The Diary Of Anne Frank: The Musical?

Anne Frank, the Jewish girl who chronicled her life during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands, has been revered by many around the world. She tells a tale of fear, hiding and sorrow. Her diary has been translated into 60 languages (one of the most widely read books in the world with 25 million copies sold), her story made into plays and films. But now, someone in Madrid  has decided to innovate where others have not in the last 60 years and transform the story into a musical! The Anne Frank Foundation, the rights holders for the diary, those who once turned down Steven freakin' Spielberg's proposal for a movie, gave their support. Jan Erik Dubbelman of the Foundation explains, "This production respects the message of tolerance, within the tragedy, that we want to keep alive. Being in Spanish, it can also help to take the message of Anne Frank to Latin America." 

But you said it Jan, it's a tragedy. I could be wrong, but it seems to me that while music is a great way to transmit emotions to the audience, I don't see how well a bunch of actors singing-a-long or dancing can transmit feelings of despair. Is this not what you truly want to convey to the Latin America? Although, I have to be honest, while I've heard quite a bit about the story, I've never actually read the diary, so I could be missing something here. If you think I'm wrong let me know...

D.E.

Source: The Guardian 

Image Source: johnnyalive on flickr