Still More Theater Saturday: Anne Being Frank & Doris Day: My Secret Love

We were given complimentary tickets to Anne Being Frank for review purposes. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own.

What: Anne Being Frank

Where: 28th St. Theatre 

             15 W. 28th St.

              New York, NY

Who: Recommended for Ages 16 and Up

When: Through October 29, 2023

Anne Being Frank is a one-woman show that is partially a reenactment of parts of Anne's diary and partially an imagining of a grown-up Anne working with a publisher to edit and prepare her diary for publishing. The show stars Alexis Fishman, and she does a nice job as Anne as well as other characters including the publisher of the diary.  The show is somewhat disturbing, however, particularly in the depictions of Anne's life in the concentration camp. It is hard to believe that after everything she lived through, she would go to such lengths just to have paper and pencil and be able to write. These scenes in particular make the show unsuitable for children.  All in all, I'm sure most of us would rather think of Anne Frank as the innocent young girl we remember her as rather than the way she is depicted in this show.

And that's our view. For more about Anne Being Frank or to purchase tickets, visit emergingartiststheatre.org/anne-being-frank.

Photo credits: 

All Anne Being Frank production photos by Kaye Tuckerman

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We were given complimentary tickets to Doris Day: My Secret Love for review purposes. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own.

What: Doris Day: My Secret Love

Where: 28th St. Theatre 

             15 W. 28th St.

              New York, NY

Who: Recommended for Ages 16 and Up

When: Through October 29, 2023

Doris Day may have been America's Sweetheart but she did not have an easy life as is clearly depicted in this new play with music, Doris Day: My Secret Love. The darkness of her real life is juxtaposed with the mostly sunny lyrics of her best-known songs which are sprinkled throughout the show. Tiffan Borelli does a nice job in the title role although her singing is just average at best. Her singing may have been overlooked in casting since the show is billed as a play with music and not a musical. 

The show is not a one-person show, and David Beck does a nice job as well as Les Brown, Doris' husbands, Rock Hudson, and more. Although the show is mostly well-written, the ending which takes place in the hospital room of Rock Hudson seems kind of strange and unsatisfying. You may enjoy this show if you want to hear some of Doris Day's best-loved songs or learn more about her real life, but if you are looking to be uplifted, go and watch her movies instead.

And that's our view. For more about Doris Day: My Secret Love or to purchase tickets, visit emergingartiststheatre.org/doris-day-my-secret-love.

Photo credits:

All Doris Day: My Secret Love production photos by Richard Rivera

Tune in tomorrow for this week's Sunday Scoop.

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