Anne Frank exhibit debuts locally

COURAGE UNDER FIRE- Nadina Gerlach, a junior at Oaks Christian School, plays Miep Gies in "The Diary of Anne Frank." Miep, who is still alive today, helped hide the Frank family from Nazi persecution. A rare opportunity for the community to view an exhibition from the Anne Frank Center in New York is being presented at Oaks Christian School through tomorrow, Fri., Nov. 9 and again from Nov. 11 to17.

"Anne Frank- A History for Today" will be depicted gallery-style in 34 large panels which examine the girl's life through Frank family album photos, diary entries, and historical images. The exhibit is sponsored in North America by the AFC and developed by AFS Amsterdam.

Oaks Christian High School students will act as docents to guide the public through the gallery inside the school's Disciples Chapel at 31749 La Tienda in Westlake Village.

There is no admission fee to tour the exhibition, but donations will be accepted.

Hours vary daily and may be found on the school website at www.oakschristian.org, or by calling (818) 575-9268.

The exhibition is being presented in conjunction with a school theater production of "The Diary of Anne Frank," playing Nov. 8 to 17 in the school's Bedrosian Pavilion Theatre.

The production is a new adaptation by Wendy Kesselman, based upon the 1955 Pulitzer Prize-winning play by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett and performed on Broadway starring Natalie Portman.

"We wanted to create an event to mark the first production in our new theatre, where the student body would be actively engaged in its content and where the community would feel welcomed and interested in attending," said Rosalind Allen-Enciso, the school's theater arts director.

"'The Diary of Anne Frank' is not a Jewish story or a German story- it is a human story," said Allen-Enciso. "It is also my story."

Allen-Enciso said her mother, Dina Van Kleef, narrowly escaped death as she jumped off a transport vehicle in Amsterdam, which was headed for a Nazi death camp. Family members watched from the truck as AllenEnciso's mother, who was 19, jumped to safety. She never saw her family again.

"They perished along with over 11 million innocent humans," Allen-Enciso said. "There are many others on our campus, students and faculty alike, with their own stories and profound connections. History that seems so distant is not distant at all. It touches everyone."

Dates and hours of performance may be found on the school website, and handicap access and seating is available. Theatre tickets are $10 general admission, or $5 per person for school or senior groups of 10 or more, only by advance sale and for matinees on Nov. 11 and 17.

All tickets may be purchased in advance at AnneFrankTix@ aol.com, and will be sold at the door based upon availability.