Anne: The Secret Annex

Act One, Scene Two

Scene: June 1942. A single desk and chair lie in the center of the stage. Anne sits at the desk, writing in her Diary.

Anne: I'll start from the day I got you. Friday, June 12th. I was awake at 6am. I mean, of course I would be it's my birthday. A little after seven I went to wake up mama and papa. We went to the living room to open my presents. Other than you, I got a blue blouse, a game, a bottle of grape juice, and a puzzle. Afterwards, my friend Hannali Goslar picked me up and we went to school. At school, my classmates sung Happy Birthday to me. It was wonderful!

Anne gets up from her chair and skips offstage. Margot and Edith enter.

Margot: So mom, I was thinking that for my birthday you could get me some books.

Edith: (playfully) Books? Don't you have too many already?

Margot: One cannot have "too many" books, mama.

Edith: Have you even finished reading that one. The one that Anne gave to you?

Margot: Camera Obscura? Of course I've already read it! You underestimate my power, mother.

The pair chuckles and walk offstage. Anne enters

Anne: Saturday, June 20th, 1942. Writing in a diary is really weird for someone like me. Not only because I've never written anything before, but because later neither I not anyone else would be interested in the diary of a thirteen-year-old schoolgirl. Well, it doesn't matter...I like writing. But I don't like writing to a diary...so I'm going to write to a friend. This friend will be called...Kitty!

Anne exits. Otto and Edith enter

Otto: Do we have everything prepared?

Edith: We still need some food. We need to tell Hannali about the move as well if she's going to stay with us.

Otto: Yes, talk to Hans and Ruth sometime soon.

Edith: What about Ruth's baby? And Gabi?

Otto: If Hans is okay with us taking both of their daughters, then we'll take them. But he needs to know that we're leaving before the 8th.

Edith: I know, Otto.

Otto: What if we get caught? What will happen to our children? Hannali? Peter? Gabi?

Edith: They'll be fine. We need to focus on the plan.

Otto: Okay

Otto and Edith exit. Anne enters.

Anne: Sunday July 5, 1942. Dear Kitty, I had my "move-up-a-grade" ceremony this morning and it went well. I got a D, a C- in algebra and the rest were B's. My parents were pleased, theyre not like other parents when it comes to grades. Unfortunately, Hannali has to retake her geometry exam. Poor Lies! Yours, Anne.

Margot, Edith, and Otto enter.

Margot: Father, I have recieved a call-up notice from the SS.

Otto: What?

Freeze

Anne: The doorbell rang a few minutes after that. Margot told me not to answer it, but I heard mother and Auguste Van Pels's voices. The doorbell rung many times through the day. It was always father, mother, or one of the Van Pels. Mom instructed Margot and I to pack our most important belongings. And so we did. Where on earth would we hide?

The scene resumes. Margot and Anne begin packing. Mr Van Pels, Otto, Edith, Miep, Jan, and Mrs Van Pels enter and exit at various points throughout the scene.

Anne: Father came home around 5pm. We called Kleinman and asked if he could come by that evening. Mr. Van Pels left to pick up Miep Gies and her husband, Jan. I went to bed that night knowing that it would be the last time I slept in that house.

Blackout