By Simone Bender

This weekend, I had the privilege of viewing the spectacular performances of both casts of Avon High School’s production of The Diary of Anne Frank. I was heavily impressed by the work and dedication given to the making of this play. Each member of the cast and crew was able to bring their own element of talent to the show, some of them standing out tremendously. Here are our version of the Tony Awards for this year’s spring play.

Best Character Interpretation  

I was very impressed by sophomore Kate Lynam, who played the title role of Anne Frank (Stage Left), for her amazing stage presence and portrayal of teen Holocaust victim Anne. After seeing the play done professionally and reading the original diary multiple times, I was interested to see how this character would come across, but I believe Kate did a wonderful job taking on the role of being a light in the darkness amid the ages of Hitler’s reign.

Best Supporting Role

Senior Ian Brooks brought a sense of comedic relief through his character of Mr. Dussel in the show. While he wasn’t there to be center stage and drive the story, I often found myself smiling at the way he delivered his lines or laughing at his portrayal of the character. He performed very well and definitely deserved the title of Best Supporting Role.

Best Actor

The performance of senior Ian Lynam as Mr. Frank was done wonderfully. Throughout the show, it was the role of Mr. Frank to guide the families and provide a sense of peace in such troubling times, and Ian was able to play the character perfectly. His presence really did seem to fit the role on stage and really helped the overall production.

Best Actress

Senior Vivian Rodkey really was a spectacular performer in her role as Mrs. Van Daan (Stage Left) over the weekend. Her acting was a force to be reckoned with and the way she took on the character was one of the most entertaining parts of the overall show. I feel like she brought a relief to the show that added a spark which could not be brought forth by any of the other actors.

Best Character Energy

Junior Tanner Gunning, who played Anne (Stage Right) this weekend contributed a very vibrant and enticing energy through her acting in the main role. She seemed to really encompass the attitude and spirit that comes with being a young teenage girl looking for positivity in trying times.

Best Background Activity

While line delivery is one of the biggest and most main parts of acting, sophomore Luke Sigler, who played Mr. Van Daan, elevated his character throughout the show by demonstrating great activeness while not being in the spotlight. When other actors were centerstage, Luke was still able to maintain his character using his actions and facial expressions in the background, which really stood out in a positive way.

Best Angry Acting

Throughout the play, senior Meghan Warmuth’s character of Mrs. Frank (Stage Right) was particularly calm and motherly, but I was very impressed during one of the climaxes when she was able to have a complete character turn and go on a yelling spout. It was very entertaining to be able to see her flawless change in character and shocking, which fit the scene perfectly.

Best Balance

While there were very many colliding character dynamics in this production, sophomore Carter Coy, in his role of Peter Van Daan, was able to add a sense of balance amid the different scripted conflicts. It can be a lot to watch such different characters in a show and this character was a very nice sense of calm among the storm of his other energetic, strict, and quarreling cast members.