Casting Call for "The Diary of Anne Frank" Stage Play

(portrays 13-15): An energetic, witty, and perceptive young girl. She is warm, imaginative, often impatient, sometimes a know-it-all, rebellious, determined, hopeful, talkative and passionate. She is very introspective with natural charisma. Anne is a teenager full of curiosity and contradictions. She is bubbly one moment and frustrated the next. Actor must have a strong stage presence and be able to show a wide emotional range with excellent narration skills.

Anne’s father and the calm, steady leader of the group. Otto is compassionate, wise, and deeply protective of his family. He often acts as the voice of reason during tense moments but carries the heavy burden of responsibility. He is fair, attentive, patient, and level-headed, with warmth and quiet strength, but secretly heartbroken beneath his composed exterior. Otto has a grounded presence. He has a close relationship with Anne.

Anne’s mother. She is moral, cultured and devoted to tradition. She longs for peace, dignity and tries to maintain a sense of normalcy. Edith is nurturing but can be anxious with a strong sense of inner and emotional conflict, who is barely able to cope with the demands of everyday life in hiding. She is reserved and prefers showing her love in quieter, more practical ways. She constantly struggles to connect with Anne whom she has a complicated relationship with.

(*portrays 16-18): Anne’s older sister. She is quiet, polite, intelligent, introverted, serious, poised, responsible, thoughtful and studious. Margot is more reserved and mature, often contrasting to Anne’s lively personality. She is often seen as the “ideal” daughter and carries herself older than her teenage years with a sense of calm and duty. * = Directors will consider an actor in her 20s if she can realistically and effectively portray a teenager.

An irritable former business partner of Mr. Frank. A complex character, frequently seen as gruff or self-interested, but has the capacity for warmth and loyalty. He struggles with the pressures of hiding and providing for his family. He is opinionated, hardheaded, selfish, sarcastic, pompous and somewhat egotistical. He’s known for his frequent arguments with his wife and tends to be openly critical of others, especially Anne and his son Peter.

Mr. Van Daan’s wife. She is social and somewhat vain, craving attention and content despite their difficult situation. She is loud, meddling, flirtatious, comedic, argumentative and concerned with appearances. She is overly dramatic but cares deeply for her family. Mrs. Van Daan clings to vanity and former social status and the material things of life, including a fur coat she brought to the attic with her. These traits all make her the center of much of the conflict in the attic.

(*16-18): The teenage son of the Van Daans. He is shy, insecure, unsure, introverted, sensitive and thoughtful. Peter is quiet, socially awkward, sometimes amusing and withdrawn. He struggles with identity and masculinity. Peter gradually evolves, becoming more open, helpful, and emotionally mature, forming a tender bond of friendship and later a romantic interest with Anne. * = Directors will consider an actor in his 20s if he can realistically and effectively portray a teenager.

A dentist who joins the group later. He is fussy, nervous, stodgy, meticulous, anxious, hypercritical, irritable & a stubborn man. He is rigid in his routines and finds it hard to adjust to the close quarters. His presence adds tension while highlighting the strain of their confinement. He also has some comical moments as well. He often clashes with Anne. Actor must possess: Strong comedic rhythm for tense or awkward moments and the ability to play anxiety and fussiness without losing sympathy.

An Austrian refugee living in the Netherlands, employed by Mr. Frank, entrusted with provisioning the occupants of the Annex with food, supplies and hiding them from the Nazis. She is courageous, empathetic, generous, warm, composed, sincere, modern, independent, compassionate, kind, spunky, selfless and well-liked. Miep is the lifeline to the outside world and possesses hope and humility.

A businessman who works with Miep with the responsibilities of feeding and protecting the occupants of the Annex. He is an employee of Mr. Frank’s company, a trusted colleague and friend. He is loyal, steady, honest and sensible. Mr. Kraler assists in keeping the group safe, despite increasing danger. He is a man of few words who risks everything to help.

A Nazi Officer and two Dutch Collaborators who appear at the very end of the play but are exceedingly important. They do not have any lines except for some short commands in German, but it is their appearance in the play that changes the course of everything for the “attic family.” Those who play these parts will be given a very flexible rehearsal schedule.