"The Diary of Anne Frank" March 6-22 at Birmingham Village Players
The Diary of Anne Frank has a message the world needs to hear. It is based on excerpts from a young girl’s diary that detail the two years she and her family spent in hiding from the Nazis during World War II. This true story has captivated generations. It runs from March 6-22, 2026 at Birmingham Village Players. Thursday, Friday and Saturday shows begin at 7:30PM, and Sunday matinees start at 2PM. Individual reserved tickets are $30 (includes ticketing fee). Tickets can be purchased by calling the box office, 248-644-2075, or by placing an order on the website, www.birminghamvillageplayers.com.
“I am extremely passionate about this play and am fully committed to sharing Anne’s story with our theatre patrons,” said Director Michael Gravame. “This story can never be told enough, especially in the times that we live in now. People cannot be reminded enough of the hope, strength and perseverance that these Jewish people exhibited during the horrors of the Holocaust.”
The ten-member ensemble tells the story, but the heart of it is carried by Josephine O’Reilly, the 13 year old actress from Grosse Pointe who plays Anne. “I am honored to portray Anne,” said O’Reilly. “I was drawn to this show because I think the story is something everyone should know. Especially now with a world that is filled with so much hate.”
Another young actress, Stella Fenton of Beverley Hills, plays Anne’s older sister, Margot. “Being the same age as Margot during this period of her life has allowed me to connect to her character with so much empathy,” said Fenton. “As a young Jewish woman, I am grateful to be a part of such a meaningful performance telling an important story.”
Caryn Gach Leonard of Pleasant Ridge plays the mother of the two girls, Edith Frank. “For me as a Jewish woman and a mother, playing a “real” Jewish woman and mother who suffered through the harrow of the Holocaust is both an honor and emotional undertaking, said Leonard. “What always stands out to me is the absolute resilience that these humans displayed in that attic for 761 days. This story must continue to be told, more now than ever, in these chaotic times.”
Joshua Harney of Grand Blanc plays Anne’s father, Otto Frank. “The story of Anne Frank is one that needs to be told often so that we, as a society, “Never Forget” both the horrors of the Holocaust and the heroes that sacrificed so much to try to save others.”
West Bloomfield’s Udi Kapen is the current president of Village Players and a frequent actor on the BVP stage. He plays the role of Mr. Van Daan, Otto Frank’s business partner and the father of Peter, Anne’s friend and love interest. “As a Jewish person, who lost relatives in the Holocaust, this show has been an important part of my life for as long as I can remember. In every generation since Anne Frank lived, there are new reasons why this story must be told and never forgotten.” Sometime soon, there will be no more living survivors of the Holocaust who can bear witness to the atrocities that were committed, as well as the conditions that led to those atrocities, but accounts like these will forever serve as a reminder that what occurred in Europe in the 1930s and 1940s could potentially happen again, but must never be allowed to.
Peter Van Daan is played by Alex Pergjoni of Washington and he’s happy to be back on Village Players’ stage in such a meaningful show. “This will be the first show I’ve done where every character was a true person in history. I want to challenge myself and try to embody the real person as much as possible. This is an important story that should be told over and over again.”
Sally Savoie of Bloomfield Hills is Mrs. Van Daan. “To be a part of this production that highlights this deeply personal story capturing, hope, resilience, and humanity in the face of unimaginable terror is humbling and true honor. May we never forget.”
Ferndale’s Dale Feldpausch is Mr. Albert Dussell, the eighth and last person to go into hiding in the attic. “In my opinion, it is not an exaggeration to say that our nation is currently experiencing something akin to the experience of Germany in the 1930’s,” said Feldpausch. “So, in our small way, we can present in this production a reminder of the horrors of the past, an awareness of their possibilities for the future, and a testament to the life-affirming strength of resistance as shown by Anne, her family, and her friends.”
Royal Oak’s Stephanie Peltier takes on the role of Miep Gies, the woman who helped hide them from the Nazis. “I have followed Anne Frank’s story since I was her age—reading her diary, watching countless films and documentaries, and even visiting the Secret Annex,” said Peltier. “I am honored to play a small part in telling Anne’s story and in sharing the hope she offered the world before she left it. I am also honored to get the chance to play Miep. She was a woman of extraordinary courage who never saw herself as extraordinary.”
Don’t miss your chance to experience this moving production. The Diary of Anne Frank (Kesselman) runs March 6-22, 2026 at Birmingham Village Players. Thursday, Friday and Saturday shows begin at 7:30PM, and Sunday matinees start at 2PM.
Individual reserved tickets are $30 (includes ticketing fee). Tickets can be purchased by calling the box office, 248-644-2075, or by placing an order on the website, www.birminghamvillageplayers.com. The Diary of Anne Frank, a play by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett, based upon “Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl,” newly adapted by Wendy Kesselman. The Diary of Anne Frank (Kesselman) is presented by special arrangement with Broadway Licensing, LLC, servicing the Dramatists Play Service collection. (www.dramatists.com)
PHOTO CREDIT: PAUL MANOIAN PHOTOGRAPHY
