Research was a top priority for Wichita Community Theatre’s ‘Anne Frank’ cast

“The Diary of Anne Frank” has stuck with Emily Redfield ever since she read it in middle school.

“It was so moving,” the Wichita native, who plays the title role in Wichita Community Theatre’s production, said. “When I found out they were doing this show here, I knew I wanted to come do this.”

A freshman theater major at Wichita State who says she’s always looked young for her age, Redfield said she’s been researching the role ever since she was cast as the 13-year-old more than a year ago — in a production delayed by coronavirus.

“I’ve been doing a lot of research into how she acted and how people saw her, as well as she herself,” Redfield said. “I want to portray Anne as best as I possibly can, as accurately as I possibly can.”

Research has been the watchword for the cast and particularly its director, John Dalton-White.

“Our director has done tons of research,” said Joe Parrish, who plays Anne’s father. “The entire time John has been studying the play and the characters and he’s provided us with a lot of research material.”

New facts have been discovered by the cast as late as last week, before this weekend’s opening of the drama.

“There’s a lot of really good information out there, but even as we have gone through this, I’ve challenged the cast to do some research on their own,” said Dalton-White, who also directed “Anne Frank” about 20 years ago at Arkansas City High School.

Dalton-White reread the original diaries and more books about the Holocaust and watched videos from the time period.

“It’s been a very historical time,” he said. “We are trying to stay very accurate in a lot of aspects, but it’s been a great time, an excellent experience for myself and the cast.”

Research is key in staging an accurate production, Dalton-White said.

“We want to stay true with what the families went through and not exaggerate,” he said. “I want to show the truer picture of what happened.”

Dalton-White’s husband, Greg, designed the set, which he said also came after much research.

“Having 10 people on one itty-bitty stage has been a challenge, but it really works nicely,” Dalton-White said.

The story of how Anne’s family hid for two years beginning in 1942, in sealed rooms in her father’s office building in Amsterdam is what Dalton-White calls “a staple across the United States” theater.

But this was the first time in the 70-plus year history of Wichita Community Theatre that the 1955 play had been performed. The director and cast members said they’re not sure why the company had never performed it.

Parrish, who directed the show several times while a high school drama teacher in California, said some of the themes of the play strike true today as well.

“It’s ironic now how relevant this play is,” he said. “People are being killed all over the world for their religious beliefs, and we’ve gone through this time when we’ve all had to stay in our houses and stay away from people. In that sense, it’s very relevant.”

COVID restrictions will keep the theater, which has an 85-seat capacity, at a maximum of 50 persons attending, so social distancing can be employed between parties.

“The Diary of Anne Frank”

When: Through May 23; performances at 8 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays

Where: Wichita Community Theatre, 258 N. Fountain

Tickets: $15 adults, $13 students/military/seniors (60 and older), from 686-1282

This story was originally published May 14, 2021 at 5:07 AM.