Hannah Mudry, recently cast as Anne Frank, will lead the Woodland Regional High School’s drama club in a cathartic, overwhelming, emotional production, “The Diary of Anne Frank.”

For those who aren’t familiar with the story of Anne Frank, she was a young girl who lost her life during World War II. Anne Frank is remembered and honored for her diary. Anne began this diary at the raw age of thirteen in June of 1942. Just weeks before Anne’s family went into hiding in the Annex behind her father’s office building, she documented every day that she spent in there. Her diary reveals a lot about this family’s story. Anne, along with seven others, stayed hidden in the Annex for over two years, making sure not to be seen, heard, or noticed by The Nazis. Anne stayed hidden until she died in 1945 of Typhus Fever in Bergen-Belson.

With that being said, this production will not be easy for these actors to uptake. Especially Mudry, who has been cast as Anne Frank herself.

“Honestly, I’m very neutral, because on one hand, I am really, really excited because I think Anne Frank’s story is so important to tell, and she wanted people to hear it; she wanted her diary to get published, but at the same time it’s such a big role to fill,” Mudry said. “Honestly, I’m terrified.”

Although this role will be difficult to portray, the drama club and WRHS students are confident that Mudry will tell the story of Anne Frank without failure.

Anne Frank is somebody who many people look back on, and with Mudry seizing such a serious, brave, determined person, she plans to really imagine herself in Anne’s shoes in various ways. One of those ways is by carrying around her script and rehearsal bag everywhere she goes.

“I just wanna make sure I really know who she was,” Mudry said. “My biggest challenge is getting in her shoes, really being Anne Frank,”

Taking up Anne Frank is not easy, considering the details of her story: horrid living conditions and other factors. But, with the amount of time and commitment Mudry already gives to this role, she is bound to succeed.

The Diary of Anne Frank is something very different than what Woodland’s Drama Club members are used to. The drama club is proving something to themselves, to their community, and to everyone this year.

“We wanted to switch it up and do more of a serious play to prove we could do a serious play, so the Halo judges would walk in being like, ‘oh comedies not everything that they know,’” said Mudry.

Previously, the group worked on the SpongeBob Musical, where Mudry worked as a stage manager. Woodland has decided to change direction completely this year, and many, including Mudry, are very excited about it.

Mudry balances a very complex work-school-club life. Although she is busy often, she always finds a way to succeed and give every aspect of her life her very best. Challenges appear every day for the high school senior, and so when Mudry may need some comforting, she can always go back to theater. Theater is something for her to look forward to at the end of every day.

“I just always come back. I’ve dealt with so much, but I never wanna leave,” Mudry said.

For Mudry, theater isn’t just acting. Theater is way more than just a production or play for her.

“I would say theater is kind of like my home,” Mudry said.

Theater is an important part of Mudry’s life, and Woodland is so glad to have her starring as the lead of this year’s drama club production, as Anne Frank in “The Diary of Anne Frank.”