"The Diary of Anne Frank" - What Can There Possibly Be Left to Say?

That's impressive! The Diary of Anne Frank is a heavy piece. I've wondered how you rejoin the world after a performance for a few hours or a day until it's time to immerse yourself again. How do you and the actors maintain your sanity and equilibrium with all that shifting back and forth? I understand you're also a mom. How do you do "normal" with your kids amidst all the emotions swirled up by this play?

JB: Great question. And it's tough. The cast and I have joked that we need a therapy puppy or an infant or a basket of kittens backstage. And while we were rehearsing, we all found ourselves constantly eating - just to comfort ourselves, I think! For artists, and hopefully audiences, we get so immersed - we have to live in the work in order to make it. I find that it's best to let your two worlds talk to each other. My kids (Noah, 8; Delaney, 6) and I have had lots of discussions about the Holocaust, they've seen the play and understand what I'm doing. When I don't have to shut that part down, I am able to illuminate other things about the work when it is integrated in my life. Plus, I am obsessive about doing super hot yoga- I do it daily and it is so wonderful for my mental space. I'm constantly listening to music, too, and it's a wonderful activity to keep my brain and heart occupied in another way.

KS: Speaking of kids, what's it like working with young actors? Even though I read the bios before the performance, I had to shake myself afterward to remind myself that Anne was played with great sensitivity by Sophie Thatcher, a middle-schooler. A middle-schooler! I just couldn't wrap my mind around that. Your thoughts?

JB: Sophie is remarkable. We joke that she is more mature and professional than we are. It's great because she also keeps a journal and has ready access to so many of the things that Anne is experiencing. She was a pleasure in the room - and has a vast array of personal and professional credits to draw from!

JB: I agree, she is remarkable. I understand that beyond your extensive directing creds, you've been an actor yourself and seem to have performing in your genes. What can you tell us about that?

KS: I like to think of myself as an "actor's director" - what I'm most interested in is the psychology of our work, what happens in relationships on stage so that is always where I begin when working on a play. In looking at Anne Frank, we are talking about this group of people occupying the space, a mother/daughter, the public display of the Van Daan's marriage, etc. I think my acting background definitely contributes to an ease with the language of acting. Most of my work was musical theater or Shakespeare though so that gives you a sense of my, um, exuberance - shall we say?

JB: You also get your literary ya-yas through your award-winning teaching, yet another hat you wear - (it's amazing you don't have a big head with all those hats!). More, please, about the teaching.

KS: Teaching is so vital to me! I hadn't done the past few semesters and I am back in the classroom now - it is so important. First of all, my students are an endless source of inspiration and keep me current with pop culture! Furthermore, you get a shorthand going when you do something often - especially since I work with the same collaborators so frequently - so having to articulate myself clearly with my students is such a fantastic exercise. It helps me to deepen and expand my technique and philosophy. Our work is ever-changing and growing and the classroom is a great space for that. Plus, I love being around the next generation of theater-makers and viewers. We are in very good hands, I assure you!

JB: That's a relief. I'm intrigued, Kimberly. Can you be a bit more specific? What exactly do you teach? And where?

KS: This semester, I am teaching Dramaturgy at Columbia College Chicago and Directing I to the first year MFA directors at DePaul. In both classes, I think there is an emphasis on being a 360 degree artist - how does the world around us influence our work? And then on the technical side, a heavy emphasis on text analysis and structure in the plays. This macro/micro combination leads to some amazing discussions about the role of the artist in society.

JB: I bet you're a humdinger of a teacher! What would you like to talk about that we haven't yet?

KS: World peace? Raising kids in our times? Wow, so much more. Mostly, I feel fortunate to be in this moment, to live in these vibrant and reverberating times, and to be able to tell stories that hopefully have resonant meanings shedding light on our past and present and inspiring us towards the future. It's been a pleasure talking to you!

JB: I enjoyed myself immensely, Kimberly. Let's do this again and we'll talk about everything we missed first time around! Readers, if you're in the Chicago area, I definitely recommend you catch The Diary of Anne Frank at the Writers Theatre. You'll be glad you did.

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