Full Breakdown
Live Oak Theatre Presents “The Diary of Anne Frank” in Brooksville
8/24/2026, 9:42:31 PM
Production Overview
Live Oak Theatre in Brooksville is staging a three-day run of “The Diary of Anne Frank.” The schedule includes matinee and evening shows on Friday and Saturday, plus a Sunday matinee and an added Sunday evening performance after strong ticket demand. The cast features Addie Ladouceur as Anne Frank, James Wilson as Otto Frank, Val Torres as Edith Frank, and Ava McKissock as Margot Frank, among others. Producer Mary Hirose and acting teacher-vice-president Vince Vanni oversee the effort, which blends period-accurate sound effects with a compact set that will later move to the main stage.
Background and Historical Context
Anne Frank was born June 12, 1929 in Frankfurt, Germany. Her family fled to Amsterdam after Adolf Hitler rose to power, only to go into hiding after the German occupation of the Netherlands began on May 10, 1940. The Frank family’s concealment ended when the Gestapo arrested the occupants of the annex in 1944; only Otto Frank survived. A brief 20-second film clip captured on July 22, 1941 shows Anne looking out a window, underscoring the era’s visual record. Anne’s diary, translated into more than 70 languages, continues to inspire theatrical adaptations worldwide.
Cast and Creative Team
- Addie Ladouceur – Anne Frank
- James Wilson – Otto Frank
- Val Torres – Edith Frank (mother of seven, also portrays a Nazi)
- Ava McKissock – Margot Frank
- Alex Rivera, Bonnie Von Dohre, Henry Von Dohre, Chris Hall, Kyle Staley, Elli Noll – supporting roles
Producer Mary Hirose coordinates the production. Acting teacher Vince Vanni conducts rehearsals, noting that the cast was largely off-book during the first full run-through on a late-August rehearsal night. Sound designer Jackie Hirose operates a laptop-linked radio to deliver train whistles, dog barks, and other period sounds supplied by the licensing package.
Schedule and Performances
The show runs over three consecutive days in September, with both afternoon and evening slots on the first two days and a single matinee on the final day. After the initial announcement in late August, the theatre added a Sunday evening performance to accommodate “extensive interest.” Rehearsals began in early August, including a full run-through without costumes.
Production Elements and Audience Reception
The set, initially located on the second floor of the playhouse, will later be relocated to the main stage to better suit the intimate material. Sound effects—train whistles, antiaircraft fire, and a “buzzer” warning of approaching danger—are integrated into scenes to heighten tension. Actors receive real-time direction from Vanni, who calls for louder delivery or additional heat as needed. Audience members, including younger viewers, are guided by the producer, who plans pre-show briefings for children to prepare them for mature themes.
Verbatim Quotes
- “She was also a very interesting person,” — Ava McKissock
- “Over the show, there is a maturity that comes, and I think also when you read the diary, she’s so aware, she’s just so very aware of what she’s experiencing, and she even acknowledges later on that she looks back at her writing and she’s basically appalled at who she was,” — Mary Hirose, producer
Impact and Educational Significance
By presenting Anne Frank’s story on a local stage, Live Oak Theatre offers a tangible encounter with Holocaust history for Brooksville audiences. The production’s use of authentic soundscapes and a community-based cast fosters a personal connection to the diary’s themes of hope, fear, and resilience. The inclusion of multiple generations—students, parents, and grandparents—mirrors the intergenerational transmission of memory that the Frank family’s legacy represents.
