.

 In observance of Holocaust Remembrance Day, the Simon Wiesenthal Center today announced casting for a new play about Anne Frank that will celebrate what would have been her 90th birthday this summer.

Kicking off the final weekend of its run, Interact Theatre Company has added a 'Pay What You Can' performance of Nice Fish on Thursday, March 22, at 8pm. The play, written by Mark Rylance and Louis Jenkins and directed by Rob Brownstein and Anita Khanzadian, features (in alphabetical order) Kristen Egermeier, Don Fischer, Rick Friesen, Barry Heins, and Tamika Simpkins. The run ends this coming Sunday, March 25, at 4pm.

Interact Theatre Company has announced their production of Nice Fish by Mark Rylance and Louis Jenkins. Directed by Rob Brownstein and Anita Khanzadian, opening is set for Friday, February 16, at 8:30pm. The cast will feature (in alphabetical order) Kristen Egermeier, Don Fischer, Rick Friesen, Barry Heins, and Tamika Simpkins. The run will continue through March 25 only.

Somewhat reminiscent of Steel Magnolias and Same Time Next Year,Tony Abatemarco's Beautified has an undeniable charm peppered with unforgettable tinges of reality. Like Bernard Slade's STNY (Same Time Next Year) it takes us through several decades from the late 60s to the present, concentrating on the relationships of hairdresser Mike (Rob Brownstein) and a client Candy (Karen Austin) as they each experience a series of crises and personal changes. Unlike STNY,these two people are not lovers, but close friends, and the play has a third character, Sally (Joanna Strapp) who ironically becomes quite the little observer of inappropriate behavior. Currently onstage at the Skylight Theatre, Beautified, despite its accentuation of the exterior, offers a journey of dynamic interior proportions.

Katselas Theatre Company will present Tony Abatemarco's BEAUTIFIED, described as 'a riotous new romp through four decades in a Massachusetts beauty parlor.'