The Diary of Anne Frank

The Diary of Anne Frank is a one act stage adaptation of the book The Diary of a Young Girl . The play is a dramatization by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett . It opened at the Cort Theatre , Broadway , on October 5, 1955, in a production by Kermit Bloomgarden , directed by Garson Kanin with scenic design by Boris Aronson and lighting design by Lee Watson . The cast was led by Joseph Schildkraut as Otto Frank, Susan Strasberg as Anne Frank, Stephen Press as Peter van Daan, Gusti Huber as Edith Frank, Jack Gilford as Mr. Dussel, Dennie Moore as Mrs. Van Daan and Lou Jacobi as Mr. Van Daan. The play later transferred to the Ambassador Theatre . The play opened simultaneously in seven German cities on October 1, 1956. Upon its opening in Amsterdam on November 27, 1956, Queen Juliana was in attendance. The play received the Tony Award for Best Play and was also nominated for Best Actress (Susan Strasberg), Best Scenic Design (Boris Aronson), Best Costume Design (Helene Pons), Best Director (Garson Kanin). The play also received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for Albert Hackett and Frances Goodrich. Susan Strasberg won the 1956 Theatre World Award . It also received the 1956 New York Drama Critics Circle award for best play.